What’s in a thread?
What’s in a thread?
While the name thread lift applies to a range of minimally invasive facelift treatments, there are in fact a relatively wide range of threads that can be used.
Sometimes these threads are made of completely different materials, whilst other times they are made of the same base substance but have a different texture or form.
For the uninitiated, this can be a lot of overwhelming (and confusing) information. This is the opposite of what you want when deciding on a personal medical treatment.
In this article we review the threads we use here at TheLondonFacialCare, discussing their differences and potential use cases.
Don’t worry that you need to understand the below fully (or at all). This article is for reference for those clients who may be interested in the best solutions that are available to them. This is not a prerequisite to having a thread lift treatment with us – all options will discussed during an initial consultation and assessment with our clinician Dr. Fern.
PDO Threads
PDO Threads
It is important to start with the most useful thread in the facial treatment arsenal. PDO threads are indeed a type of suture, inserted through the skin and run along the subcutaneous layer.
They are able to flex with the contour and movements of the face and are durable at the same time. This is despite the fact that they are degradable, i.e. they are designed to be resorbed by the body over time.
During the resorption phase, these threads stimulate the growth of collagen and other tissues to bring new subcutaneous structure to the face. When the thread has been completely dissolved into the body these new tissues remain, giving longer lasting effects than threads can alone.
PDO threads have been formally assessed for the following indications:
1) neovascularisation,
2) regeneration of collagen type 1 and 3
3) lipolysis (fat breakdown)
According to research by Rosenburg and Jorge, platelet-rich plasma (PRP) also produces neovascularisation and promotes collagen regeneration via growth factor release – the intervention will therefore give an enhanced effect when used with PDO threads.
In practice there are a wide variety of uses for the threads, such as with frozen shoulder, knee repair and muscular relaxation.
In the face however, PDO threads have a range of benefits including improved skin tone and quality, a reduction in appearance of pores, reduced sagging and loss of a double chin. Naturally with tightening of the skin there is also noticeable improvement in the severity of any wrinkles present.
Mono Threads
Mono Threads
These threads have a relatively unique application in that they are primarily marketed for skin tightening.
Rather than the traditional lifting effect from a thread lift, Mono threads provide good skin tightening action. Typically multiple threads are placed under the skin in a mesh-like pattern, allowing for sufficient skin tightening whilst reducing the risk of puckering and bunching.
It is usual when an area has been chosen for tightening that between 10-30 threads can be employed in a single sitting to achieve the desired result.
Typically Mono threads work best for:
- Skin tightening
- Reduction of minor to moderate wrinkles
- Facial slimming
- Contouring specific structures
Cog Threads
Cog Threads
In contrast with Mono threads, Cog threads are barbed, allowing them to produce a larger lifting effect. Their barbed nature also increases the initial level of collagen production – giving some much needed extra support to the face.
As the threads are anchored at multiple locations they also have multiple anchor points within the skin, giving a smoother appearance over a larger area.
Due to their nature, Cog or Barbed threads work best for:
- Reducing Nasolabial folds
- Lifting the cheeks
- Minimising jowling
- Accenting the jaw
- Neck lifts
- Eyebrow lifts
Don’t forget that a skilled practitioner may use both threads within a single procedure in order to achieve the best results possible for you.
What is a Princess Lift?
What is a Princess Lift?
While the Princess lift may sound like a procedure, it is actually the use of a different type of needle and thread that changes the procedure for clinicians.
Princess threads utilise a much thinner wall to their needles. This has the effect in turn of allowing the gauge (or thickness) to be reduced.
While this can make their use more difficult, the benefits of their use is a smaller puncture in the skin of the patient, reducing inflammation, the risk of infection and more. This can be useful for very fine or damaged skin which requires the smallest amount of traumatic intervention possible.
Dermica Threads
Aptos Threads
Aptos Threads
APTOS threads are so called due to being anti-ptosis. That is, they go against the effects of gravity in the skin. There are a number of different applications of APTOS threads depending on their usage.
The below is a reference to the ideal usage of APTOS methods:
For eyebrows
- Aptos Thread method for mild light lifting
- Aptos Thread 2G method for more stable lifting
For cheekbone areas
- Aptos Thread method for mild lifting, elimination of plaintive furrow and creation of high volume
- Aptos thread 2G method for more stable lifting
- Aptos Needle method for additional stable lifting, elimination of plaintive furrow and creation of high volume
- Aptos Needle 2G method for additional stable lifting, elimination of plaintive furrow and creation of high volume
For marionette lines (mouth corner to jaw)
- Aptos Spring method
For mental areas (chin)
- Aptos Thread method (light lifting),
- Aptos Thread 2G method (more stable lifting),
- Aptos Needle 2G method (additional stable lifting).
For sub-maxillary areas
- Aptos Needle method,
- Aptos Needle 2G method
Spring Threads
Spring Threads
Spring Thread treatment is a permanent, non-surgical solution to sagging skin. Patients benefit from immediate, vertically-lifted skin and progressive tissue regeneration. Results look natural as Spring Thread has a similar elasticity to skin, so your normal facial movements and expressions are completely unaffected.
For the most mobile parts of the face, Spring threads offer a much improved, dynamic treatment that works as part of the face’s natural structure.