Thread lift, a minimally invasive procedure, is set to help elevate the age-related sagging on the face, according to a top dermatology expert.

Dr James Zachariah, dermatologist at Kaya Skin Clinic, said it is predominantly useful for people who hit the middle age milestone that have minimal or less fat deposits, or skin laxity, the techniques fall into basic threadlift and advanced threadlift.

Threadlift specifically targets wrinkle improvement such as frown lines, tear trough and naso-labial folds; lifting effects, such as jowl lines, face, contours, double chin; and also augmentation such as of the cheeks, body lifting as in buttocks, knees and thighs and love handles.

The technique includes absorbable PDO threads that are inserted into the area of treatment. The physiological response to that is the formation of collagen around the threads – as the body perceives them as inflammatory foreign bodies and reacts to them.

The threads are then absorbed in a period of three to six months. To be able to do this, three basic elements are needed:  mechanical stimulation, inflammatory wound healing and physical support provided by threads.

The procedure takes about an hour, and the pain is minimal, lasting nothing longer than a superficial pin-prick sensation after the anaesthetic (EMLA) cream is used, quite like it occurs in acupuncture. There are no injectables in the basic technique, and local anesthetic injectables are used in the more advanced and longer special cannular threads.

The recovery time is limited to a few hours when basic threads are put to use. For the use of advanced threads, the time is extended from three days to a week, depending on the number of threads used, and the site and level of placement.

The longevity of the threads after treatment depend on the health of the person, their lifestyle, and the kind of technique used. The basic threads need to be done in numbers of 50 to 100 per session, and up to three sessions can be done three weeks apart.

The other option is of approximately 100 threads, with a subsequent retouch in sagging areas as is found required, once in two to three months. The maintenance of the results is quite on the same lines as for botulinum toxin or filler injectables. The average duration of the effects extends for a maximum of a year and.

The add-on compensates for the yearly age-related loss of collagen. In case of advanced threads, the results may last up to a year and beyond, and a maximum of two years with a retouch after three months as required, said Dr Zachariah.

The sole limitations in the technique relate to the longevity of the results and the impact on clients with excessive fatty tissue. Distinct advantages though, are that the complications are minimal, and that it can be done as an outpatient procedure, he said.

With good techniques and able client selection, the results are optimal and comparable to the surgical face lifts which is considered the gold standard of treatment, he added. - TradeArabia News Service