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العربيةWhy are there so many thread lift methods?
Thread lift methods are extremely varied. There can be many combinations of thread type, the site where the thread is inserted, the direction in which the thread is pulled, and so on.
These days, however, dissolving threads such as PDO (a material that dissolves in the body) are generally used. There are differences, but in most cases threads with barbs are used.
Among these many methods, I will introduce the method of pulling the thread vertically, which was introduced in 2017.
The 'vertical pulling method' introduced in 2017
When lifting the midface (the central area of the face) or the jawline, the usual method is to pull obliquely at a 45-degree angle.
The title of the paper is “Vertical Lifting: A New and Ideal Thread Lifting Method in Asians.” It means lifting in the vertical direction.
In fact, it is not a method that never existed. Pulling vertically or at 45 degrees is applied in various ways.
The authors assume that because skin sags vertically, in the direction of gravity, it would be good to pull in the vertical direction as well. They therefore chose a method of pulling the midface and the lateral cheekbone area in this direction.
They used PDO dissolving threads with short, wedge-shaped barbs. The threads were inserted so as to avoid the cheekbone area, which protrudes the most.
When there was marked skin sagging or wrinkling at the corners of the mouth, this area was additionally pulled intensively in a fan shape.
Why were short threads used?
Short threads were used to avoid making the cheekbones look more prominent.
The authors used short threads of about 6 cm. Unlike Westerners, Asians dislike having the cheekbone area look emphasized and protruding.
However, with the conventional method the thread runs over the cheekbone, which results in the cheekbone looking more emphasized. So short threads were used, and the cheekbone area was left without a thread passing through it.
The authors state that this can prevent the cheekbones from becoming prominent and is a method suitable for Asians as well.
What side effects were reported?
Side effects can of course occur. In this paper, the most common was dimpling (the skin being pinched inward) at 5.1%, which could be resolved with simple methods called massage and subcision. Even with the method of pulling in the vertical direction, the cheekbone area became wider in 2.6% of cases. Because the threads have barbs, pain may occur, and the thread may show through or a foreign body reaction may occur. In terms of frequency, they are not common.
In simple terms: The most frequent was dimpling, in which the skin looked slightly pinched, and it was resolved with massage and simple treatment. Even with vertical pulling, there were rare cases in which the cheekbone area looked wider. Pain, the thread showing through, and a reaction in which the body treats the thread as a foreign substance can also occur.
What anesthesia is used?
This method did not require sedation, and local anesthesia was sufficient. For most thread lifts, local anesthesia is sufficient.
Anesthesia and duration for thread lifts are summarized in [Thread lift surgery information](/lifting/thread).
There is no single right answer
The authors give two advantages of vertical lifting. First, it pulls directly in the vertical direction in which the skin sags. Second, because it does not make the cheekbone area look more emphasized, it is a method suited to Asians.
Of course, this method is not an entirely new method that never existed before. But I introduced it because it makes it easy to grasp the idea that the pulling direction can be considered from this perspective.
There can be many types of threads and many insertion directions, and there is no single right answer.
