Opinions on Silhouette Lift?

We have had excellent short term (less than 6 month) results with the InstaLift, and have performed quite a few of them and are doing 4-5 a week. This is a minor procedure (along the lines of a filler) that, for the first time, actually shifts and lifts the facial structures to a more youthful position without appearing over done. The company's claims (based on their European data) is that the procedure lasts 18-24 months.  I specialize in surgery of the aging face, but provide an integrative approach utilizing non-invasive, minimally invasive, and non-invasive procedures.  This procedure is great for the patient who seeks little or no downtime, and likes a natural restorative appearance. This patient is willing to accept a 1.5-2 year result, but is not ready, or does not desire a facelift.  We have done patients in every age group. While multiple fillers with ultrasound tightening procedures probably come to similar cost, the InstaLift appears more naturally rejuvenating. We have also had good luck with neck rejuvenation using the InstaLift.

Instalift is a great new option available for treating facial ptosis. It's the first product on the market that truly lifts the skin. Some providers have been trying to fill out the facial envelope with the liquid facelift to get the allusion of a lift but this really creates unnatural results. The Instalift allows you to lift and fill in more proportional volumes. The fact that it's dissolvable and biostimulatory is beneficial as well. Like all nonsurgical options, it isn't meant for everyone. Patients with early signs of aging and don't have overly thin or heavy skin are generally good candidates. See a board certified plastic surgeon who can offer you all the options and not just nonsurgical choices so you can get a true evaluation of what will serve you best. 

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 Surgeon
Las Vegas Plastic Surgery

This is an excellent question.
The Instalift is an excellent procedure to re-contour the face, lifting deeper layers of the skin for a more youthful appearance.  You see immediate results and there is no downtime.
The Silhouette InstaLift uses a esorbable suspension suture with bi-directional cones. The sutures lift and reposition tissue while the bi-directional cones hold the suture and facial skin in an elevated position. 
Over time the sutures are naturally absorbed by your body while stimulating production of collagen to aid healthy renewal of your skin to produce natural-looking long lasting results.

Thread lifting has a long history with both very beautiful results and happy patients mixed with poor results and dissatisfaction. Most of the latter stems from the use of permanent sutures and poor technique.
Most modern thread lifting utilizes absorbable sutures, which have many major benefits. These threads not only lift and support, but provide volume as they go away, creating a lift and fill effect. The risk of dimpling, an issue with the old thread lifts, is zero here as these are not providing a permanent pull. 
These modern thread lifts are best thought of like a filler. They will do their job for a year or two and then will need to be touched up, but the results in the meantime are beautiful.
Choosing your physician wisely here is key, as knowledge of normal facelift anatomy, tissue movement and technique is a highly valuable skill when placing these absorbable lifting threads.
To ensure you are receiving the highest level of care, seek out a modernly trained, new-school dermatologic surgeon, oculoplastic surgeon, facial plastic surgeon or plastic surgeon who is board certified and fellowship trained in one of these "core four" cosmetic specialties. Membership in organizations like the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery help to identify a highly trained surgeon.
Cameron Chesnut#realself500 Physician

Silhouette Instalift is ideal for a non-invasive facelift which lifts the cheeks and smooths the jawline.  The neck will also show an improvement but not to the same degree as a surgical facelift.  The Silhouette Instalift is an absorbable thread with attached micro-cones that lift moderately lax skin. The thread and cones stimulate your own collagen as they are absorbed.  Similar Silhouette Instalift threads have been used in Europe for years with minimal complications.  Within a few days of the Sillhouette Instalift procedure the improved contour is evident.  Often, the Silhouette Instalift is coupled with facial fillers, such as Radiesse and Voluma, to add volume and shape to the mid-cheek.  The combination produces a very natural facial rejuvenation. Patients are very pleased with a smoother jaw and up-lifted lower face.  It is truly an Instalift with facial rejuvenation that you see within days. The Silhouette Instalift is best for individuals with moderate facial laxity or for those who are not quite ready for a surgical facelift.  Some of the benefits are almost immediate rejuvenation, minimal downtime or complications.  Within 48 hours most patients see a dramatic contour improvement.  It has revolutionized facial contouring.

As a facial plastic surgeon who's passion is facial rejuvenation, I perform a wide variety of facelift procedures depending on the needs, goals, and aging pattern of each individual patient.  In my opinion and experience, The Silhouette Lift is a nonsurgical/minimally invasive tool which can be used to help patients achieve their goals by truly tightening, and lifting drooping volume and skin in the face without incisions. THIS IS NOT THE SAME THREAD LIFT THAT LOST FDA APPROVAL YEARS AGO

Until now, the closest thing to this procedure has been the "skin-only facelift", which is a surgery that I find hard to justify performing. "Skin-only" facelifts  usually require incisions that are similar to a mini-facelift, but without any muscle tightening, so results tend to last a few months to a year. A well performed mini-lift can last 3 years, and in many cases significantly longer.  









To compare the Silhouette Lift to a true facelift of any kind would be unfair to patients and both procedures. I view it as a procedure for patients with mild to moderate looseness of the mid and lower face, without a significant amount of loose skin, who do not have the time to recover from a facelift (about 1 week), are okay with results that can last about 18-36 months, are not open to having incisions, and find that the cost (about $3500-$6000 - which is in the same range as ulthera and thermitight) is worth the benefits. The results are subtle, but visible to both my patients and me. Patients have been happy. The procedure involves injecting dissolvable sutures with "sculptra" cones under the skin to lift the cheeks and lower face. It can be combined with fillers and botox to create an overall rejuvenated appearance. Very often the recovery time is similar to that of a filler (24-48 hours if any at all).  









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 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 are worth the time, effort and resources. The procedure is a minimally invasive way of tightening the skin of the face. 



To find out if it's an appropriate procedure for you, I suggest doing your research and seeing a board certified surgeon who regularly performs a variety of different facelifts and nonsurgical facial procedures in order to truly get an unbiased recommendation.  

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.  Having been one of the first physicians to offer this in Houston, I can certainly say that it has added to the non-surgical options that I can offer my patients.

Suspension
lifts such as Threadlifts, Contour lifts, Featherlift, Silhouette lift, are
fairly ineffective and very short lasting. Not the best value for the
money spent.

Thank you for your question.  There are so many branded lifts out there, that it can be very confusing.  The Silhouette Lift is a variation on the thread lift.  The idea is to "lift" the tissue with barbed sutures in a minimally invasive fashion and is most suited to patients with mild aging changes.  The results may last up to 18 months.  In my experience, patients are more satisfied with the results of an actual surgical lift."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."