It is true to say that thread lifting could be more safer than surgical facelifts. But despite how great thread lifting sounds, it still has its own drawbacks.

Most people expect a thread lift to make their face tighter, younger, or more lifted after the procedure, only to get a very little change, or even struggle with side effects. But the good news is that there is a way to minimize disappointments after going through a thread lift procedure.

The procedure itself involves the placement of dissolvable threads under the skin of the treatment area using needles or microcannulas. There’s little to no discomfort during the procedure thanks to the use of a numbing agent. And, out of it, you get tightened skin on the face or neck without so much downtime.

To increase the chances of having a successful procedure, here are the 10 disadvantages you should be aware of. We’ve also covered ways to minimize the possibility of experiencing the negative side of thread lifts.

What Are The 10 Disadvantages of Thread Lift?

1. It has a limited lifting power compared to surgery facelifts

Thread lift offers only mild to moderate lifting which is only best suited for early signs of sagging of the cheeks, mid-face, neck, any other sections with sagging skin. These signs are mostly prominent in people in their 30s to early 50s.

Not forgetting, the lifting power of thread lifts also starts to fade out gradually when the threads start dissolving. Once they dissolve completely, you may have to go through another thread lift procedure or opt for an alternative cosmetic treatment.

If you are in your late 50s or older, thread lifting may not be the idle solution for sagging skin. At this age, surgical lifts offer much stronger and dramatic lifts. Surgical lifts expel excess skin and reposition deep tissue, making it suitable for correcting severe sagging.

2. A period of pain or discomfort

Pain and discomfort after a thread lift are common and they follow a predictable timeline. It all starts with swelling, tightness, tenderness, and bruising. You may also experience pain when touching or moving facial muscles after a thread lift. There’s also that pulling sensation when chewing or smiling. These experiences occur in the first 1-3 days after a thread lift.

On day 4-7, most of the swelling and bruising begins to fade. However, the thread tightness may persist with mild aches and stiffness in the treated area. Uneven facial skin texture may also be felt where treads were placed.

By week 2-4, all the symptoms are very mild or gone. This is when the threads start to integrate with tissues.

Overall, thread lifting is not painless. And, understanding this helps with painting realistic expectations. You may experience intense pain or discomfort in the first four days. However, the pain and discomfort goes away, mostly after 2 weeks.

If the conditions of the 1st 3 days continue to worsen with a spread of redness or heat around the threads’ entry points, you must reach out to your practitioner promptly. These could be signs of a developing infection.

3. Swelling, bruising and redness at sensitive areas

Swelling occurs as mild or moderate puffiness around the treated areas such as the cheeks, jawline, and lower face. It may appear unevenly and make the skin slightly tight or puffy when touching.

Bruising might look like light purple,blue or red change of skin color often near the entry or exit points of the threads. Redness, on the other hand, is a temporary irritation or skin inflammation that occurs right after thread lifting. You can tell it is redness by checking whether there’s pinkness around the treated area.

Redness around the threaded entry and exit points is normal. Most of the swelling and redness often fade within 3 days while most of the bruising resolves within a week or two.

4. Risk of thread movement or breakage

This is not common but it’s also not extremely rare, depending how well you adhere to aftercare instructions.

Actions such as excessive facial movements like smiling, chewing, yawning, and laughing cause a pulling sensation  on healing threads, risking displacement and breakage.

Sleeping on your side or face applies pressure that can shift or bend threads. Facial massages, skincare or facials, physically disturbs thread anchorage. Also smoking or alcohol slows healing, and weakens tissue grip.

It is your responsibility to avoid engaging in these actions as they may lead to thread movement, requiring further checkups. Right after a thread lift procedure, your practitioner should leave you with precise and clear aftercare instructions. Follow each as instructed.

5. Threads showing through the skin or felt under the skin

This is mostly a faint white, purple line or bump visible under the skin. This is as a result of the thread being placed too shallow or if the skin is thin and delicate.

