Removing the Threads from Thread Lift

Question

How can the thread lift threads be removed? Can you pull them out or do they have to be removed with a facelift?

Otto Joseph Placik, MD · Answer

It is difficult to know without knowing the exact type of thread (suture). But to answer your question, it is possible to remove without a face lift. However, the real question is whether you will need a face lift after removing the thread and that remains to be seen.
Some surgeons feel that if the threads have been present for long enough, the core of collagen surrounding the suture may be adequate to maintain the results after removal. Others do not believe this to be true.
There are several brands and each may require a different approach.
For example the contour thread lift comes in two types:

One version has barbs in one direction and must be secured to another with barbs in the opposite direction. This requires a central knot.
The other version has the barbs placed in opposite directions at either end with a central looped non-barbed zone (no knot required).

To remove a stitch that has bocome visible, I prefer to remove it at the far end where it will simply glide out if the knot has loosened. If there is no knot, you may have to find the segment without barbs, which may be difficult
In the event that it has not come to the surface, you may have to go hunting for the knot or loop. The knots can usually be felt, whereas the loops cannot. I have developed a technique to find the loops, which is difficult to describe here. 
Once you find the non-barbed segment, you will have to pull backwards with some force (enough to fracture the barbs). Occasionally this will result in breaking or splitting of the suture.

Jordan Jacobs Medical Artistry · Answer

Hello!
Threads can be removed non-surgically. Your practitioner must numb the area, use a needle to make an opening at the hanging point of the threads, and pull the thread out with Adson-Brown forceps. 
With Love & Gratitude,Jordan Jacobs, RN, CANSOwner/CEOAesthetic Injector

Dmitriy Schwarzburg, MD · Answer

The threads will dissolve on their own. But if you want to remove them, your doctor will be able to. Pulling or removing the threads is possible.

Bruce E. Katz, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question. Nova Threads are dissolvable polydioxanone (PDO) threads that are placed beneath the skin and made from the same dissolving material as surgical sutures. I wouldn’t recommend removing the sutures because they are absorbable and placed beneath the skin. However if you still need to remove them, please make sure you seek treatment from a board-certified dermatologist.

Daniel Chang, MSc, MBBS, MRCS · Answer

Dear Terry,
Thank you for your question.
Threads can be divided into absorbable and non absorbable sutures. The trend now is for absorbable sutures, of which we have PDO and PLLA.
Threadlift is a minimally invasive treatment, and it appeals to people because of this fact. Removal of a thread is not so straightforward. The tissue trauma, swelling, bruising and pain makes it a rather invasive process so many doctors feel it is much better to give time to allow for the threads to dissolve.
After a threadlift procedure, it is best to wait for swelling to settle, which takes up to a month, before doing any further work.
After 3 months, neocollagenesis occurs. PDO sutures would have dissolved to a good extent, while for PLLA sutures, there is a core of collagen around the suture, making it extremely traumatic to remove.
In general, it is best to not remove absorbable threads unless there is a strong medical reason, for example infection. Skin irregularities will resolve with time so there is no need for thread removal.

D.J. Verret, MD · Answer

Exactly what is required is dependent on the type of threads which you have inserted. In general, removal can be accomplished without a facelift but this can be a very difficult process. In some patients, after the threads are removed, a facelift is necessary to obtain the results which the patient had before the threads are removed.

Removing the Threads from Thread Lift

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