Foxy eyes in 20s - does it have a visible effect & is it worth it?

Question

I’m in my 20s looking to have the PDO thread lift “foxy eyes” brow tail lift, a look popularized by Bella Hadid. I can only seem to find before and after pictures instantly shot after the procedure - and impossible to find results post healing. I’ve read the lift goes down about 1cm after healing. Which makes me wonder if it even has a visible effect in the end? Is it worth it?

George Yang, MD · Answer

Great question. Instagram is a great marketing tool, but before and after photos are unregulated and for an unsophisticated viewer easy to fool and brainwash overtime to believe a certain look is normal. Once they pause to look at, like or comment on a post, the algorithm will then feel more of the same types of photos to the user to keep them using the social media platform as long as possible so they can serve up more ads. 
Since I am a facial plastic surgeon, I follow the trends, but don’t jump into them so quickly until I see long term results which I consider to be 6 to 12 months. Most likely the results may be gone by then. The original trend was back in the mid-2000 called the Contour Threadlifts which used a barbed polypropylene (fishing line) which did not last more than a year. The sutures were permanent which made it problematic to keep repeating the procedure. If a facelift was performed in the future the permanent threads became problematic and difficult to remove. It could cause irregularities under the skin having permanent cables of polypropylene running under the skin in certain areas. 
Fast forward to the present and we have PDO threads and 5 years prior Silhouette Instalift. Note these trends come and go in cycles, but seem to not stay around long term as a solid temporary procedure like Botox or injectable fillers. 
The PDO threads dissolve after 12 weeks and the broken down sutures will act like Sculptra building volume in the area that the sutures were placed. Based on logic, if the sutures dissolve after 12 weeks then the “lifting” portion of the result should disappear and then over the next 12 weeks then suture line area will build up in volume (temple filling?) However if the goal was to fill the temples, why not just fill the temples? Most people who l chose the threads over filler want the lifted look, but do not want a puffy pillow face, so they opt for the threads. 
Note the rationale for using the threads to lift is beginning to unravel (pun intended). 
Let me know if you find any photos which are 6-12 months at which time I can see how much volume or residual lifting the dissolved PDO threads still give after they are dissolved. 
I reserve my judgment where or not PDO threadlifts are a good idea or not. I have thought long and hard how exactly I would position this procedure in my practice if I were to add it. Many of my existing patients have asked me to add it, but I have been reluctant so far looking at the past history of these types of lifts. If I did offer them, I would use them as a “one-off” procedure and not as a repeat procedure like botox to be repeated every 3-6 months. The example patient would be someone who may like the look of a lower facelift, cheek lift or lateral browlift, but let’s say they waited too long before a big event (wedding, graduation, etc) and many photos will be taken. They don’t have time to do an actual surgery and recover for the event. Then they could opt for a lower facelift, cheeklift, and/or lateral browlift as a “trial” run. It would need to be done close enough to the procedure so that the lifting effects are still there so my guess is that it probably looks best around the 4-8 week period. Once 12 weeks is reached I would worry that the “lifting” results will be going away. Less than 4 weeks, sometimes there can be puckering at the entry site just outside the tail of the brow, which they show in the immediate after photos with an extreme lift. This pucker seems to go away, but then you wonder about the whole lift itself going away. 
Just my thoughts about the new procedure, since I don’t offer them yet. Still trying to keep an open mind, but it’s looking like history is repeating itself. Keep doing your research. Good luck.

Mark Godley, MBChB · Answer

Hello there,I have performed over 300 Thread cases at Godley Clinic, and the Fox Eye is one of our most requested thread lifts. The degree and longevity of a brow lift with threads depends mainly on three things:1. The type of thread used (PDO vs PLA vs PCL)2. The technique of the Practitioner3. How effectively the Patient is at following our aftercare instructions.
We use PDO Threads for a lift that last approximately six months, for patients who just want to try the look out. For a lift that lasts up to two years, we use PLA Threads. While the lift may settle slightly, 1 cm is a significant drop. As long as a patient takes good care of their lift after treatment (stays out of saunas, no hot yoga, no tanning, no facial massage, and sleeps upright - NOT on their face) the lift should stay fairly close to where it was positioned.

Foxy eyes in 20s - does it have a visible effect & is it worth it?

Answers (2)

Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Thread Lift

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.

Foxy eyes in 20s - does it have a visible effect & is it worth it?

Answers (2)

Browse related questions

Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Thread Lift

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.