If you were looking to reduce the signs of ageing and improve the look and feel of your face, in the past, your main option was a facelift.
However, advancements have been made which means there are a variety of non-surgical options you can choose from, including the thread lift procedure, which is gaining popularity.
Which is best though? If you’re in a quandary about which to choose from, we’re going to help you out. We pit the two against each other in a Facelift vs Thread Lift face off!
How to Decide Whether to Get a Facelift or Thread Lift
Although both the thread lift procedure and facelift surgery are designed to rejuvenate your face and give your face and skin a more youthful look and texture, they offer different results.
As such, you should not consider them to be interchangeable.
They will both improve sagging skin in the neck, cheeks, and jowls as a result of ageing, but are not like-for-like substitutes for one other.
Understanding the unique differences and the kind of results you can get from each, in relation to your problems, is the best way to work out which is right for you.
Though, the specialist you meet at your consultation will be able to help guide you towards the right choice for your needs.
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We also have a full guide on thread lifts <– here.
For instance, if you have drooping skin beneath your chin and extensive sagging and deep creases in your jowls, it is likely, facelift surgery will be better for you. A thread lift could help but is not as effective.
Thread lifts are better suited if you are younger and looking to correct the earlier signs of aging such as skin laxity and want to delay surgery as long as possible.
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What does each method treat?
To help you understand the difference between each of these very similar procedures, we are going to look at the unique benefits.
Thread Lift
A thread lift can treat symptoms of ageing like:
Sagging jowls (also known as loose jowls is the term used to describe loose skin that hangs just beneath your jawline down your neck), loose necklines, loss of volume in cheeks, fine lines and wrinkles.
Facelift
Although the list is not nearly as extensive or exhaustive, facelifts are known to be very successful at treating fine lines and wrinkles by removing lax skin and tightening underlying muscles.
When are results seen for each treatment?
One thing you will be very interested in is how quickly you can see results.
Thread Lift
As there is little to no downtime and no real surgical procedures involved, thread lifts offer almost instant results and very limited swelling.
Facelift
As a facelift involves surgery and incisions, you need to wait for the pain, discomfort and swelling to reduce before you can see the benefit of the treatment. There is around 2 weeks’ worth of discomfort you have to go through and then another 4 weeks of waiting for the treated area to settle.
Are they invasive?
It makes sense to consider which is the most invasive if you are not looking to go under the knife or are nervous about intensive procedures.
Thread Lift
One of the main draws for people to thread lifts is the fact that it is a non-surgical procedure.
Facelift
Often when people discuss going “under the knife” it is because they are having a facelift. This means that not only is invasive surgery involved, but there is also anaesthetic, a short-term hospital stay and ongoing pain management involved.
Do the treatments leave scars?
As one of the main reasons you are interested in thread lifts and facelifts is because of the aesthetic benefits of looking younger, you will likely want to know which leaves you scarred. This is often a dealbreaker.
Thread Lift
As there are no incisions and surgery involved, there is no scarring.
Facelift
As an invasive surgical procedure, that involves incisions being made into your skin, facelifts cause visible scarring that requires intensive post-procedure care.
How long do results for each treatment last?
As both treatments cost a considerable amount of money, it’s important to consider how long you will benefit from their benefits.
Thread Lift
With a thread lift, because it is a non-surgical procedure, the results are only temporary.
Depending on your general health, the condition of your skin and other factors,(like how badly you are affected by the signs of ageing, for instance) you can expect the results of a thread lift to last for at least 12 months and maybe more.
Facelift
As fa facelift involves making semi-permanent changes to your face, the results tend to last much longer than they do with non-surgical alternatives.
If you have facelift surgery, therefore, you can expect to benefit from the results for up to 10 years.
What are the side effects of each treatment?
When having any procedure, even outside of the thread lift vs facelift surgery debate, a huge determining factor may be the kinds of side effects you are likely to experience.
Thread Lift
As thread lift procedures are minimally invasive there are minimal risks involved. You may experience slight discomfort immediately after having the technique.
There is also likely to be light swelling and some bruising.
Facelift
As facelift surgery involves making incisions into your skin, there is a greater potential for side effects and risks.
Some of the most common you are likely to experience include infections around the incisions made by the surgeon into your skin, nerve damage and/or potentially permanent changes to your looks.
What’s the recovery period for each procedure?
It’s worth knowing what kind of recovery period is involved in each procedure, so you know how bad or not your life will be affected by having either of these treatments.
Thread Lift
Compared to other forms of plastic surgery, thread lifts are generally minimally invasive or less invasive depending on the amount of work you need.
You can expect to have about 24-48 hours of downtime
Facelift
As a more involved and intensive procedure, where local anaesthesia is used and plastic surgeons perform incisions into your body, the amount of downtime is higher.
You can expect to spend 14 days of complete rest.
In summary, both treatments have their pros and cons and are suitable depending on the result you want.
Interested in a modern, non-invasive thread lift and a more youthful look?
Contact us now to Book Your Consultation with our dermatologists
