New options in cosmetic surgery and the ability to undergo less invasive procedures have made it a really exciting time in the field. The growth of non surgical procedures has taken off with no signs of slowing down. One of the newer techniques available, the thread lift is a non surgical alternative to a facelift that has allowed patients to restore a more youthful appearance.

The thread lift is sometimes referred to as the “lunchtime facelift” because of its ability to create dramatic results without the pain or risk of going under. Much less invasive, causing less swelling and bruising and drastically cutting down on recovery time, it is not hard to understand why thread lifts are quickly becoming such a popular requested procedure.

Within minutes, the patient, who is still awake, can reverse the signs of facial aging. In the thread lift procedure an actual thread or suture is used to lift the sagging skin in the face and neck. Special sutures with hooks or loops are used to pull the sagging areas - usually the jowl, brow or cheek. The cosmetic surgeon will pull the drooping areas back, then knot-like barbs on the thread pull the features into place by anchoring the thread to muscles deeper in the face.

Patients are even able to give input during the thread lift by telling the surgeon how much to pull the thread in order to get the features to the desired place. The instrument holding the thread is removed once all adjustments are made, leaving the threads in the face. The patient is able to immediately cover up any signs of the thread lift with makeup and return to work the following day.

Opposed to a traditional facelift, a thread lift will firm the face but no skin is removed, making incisions unnecessary. After patients undergo a thread lift, should they wish to have the procedure repeated, their cosmetic surgeon can easily adjust or tighten the threads where sagging is visible again. Patients once put off by the idea of having to go under anesthesia, in addition to the risk of potential surgical side effects are now able to choose alternatives like thread lift.

A thread lift will not be able to achieve as much as a traditional facelift, but many patients prefer this. Not everyone will be an ideal candidate for thread lift, including patients that have very advanced signs of aging already, but for younger patients, or patients just starting to show signs of aging, a thread lift can achieve a younger, smoother looking appearance that is not as “pulled back” as a facelift. Some patients will have a thread lift and will also later choose to have a facelift if the procedure can no longer achieve the appearance they want.

Availability of less invasive procedures have gained so much popularity because of the pleasing results that do not carry the same risks and downtime as surgical options. As cosmetic surgery continues to evolve more people are choosing to benefit from procedures in a more proactive manner, which procedures like thread lift have been able to provide. Instead of waiting until major cosmetic surgery is needed, patients are going in before drastic and obvious enhancements are necessary to reach individual cosmetic surgery goals.