"I want a lift without surgery" — many consultations start with this sentence. The two best-known options are thread lifts and fillers, but they treat two different problems.
What happens to the face with age?
Two things happen together: volume loss — reduced fat and bony support in the cheeks and temples — and laxity, where skin loosens and descends. Knowing which dominates in your face is the key to choosing.
Fillers: to restore volume
- Restore fullness to cheeks and temples and define the jawline and chin.
- Results are immediate and last 9 to 18 months depending on area and product.
- Quick recovery, with possible mild swelling or bruising.
Thread lifts: to lift the skin
- Dissolvable medical threads placed under the skin to lift sagging tissue, especially along the jawline and cheeks.
- They stimulate collagen as they dissolve, improving skin quality over time.
- Results typically last 12 to 18 months.
- A feeling of tightness and mild swelling may last a few days.
When do we combine them?
In many faces after forty the best answer is a combination: filler to rebuild mid-face support and threads to lift the lower face. The order and amount are decided at assessment.
And when is neither enough?
With more advanced laxity, non-surgical technologies such as Ultherapy or Sofwave may be part of the plan — and sometimes the most important advice is an honest one: that surgery would serve you better.
Read about the thread lift and contouring fillers, and book a consultation to assess your face.
This article is for general education and does not replace a medical consultation.