You can also feel the thread ridge, knot or tip under the skin when touching the skin around the treated area. This is as a result of actions like sleeping on your face which may cause shifting of the thread closer to the surface. Also, it is common to feel or see threads under the skin when the practitioner uses thicker threads to lift skin.

Feeling the threads under the skin is also common for those with thin or aging skin. This is because the skin has less fat, making the thread lay close to the surface to the extent that it is easier to see or feel.

 6. Skin irregularities

This is not uncommon, especially in high-risk facial zones such as cheeks, jawline, nasolabial fold, temples, and under the eyes. The cheeks are mostly risky as they are highly mobile and prone to puckering or dimpling.

Threads lifting sagging jaws bear much tension which leads to an increased risk of tightness or asymmetry. The nasolabial fold or the smile line also undergo dense movements, causing rippling which is a wavy or uneven appearance of the skin. This might look like small bumps or folds beneath the skin.

Skin irregularities can also be caused by the thread being placed too close to the skin’s surface, a thin skin with low subcutaneous fat, the use of a poor technique such as uneven thread distribution or inappropriate thread type.

7. Infection risk

Infection risk is uncommon but a very serious complication that requires quick attention. It is caused by poor sterilization of instruments or unclean hands.

Improper aftercare like frequently touching the face, not cleaning treated areas as advised, and also applying makeup too early after the procedure also increases the risk of an infection. Excess sweating caused by heavy workout or dirty environment such as unclean beddings too.

Patients with chronic illness such as diabetes, or immunosuppressive medications are also prone to infections.

The presence of an infection can be detected by signs such as a persistent redness that lasts for more than 4-5 days and an increase in swelling instead of it reducing.

When the skin feels hot to the touch, pain becomes more intense than earlier, yellow, green or smelling discharge or pus oozes from the treated area, and you feel a sharp pain when gently touching the treated area, promptly contact your practitioner.

The practitioner may recommend antibiotics or remove the threads. If pus has accumulated on the skin, it may need to be drained by a professional. Always avoid self -medications such as applying non-prescribed creams or trying to pop a lump at home.

8. The cost may not match the desired results

Some thread lift patients do feel disappointed when comparing thread lift cost vs. the results it offers. This is because they often carry high expectations. These expectations may include a dramatic change, a long lasting effect of several years.

Some of the unrealistic expectations are fueled by the online filtered photos of thread lift results, celebrity testimonials, or poorly communicated outcomes. Some complications like presence of lumps, asymmetry, or no visible lift may also leave patients very dissatisfied.  

All expectations should be properly managed before the procedure to prevent the disappointment psychology from kicking in and making even a fair result look and feel like a failure.

9. Not all thread types suit every patient

This is the most overlooked disadvantage but may definitely be the mother of many other disadvantages.

The choice of the wrong thread can lead to poor lifting results, a high possibility of breakage, visible threads, asymmetry, and skin irregularities. It may increase the risk of side effects like discomforts due to pains, infections, thread movement, and even prolonged swelling.

When the tread type used during a thread lift  does not match the patient’s skin type, treatment area, or the desired aesthetic outcome, it mostly leads to results that are contrary to the person’s expectation. This may ultimately lead to dissatisfaction, frustration, or disappointments.

10. Unqualified practitioners may cause serious thread lift complications

It is very risky thinking that since thread lift seems to be less invasive not much technique or knowledge is needed. Thread lift procedure needs deep knowledge of facial anatomy, skin types, and precise techniques.

Without proper training and practical experience, the risk of complications rises significantly. An unqualified practitioner may insert the thread too shallow, causing visibility. They may also insert the thread too deep that it damages nerves or blood vessels.

An unqualified practitioner may also anchor the threads improperly, resulting in asymmetry, and thread migration. They may also not sterilize their equipment adequately or may give you improper aftercare guidance, which increases the chance of infection.

Now, How Can You Minimize the Disadvantages that Come with Thread Lift?

Every cosmetic treatment comes with their potential risk such as the ones mentioned above. But the good news is that most of the disadvantages can be managed or even prevented entirely. This is only through strategic choice and good habits. Below are practical considerations to ensure a safe thread lift experience.

