Do you have wrinkles or sagging skin? You may be considering two common options for achieving a youthful appearance: facelift and thread lift. While these procedures may target the same things, they are different in every other aspect. However, facelift and thread lift are not treatments you can combine, so you’ll need to choose one over the other.
Below we’ll outline each cosmetic procedure to help you decide whether you want to get a facelift or a thread lift.
Facelift
What Does a Facelift Treat?
A facelift treats common signs of aging to create a smoother, more youthful appearance. Some common skin conditions that facelift can treat include:
- Wrinkles
- Jowling
- Marionette Lines
- Dropped Cheeks
- Sagging skin
Facelift Procedure
A facelift is an invasive procedure that involves removing, tightening, and contouring skin, tissue, and muscles. Your plastic surgeon will make incisions along your hairline and around your ears, although certain types of facelifts like a mini facelift may have different incisions sites.
By tightening skin and muscle, your face will look smoother, with fewer creases, no excess skin, with an overall lifted appearance. Overall, this procedure takes around two hours to complete.
Facelift Cost
The cost of a facelift in Tampa is around $8,000-$12,000. This price will depend on factors like the type of facelift you receive and the complexity of the procedure. During a consultation with your plastic surgeon, you can discuss this price further.
Recovery
Compared to other cosmetic treatments, a facelift has a relatively low recovery time. Typical facelift recovery time is around three to four weeks. You will experience some swelling and bruising during this time, but it should begin to heal after the first week.
While you recover, it’s important to follow the instructions from your plastic surgeon, such as keeping your head elevated, taking baths instead of showers, and avoiding strenuous activities. These instructions are to ensure you don’t accidentally damage your facelift results.
Results
Results from a facelift begin to show around three to four weeks after your procedure which is around the end of the recovery timeline. These results are permanent, which means you won’t need any follow-up procedures to maintain your facelift’s changes. However, you will continue to age, and your skin will begin to show signs of aging around ten years after your facelift procedure.
Facelift Pros and Cons
Below we outline the pros and cons related to a facelift. However, you should note that someone may think of a factor as a con, but you could see it differently. It’s important to weigh your own cosmetic desires to determine the pros and cons of a facelift.
Pros
- Treat many different signs of aging
- Short recovery time
- Permanent results
Cons
- Invasive procedure
- Recovery time includes taking time off work and avoiding strenuous activities
Thread Lift
What is a Thread Lift?
A thread lift is a cosmetic procedure that treats signs of aging with temporary sutures. These sutures subtly lift the skin for a smoother, more youthful appearance.
Below are some of the skin conditions that thread lift can treat:
- Jowling
- Sagging skin and eyebrows
Where a facelift removes excess skin, tightens and muscles, and contours the tissue underneath, a thread lift temporarily lifts sagging skin instead of treating it.
Thread Lift Procedure
Thread lift is a minimally invasive procedure that involves the insertion of dissolvable sutures or thread material into your face. YourAesthetic Injector will insert these dissolvable sutures underneath your skin, where they will grab onto muscles, tissue, and skin for a tighter, lifted appearance.
The threads are inserted through a small needle and then pulled tighter to achieve the “lift”. The entire process usually takes 30-45 minutes.
Thread Lift Cost
The typical cost of a thread lift varies depending on how many threads you may need for your procedure but a good range is typically 1,000 to $3,000. This price depends on factors like the complexity of your procedure.
Recovery
Because the cosmetic treatment is minimally invasive, it’s unnecessary to avoid work or strenuous exercise. You may have some swelling or discomfort for a few weeks, but not enough to warrant a substantial recovery time away from normal activities.
Results
You will see the results of your thread lift almost immediately and can keep improving for a few days or weeks following your cosmetic procedure. The results from a thread lift are not permanent. They last around one to three years, at which point the appearance of your sagging skin and signs of aging will return with little improvement overall.
Thread Lift Pros and Cons
Just like the facelift, this cosmetic procedure has its benefits and downsides. We outline these pros and cons below.
Pros
- Minimally invasive
- Short recovery time
Cons
- Only treats sagging skin
- Temporary results
- Doesn’t treat signs of aging – it only modifies it
Which Procedure is Best?
While there is no “best” procedure, there is a best one for you. It’s important to evaluate your cosmetic desires and comfort levels to determine whether a facelift or thread lift is the right treatment for you. If you want to permanently enhance your appearance with significant results, a facelift is likely the treatment that will give you the youthful look you want.
If you want to talk with a double-board certified plastic surgeon about getting a facelift or the benefits of a facelift over a thread lift, call Dr. Dominic Castellano today at (813) 547-6992.
