Costhetics is Australia’s leading resource for information on all things aesthetic enhancement, and it’s a reputation we’re proud of.
With so many innovative, non- surgical techniques to choose from, however, we’d be remiss in our responsibilities to you, Dear Reader, if we didn’t explore them as well as an alternative to surgery. That brings us to today’s topic: dermal fillers vs. thread lifts.
It’s all about the Face
The Cosmetic Physicians College of Australasia (CPCA) reports that Australians are continuing to spend up on cosmetic treatments to rejuvenate the face. This is confirmed by the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery study on Aesthetic/Cosmetic Procedures performed in 2017, which found an increase of 8% in surgical facelift procedures. These procedures include:
- Upper eyelid surgery
- Lower eyelid surgery
- Endoscopic brow lift
- Facial implants
Not all patients are eager to go ‘under the knife,’ of course, and that has given rise to a variety of non-surgical solutions. Some treatments such as IPL (intense pulsed light) address skin tone, while others (such as muscle-relaxing injections) work on wrinkles.
Fillers vs. Thread Lifts FAQs
For patients who want extensive lifting to sagging skin, the best options are:
- Dermal fillers
- Thread lifts
Which is the best? That depends on what you’re looking for. The concerns of patients looking for non-surgical rejuvenation enhancement techniques are exactly the same as those enquiring about surgical facelifts. Let’s look at how each of these top two techniques delivers.
- What can they accomplish?
- Fillers voluminise specific areas of concern and require touch-ups. They provide mild lifting capacity.
- Thread lifts tighten and lift the whole face in a one-time procedure and provide a moderate lift.
- How long does the treatment last?
- Time ‘in the chair’ for a dermal filler treatment is 10-15 minutes
- Thread lifts take approximately 60 minutes to perform
- How long do results last?
- Benefits of dermal filler injections last 6-18 months
- Benefits of thread lifts can be seen for 1-3 years
- What is the expected downtime?
- Most patients return to their normal activities immediately after treatment. Swelling, redness, and bruising may occur, but generally resolve in a matter of days.
- Thread lift patients can resume most activities, but need to behave mindfully for 7-10 days following treatment.
- When will I see the benefits of my procedure?
- Fillers provide instant rejuvenation
- Thread lifts provide immediate results, but it may take up to 10 days for the full benefits to show
- Are there any possible side effects?’
- When poorly administered, fillers can cause lumps and a puffy-looking face
- Poor technique can result in threads being visible, migrating, and/or not holding skin in place
- Does the procedure hurt?
- Patients rate the pain level of dermal filler injections as a ‘4,’ similar to a bug bite or rubber band snap. Only a topical anaesthetic is necessary.
- Thread lifts are more invasive and patients rate the pain as ‘7.’ The procedure is performed with local anaesthetic.
Filling You In on Dermal Filler Facelifts
As we age, facial skin will inevitably begin to wrinkle and sag. Dermal fillers can effectively sculpt, firm, and rejuvenate an ageing face while simultaneously stimulating collagen production. How do they do that? Dermal fillers replace lost hyaluronic acid, a substance your body produces less and less of as you age. This can help correct:
- Lax jawline
- Nasolabial folds
- Facial hollowness
- Lines and wrinkles
Thanks to truly breathtaking advancements in dermal filler technology, today’s injections can be fine-tuned with different key strengths, each suited to deliver distinctive outcomes:
- Soft dermal fillers – lift fine lines, redefine lips, and provide subtle, natural-looking results.
- Thick dermal fillers – restore facial volume, fill and sculpt cheeks and jawlines for more dramatic results.
- Dermal filler with hydration boost – Replenishes collagen stores, boosts your skin’s water content to refresh crepe-y skin.
The world of dermal fillers is changing every day. There are more than 50 formulations available in Europe, in consistencies ranging from gel to liquid. Providers use everything from regular syringes to micro-needle machines to inject the substance all over the face. To enhance the longevity of dermal filler injections, providers often mix hyaluronic acid with a concentrated solution made from the patient’s own blood. The material instantaneously fills sunken areas while blood proteins trigger the skin’s fibroblasts to produce collagen in the body’s natural wound-healing response. The results are fast and dramatic.
Are Thread Lifts Stringing You Along?
When the thread lift was launched in 2005, promising a mini-facelift with virtually no downtime, it immediately became the thing to do in Hollywood. With the promise of a mini-facelift with little to no downtime, Hollywood was all-in…at least until a thread snapped on the red carpet, leaving a mortified celebrity looking as though she had a stroke. (TV personality Katie Price had a similar incident using face tape this year).
Tragedy on the red carpet led to progress in the labs, however, and today, a new generation of thread lifts provide the same lifting effect, but:
- Offer 70% of benefits of surgical facelift without months of healing
- Are more secure and stay in place thanks to additional hooks
- Have reduced risk of inflammation and infection around the anchors
- Use bio-absorbable threads, which disappears after 7 months
During a thread lift, the doctor places threads beneath the skin using a thin tube known as a cannula. The threads are then affixed to the surrounding tissue to lift the face and tighten the skin. The benefits include:
- Younger-looking skin
- Reduced appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
- Enhanced skin elasticity
- Improved skin tone and texture
- No scarring
- Better definition of facial contours
- Natural-looking results without over-pulling or dimpling
A wonderful side benefit of threads is their ability to stimulate the production of collagen and elastin, both of which are vital to plumping skin and stimulating wrinkle reduction.
Thread Lifts vs. Dermal Fillers: The Winner Is…
When you put thread lifts against dermal fillers, there can only be one winner: YOU! There have never been better options available to vibrant individuals who want their faces to reflect on the outside who they are on the inside. Your specialist can explore the wide range of solutions with you and help you pick the procedure that will meet your needs. If that doesn’t turn your frown upside-down, it should at least get rid of those marionette lines.
That’s how Costhetics sees things. How about you?
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