Dr. Wally's Column ·
Hello, I'm Dr. Wally (Kim Jungsoo), and I explain how treatments work.
Many people believe thread lifts don't last long.
Whenever I post a thread-lift video on YouTube, many of the comments say things like “It just hurt and did nothing” or “It worked, but it didn't even last three months.”
Yet in my own consulting room, I meet many people who stay happy with their results for a long time after treatment.
So where does this difference come from??
And despite all this, why are more and more people choosing thread lifts?
Here are three reasons thread lift results can seem short-lived.
The first reason is that, of all the non-surgical facial treatments available today, thread lifting depends on the doctor's skill more than any other.
In short, it is a highly demanding treatment from the start, and it takes doctors longer than any other to go from first learning it to mastering it.
So at a clinic with plenty of experience, satisfaction is very high, but at a clinic with little thread-lift experience, results can be disappointing, or even when they are good, they may seem to last only three or six months.
The second reason is when the doctor cannot use enough threads.
You might think, “Then why not just put in enough threads from the start?”, but it isn't as simple as it sounds.
Inserting threads causes swelling.
So forcing in more than a certain number can cause a great deal of swelling, and the more threads are inserted, the greater the chance not only of swelling but also of dimpling, where the skin puckers because threads that are too fine are inserted with too much tension.
On top of that, with too many threads, the chance of them showing through the skin naturally rises too.
The cost keeps going up as well, so an experienced doctor needs to balance all of this carefully.
That is why, for a thread lift, you should always have your consultation with the doctor who will perform it.
Don't start with a consultation coordinator.
A coordinator's role should be limited to booking, discussing costs and explaining aftercare.
Third: skin that is naturally very stretchy, and very, very thin skin
However skilled the doctor, not everyone gets the same result from a thread lift.
Even in their twenties, some people have skin that stretches unusually easily when pulled.
This happens when dermal collagen is markedly low, or when the fibrous septa (retinacula cutis) that connect the dermis to the SMAS (the muscle and fascia layer) are naturally very weak.
In these cases, even when the threads lift and anchor the tissue well, the skin itself easily sags again under gravity. This is where touch-ups become very important.
Even very stretchy skin can't stretch forever, so touch-ups at suitable intervals (usually three months) help it stop stretching and hold up well.
That said, you may need one or two more touch-ups than the average person.
Done well, a thread lift is an excellent treatment.
By tidying up the areas that have sagged in your current face, you can look forward to a softer overall look. Results vary from person to person.
However, because it is one of the most technically demanding treatments, choosing where to have it is the decision that deserves the most care.
Finally, here are two questions that will help you choose a good clinic.
Does a doctor consult with you first?
If you're unhappy with the result or have a side effect, will they do a touch-up?
These two questions alone can narrow down your choice of a good clinic considerably.
I hope this has been helpful.
This article is general information about the treatment and does not replace an individual diagnosis or treatment plan. Results and their duration vary from person to person.