It has been suggested that I have a minimal facelift (to address jaw line and some skin excess after weight loss) combined with a thread lift to address my drooping cheeks.
Is this a reasonable alternative to a more 'full-on' facelift?
It is true that using anchored threads to suspend the deep tissues can be a helpful adjunctive surgical technique in some types of facelifts in selected patients. This might allow certain types of facelifts to be performed with limited incisions for patients with minimal skin excess. In the past some of us have used this technique. Currently, for many of us, the use of barbed sutures for lifting the deep tissues has replaced the use of threads in facelift surgery. If you are treating skin excess from weight loss, chances are that a short scar approach cannot be used because the excess could not be adquately removed with a short scar technique. So in patients with marked skin excess, when a facelift cannot be performed with limited incisions, there might be no particular advantage to combining a threadlift with facelift surgery. Best wishes
Thank you for the question. Threads or barbed sutures are used when there is no significant excess of skin. They are useful for mild jowling and naso-labial folds but have limited indications in patients with skin excess. In addition, they do not last as long as a classical facelift. Your question really relates to combining a minimal access facelift with threads. There is a technique called MACS lift (minimal access cervical suspension) which does use a pre-auricular incision combined with deeper sutures. You may be a candidate for this, but with your history of weight loss skin reduction may also be required, which usually involves extension of the incision behind the ear in to the posterior hairline, to get rid of the excess skin. I call this a lower face and neck lift and usually gives very good results.
Best wishes
The merits of a thread lift are very questionable! I would suggest that you send photos and I could give you a truthful evaluation.
Dr. Edward Jonas Domanskis is Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery
Newport Beach, San Francisco,Miami, EU, Anguilla,Nassau
Assistant Clinical Professor of SurgeryWOS-Plastic,University of California (Irvine)
Orange County’s Physician of Excellence/America’s Top Physicians/Top Doctors
Plastic Surgery- 2005-2018
President,American Society of Bariatric Plastic Surgeons
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