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"Thread lifts" are beginning to regain popularity because of the increased safety and more predictable results than in the past. However, they will never replace or achieve the results of a surgical face or neck lift. To compare a thread lift to a true neck lift of any kind would be unfair to patients and both procedures. Although patients may get excited to hear its done under local anesthesia, those who have become part of my practice know that I perform all of my facial plastic surgeries (including a variety of facelifts) under local anesthesia as well, which creates a level playing field when it comes to that part of it. In the right patients, I have found that the results of dissolving PDO sutures are worth the effort. For patients whose goals and aging patterns require surgical treatment, nonsurgical options like ulthera, thermitight, PDO, Instalift, etc. (which I perform frequently on the right patients with great success) are a waste of time and resources. That being said, I have not found any problems doing a facelift for patients who have previously had any of these procedures.
A mini facelift is perfectly safe in the hands of a competent surgeon, but you have to decide what is really important to you. If you are not happy with your neck, then you need a more extended necklift surgery to address it because a mini facelift will not treat the neck well. Make sure your surgeon is experienced in all of the different facelift procedures so the best one for you can be performed.
Yes, it is safe to undergo a facelift after a thread lift. The PDO threads dissolve over a period of 4-6 months, so by now your threads are mostly gone. Many surgeons use the term "mini" vs. "full" to describe different procedures but there is no standard nomenclature. Typically when you need something done under your chin (muscle tightening, fat removal under the platysma muscle, submandibular gland procedures) the procedure is more than what I would consider "mini". But there is no contraindication to doing that now after your thread lift.
Many of my facelift patients come to me for just that reason: they’re unhappy with their thread lifts. I am not a fan of feather or thread lifts at all. They don’t last long. Based on your photo, though, I’d recommend a full facelift with fat grafting and neck lift with platysmaplasty rather than a Mini Lift, because you have significant volume loss and sagging in your mid face as well as your lower face. Doing just a Mini Lift would probably not feel very satisfying to you.It is perfectly safe to have either a Mini Lift or a facelift (rhytidectomy) after thread lifts; the threads can be removed during the procedure. I hope this helps.
In my experience operating on patients after they've had threads place has not been a problem, as long as there are no signs of infection at the time of surgery. Be sure to discuss with your own surgeon.
No surgery is a 100% safe. You always need to be well informed and then make a choice. There are a lot of risks in a mini face or neck lift that you need to look up and educate yourself and then discuss with your surgeon. Some include poor result, need for revision surgery, numbness of face or ears, paralysis of the facial nerve branches leading to stroke like appearance.If done conservatively overall risk profile of a mini facelift in experienced hands is good.RegardsDr Janjua
I'm so sorry that you had a bad experience, but I think you are doing the right thing now. I was one of the lucky ones who avoided the thread lift and was always suspicious that it was going to be ineffective. Unfortunately, the appeal of such minimally invasive procedures and the gigantic promises of natural results is very tempting for both patients and surgeons.As far as the neck lift, it's very safe, but I would suggest you do a little research into exactly what the surgical plan is. I'd hate to see you waste your time and money again. The fact of the matter is that if you want real change, you need to perform real surgery. Furthermore, I have found that the more invasive I am, the more natural the patients results are.Good Luck!
Sorry you are having this problem, but thread lifts carry a notoriously low satisfaction rate. It appears you will need a full facelift as exposure will be needed to deal with the threads. Be sure to consult with a board certified plastic surgeon. Good luck!
With your disappointment with threads, I don't think you will be happy with a mini. Seek consultation for a face and neck lift from a board certified specialist.
Hello,Thanks for your question. I am sorry for your unsuccessful experience. The procedure you are describing is certainly safe if performed by a board-certified plastic surgeon. A year is a reasonable time to wait before having another procedure. However, you may wish to consider a full facelift rather than a mini for optimal results. Good luck.
There should be no issue using Minoxidil. You want to stay away from anything that could contribute to increased bleeding. Be sure to discuss with your surgeon. Best of Luck Dr. J
I tell my patients to expect about 10 days for physical recovery including heavy house work, and about 9 days for social or public eye recovery (going back to work). Your dressings are removed the next day after surgery. The sutures are removed at 7 days. You are able to move about the house...
Thank you for your question. At this point, I would discuss with your surgeon what he/she usually uses to help with incision healing. There are several options, and no one way is necessarily better than the other. At this point, time will help the most with healing as your swelling res...