1. Choose a highly qualified and experienced practitioner

The wisest choice to make before a thread lift procedure is the choice of a skilled professional practitioner. This can be your number one defence against most complications.

The qualified practitioner provides an accurate skin layer thread lift due to their deep face layer understanding. They assess the skin quality and match the perfect thread type suitable for your facial area. They ensure that their instruments are well sterilised to prevent infections. They also ensure the threads are not visible as a result of being too close.

2. Understand how thread type impacts results

The thread type used depends on how long the results are intended to last, the patient’s specific skin type, facial structure, and treatment goal.

For long lasting facial lifting results, a slow dissolving thread should be the best choice. For delicate skin, especially around the eyes or on skin in lean faces, a thin thread is suitable to reduce the thread visibility.

For areas that require a strong lift such as the jawline or the cheeks, a thick thread is used to offer proper anchorage, preventing asymmetry or even thread breakage.

3. Follow aftercare instructions

Practices like avoiding excessive facial movement, pressure, or massages ensures that the threads stay in place, lowering the likelihood of thread breakage or movement.

Aftercare routines reduce pain or discomfort. Also, the use of ice packing, sleeping upright, and avoiding heat can reduce swelling, bruising, and redness in sensitive areas. These acts promote faster healing and visible side effects.

4. Ensure the procedure is done in a clean environment

To reduce the chance of an infection, the use of clean equipment, practitioner hygiene, and patient self-care hygiene is crucial.

Before going ahead with the procedure, assess the cleanliness of the procedure room. A dusty or clearly dirty room increases the chances of an infection occurring

During the procedure, ensure the practitioner maintains hand hygiene, sanitizes in between glove changes, and uses sterilized equipment.

Remember, you are advised to clean the treatment area thoroughly before visiting the clinic. For instance, if you are getting a facelift, avoid makeup, lotions, or any other facial cosmetic product. To reduce bacterial exposure, you are also advised to avoid applying hair products that may drip onto the face.

5. Go through an assessment to know if you are an ideal candidate

Thread lift is idle for individuals showing a mild to moderate skin laxity. Thread lift is best for patients who  have cheek droop,jowls, nasolabial folds, brows, or a sagging jawline.

The idle candidate should have a skin that responds well to lifting and collagen stimulation. Also, they should not have too loose skin or thin due to aging or weight loss as this may result in increased tread visibility.

The candidate should be a non-smoker, a light alcohol user with good general health and a stable weight as weight fluctuations can affect the lift results.

The patient should also have realistic expectations based on the understanding that thread lift is minimally invasive, temporary, and offers a gentle, natural-looking improvement, not a dramatic or extreme change. Lastly, the candidate  should not be pregnant or breastfeeding

Final Words

Thread lift is a modern advancement in aesthetic treatment that offers a non-surgical way of facial lift and rejuvenation. It is highly attractive for its quick recovery, subtle results, and less invasive nature compared to traditional facelifts. But as much as thread lift may seem like a simple fix for aging skin, it still comes with its fair share of disadvantages.

Most of the disadvantages are as a result of improper technique, poor thread selection, and unclear aftercare instructions.

And, there are some disadvantages that occur and go away after some time. These include pain, discomfort, swelling, and bruising. These disadvantages only last for some days and gradually fade away.

Some other disadvantages occur due to poor hygiene and patient irresponsibilities. These disadvantages are such as thread movement or breakage and even infections. It is up to you to ensure proper hygiene and aftercare to reduce the likelihood of the disadvantages of thread lift.

Better Thread Lift Results Powered Quality Threads

As a cosmetic products manufacturer, we’ve invested time into developing premium thread lifting threads. We supply them to various practitioners, with the goal to ensure patients enjoy a smooth healing experience as the threads dissolve.

So, if you realize that your practitioner is using our equipment, be assured little to no unexpected reactions. We also have a collection of skincare products you can use right after a thread lifting procedure. Check out our product collection to find one that suits your taste