Thread lift

How threads work

Absorbable sutures, usually polydioxanone or poly-L-lactic acid, are introduced beneath the skin with a fine needle or cannula. Barbed or cogged threads engage tissue to provide a degree of repositioning. Smooth threads act mainly as a collagen stimulus rather than a lift.

The threads dissolve over months. The collagen response they provoke is what provides any longer-term benefit.

Who they suit

The right candidate has mild to moderate laxity, reasonable skin quality and realistic expectations — typically someone in their late thirties to fifties who wants a modest improvement in jawline or midface definition and is not ready for surgery.

They are not a substitute for a facelift. Where there is significant skin excess or descent, threads will produce a small, short-lived change at meaningful cost, and a surgical opinion is the more honest recommendation. Dr Babamiri would rather tell you that at the consultation than treat you and watch the result fade.

Duration

The repositioning effect is typically measured in months rather than years, with considerable variation between individuals. Marketing that implies a multi-year result from absorbable threads is not describing the material accurately.

The procedure

Performed under local anaesthetic. Expect swelling, bruising and a pulling sensation for one to two weeks, and some restriction on facial movement and sleeping position during that time.

Risks and limitations

No treatment is without risk, and you are entitled to the full picture before you decide rather than a summary afterwards. These are discussed with you individually at consultation, in the context of your own history.

• Bruising, swelling and discomfort for one to two weeks
• Visible or palpable threads, dimpling or puckering of the skin
• Asymmetry
• Thread extrusion or migration requiring removal
• Infection, uncommon but requiring prompt treatment
• A modest and time-limited result
• Nerve irritation or, rarely, injury
• Prolonged tightness or discomfort

Where you would be seen

Assessment and treatment are available at CLNQ Manchester at Deansgate Square in the city centre, and at CLNQ Knutsford on King Street in Cheshire — convenient for patients across Greater Manchester, Altrincham, Hale, Wilmslow, Alderley Edge and Macclesfield.

Both sites hold hyaluronidase on the premises with a written protocol for its use, which is the relevant question to ask any clinic offering filler. Complications arising from treatment performed elsewhere in the North West are also assessed here.

• CLNQ Manchester — Deansgate Square 11 Owen Street, Manchester M15 4YB Ground floor of the South Tower at Deansgate Square, Manchester city centre.
• CLNQ Knutsford — Cheshire 49-51 King Street, Knutsford WA16 6DX King Street, Knutsford, serving Cheshire and the surrounding area.

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