Silhouette Lift: Experience of Re-tightening Coned-threads?

You would have a better time, and more lasting good memories than if you "wasted" your time, healing, and money on any type of thread lift, no matter how much "new and improved."

These procedures can make some improvements, sometimes even ones that border on being visible, but the barbs bend over, lose contact with the tissues that are "lifted," and sometimes poke through the skin surface. Visible cords or lines from the threads are also a concern, and most patients end up having them out (which takes a second operation and recovery). Just say "No!"

Clink your martini glass to those of us who told you the truth, and spit overboard to those who would sell you a "worthless" operation! Cheers!

Thank you for your question.  The Silhouette Lift consists of small entry points made in your skin by a needle.  There is no scalpel used.  No incision scars.  This is all good news if someday you might need or want a formal facelift/necklift.  You can also receive another Silhouette Lift a couple years after the first if you are still not ready/not a candidate for a facelift  The material is the same that we use with Sculptra injectable.  Often Sculptra patients will come back every few years for a touch up.  Volume can also work well with other modalities, (Juvederm, Volluma, etc.).  The choice between modalities depends on how much these issues bother you, how aggressive you want to be, and your anatomy.   Again, one should do a proper history and physical exam to see if you are a candidate.  Best to see a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon or Otolaryngologist, (ENT).  They will be able to let you know what might work best in your case, (Silhouette Lift vs. Fillers vs. Surgery), as they do all of the above.  Please call with any questions.Jeffrey J. Roth, M.D. F.A.C.S.Board Certified Plastic SurgeonLas Vegas Plastic Surgery

Thank you for your question.  The silhouette Instalift is a minimally invasive procedure that helps to support some of lax facial tissues that onset with aging.  It is one of several options that are available to help address the aging process.  Specifically, it helps to soften areas of the face including the nasolabial folds and the marionette region or the jowls.  Resorbable bidirectional sutures with cones are used to recruit the tissue laxity away from these areas of concerns.  The procedure is done in-office with local anesthesia.  I use this in conjunction with other non-invasive medical treatments such as Injectables, lasers, and other collagen stimulating energy devices. As with many non-surgical procedures, they can serve to help age gracefully and delay or obviate the need for surgery to help meet your aesthetic goals.

Thank you for your question. There are many branded "lifts" on the market, so this can be very confusing. some can refer to minimally invasive facelift techniques such as a variation on a thread lift. These techniques are best suited to patients with mild aging changes. Moderate to severe aging changes would more likely benefit from a more traditional facelift. I would recommend consultation with a facial plastic surgeon to discuss what option is best for you."This answer has been solicited without seeing this patient and cannot be held as true medical advice, but only opinion. Seek in-person treatment with a trained medical professional for appropriate care."

If you are not ready for a face lift, use your money toward facial injectables or fat grafting.  Suspension lifts have very poor short-term and long-term results an din general have the least amount of value (improvement for the dollar spent)

I am not a big supporter of the thread lifts.  We do not offer that procedure due to the low percentage of sustained benefit.  There are some who do get prolonged benefit, but the numbers are small from the ones we see.  I would consider a mini lift if you can visit a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon and they recommend a facelift.

I agree with the posts - very few surgeons will recommend "retightening" threads, and very few are happy with the results long term.

If you have skin laxity that looks good when you pull in the mirror, you may be a candidate for a 1-hour minilift procedure.  These can be performed under local anesthesia with little downtime.  Be sure to consult with a surgeon that performs a lot of mini-lifts before proceeding.

The video below discusses the various recovery times from facelift procedures.  Best of Luck!

Thread lifts have been, by and large, a complete waste of time and money for patients.  I don't think that "tweaking" a very imperfect procedure is likely to provide any aesthetic benefit.  I think Dr. Tholen's "cruise advice" is a much better idea than revisiting a poorly conceived technique.

Thread lifts, even extra improved thread lifts have been very disappointing.  I think that you should prepare yourself of the treatment to last about 6 months.  Any benefit beyond this is a bonus.  Unfortunately, the sutures do not hold well in the fat and the barbs give way with time.  Interestingly facial fillers can be a viable alternative to a procedure like a Silhouette lift.

The Silhouette
InstaliftTM is a minimally-invasive FDA approved fully absorbable
suture procedure to lift, recontour, and reposition midfacial subdermal (below the skin) tissues.  Studies are coming out that show very high safety profiles and high patient satisfaction scores.  The procedure is a huge leap forward from barbed thread lifting of the past.  Indications for the procedure include signs
of moderate midfacial tissue drooping - nasolabial folds, down-turned oral
commissures (corner of mouth), and marionette folds.  A
non-ideal patient has thin skin with little to no underlying fat, excessive
skin, or heavy localized rhytids. 
Advantages of the procedure include minimal downtime of 1 day without
makeup, a natural appearance, and immediate results.  The procedure is done under local anesthesia.  Start-to-finish including set up and
anesthesia takes about 45-60 minutes. 
The results last about 1.5-2 years and can be performed in combination
with fillers for overall rejuvenation.Results begin to peak at 3-6 months and can last anywhere from 18-36 months.  There are many providers offering the Silhouette Instalift with good before and after photos and that is really where the proof is.  The results speak for themselves.  The Silhouette Instalift is not a replacement for surgery.  The results are not surgical results.  However, the procedure is ideal for a patient who is not ready for surgery and who is interested in a subtle lift.  If your surgeon thinks that you could benefit from another thread, it is very easy to add additional threads.  You get to enjoy more collagen as the sutures slowly reabsorb.  I have placed 1-2 more sutures 1-3 months after the Silhouette procedure and it was as simple as placing them the first time.  In fact, many providers are moving towards a stackable approach by combing the sutures with fillers and other non-surgical therapies such as laser or radiofrequency to boost the overall result of the face and neck.