Facelift After Threads: Myths vs Truths

A Scientific Fact Sheet for Aesthetic and Surgical Professionals

Myth 1: Thread lifts make future facelift surgery dangerous or impossible.

Truth: When performed correctly, thread lifts do not interfere with future facelifts. Threads placed in the subcutaneous plane avoid surgical dissection zones. Absorbable threads (e.g., PDO, P(LA/CL)) dissolve in 6–18 months and do not distort anatomy. Surgeons confirm that facelift after threads is safe when protocols are followed. 1, 2, 3

Myth 2: Threads cause fibrosis that interferes with surgical dissection.

Truth: Threads induce a controlled foreign-body reaction. This neocollagenesis improves dermal support and enhances overall tissue quality. Compared to scarring from prior facelifts, thread-induced fibrosis is superficial and predictable. (1, 4, 5, 6,7)

Myth 3: If a patient had threads, facelift results will be compromised.

Truth: Facelift results depend on tissue condition and surgical skill, not thread history. Properly placed threads may enhance skin firmness. (1, 8, 9)

Myth 4: Plastic surgeons should avoid thread-lifted patients.

Truth: Avoidance is unnecessary. Disclosure of prior aesthetic treatments and a comprehensive clinical assessment enable safe surgery. Experienced surgeons routinely operate on patients with prior threads, fillers, or RF. (1, 10, 11)

Myth 5: Dermatologists and aesthetic doctors ruin faces for surgeons.

Truth: Today’s patients have complex treatment history. In the era of aesthetic medicine there is no “virgin” skin. Surgeons must collaborate with aesthetic physicians to achieve the best outcomes. Interdisciplinary respect and communication lead to safer, more effective results. (1, 11, 12)

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References:

1.     Kolkhida & AMWC Panels, 2025,

2.     Kim, J., Kim, H. S., Seo, J. M., Nam, K. A., & Chung, K. Y. (2016). Evaluation of a novel thread‐lift for the improvement of nasolabial folds and cheek laxity. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 31(3). https://doi.org/10.1111/jdv.13887

3.     Sarigul Guduk, S., & Karaca, N. (2018). Safety and complications of absorbable threads made of poly‐L‐lactic acid and poly lactide/glycolide: Experience with 148 consecutive patients. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 17(6), 1189–1193. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocd.12519

4.     Abada, D., El Maadawy, I., Hodeib, A., & El Ghamry, S. (2020). Assessment of Efficacy and Safety of Thread Lift in Mid Face. The Egyptian Journal of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 44(1), 179–186. https://doi.org/10.21608/ejprs.2020.88937

5.     Haddad, S., Galadari, H., Patil, A., Goldust, M., Al Salam, S., & Guida, S. (2022). Evaluation of the biostimulatory effects and the level of neocollagenesis of dermal fillers: a review. International Journal of Dermatology, 61(10), 1284–1288. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijd.16229

6.     Burko, P., & Miltiadis, I. (2025). Evolution of Thread Lifting: Advancing Toward Bioactive Polymers and Sustained Hyaluronic Acid Delivery. Cosmetics, 12(3), 127. https://doi.org/10.3390/cosmetics12030127

7.     Song, J. K., Chang, J., Cho, K. W., & Choi, C. Y. (2021). Favorable Crisscrossing Pattern With Polydioxanone: Barbed Thread Lifting in Constructing Fibrous Architecture. Aesthetic Surgery Journal, 41(7), NP875–NP886. https://doi.org/10.1093/asj/sjab153

8.     Mortada, H., Alkilani, N., Halawani, I. R., Zaid, W. A., Alkahtani, R. S., Saqr, H., & Neel, O. F. (2024). Evolution of Superficial Muscular Aponeurotic System Facelift Techniques: A Comprehensive Systematic Review of Complications and Outcomes. JPRAS Open, 39, 166–180. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpra.2023.06.003

9.     Hong, G., Kim, S., Park, S. Y., Wan, J., & Yi, K. (2024). SMAS repositioning technique utilizing cog thread: Anatomical perspectives. Skin Research and Technology, 30(3). https://doi.org/10.1111/srt.13650

10. Nizamoglu, M., Nugent, N., & Pacifico, M. (2025). Enhancing safety, patient experience and outcomes in an independent UK ambulatory aesthetic surgical clinic. Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery, 107, 141–147. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bjps.2025.06.018

11. Skouras G, Skouras A, Skoura E. How Minimally Invasive Treatments Can Render a Subsequent Face Lift More Difficult. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2023 Jul 1;152(1):76-84. doi: 10.1097/PRS.0000000000010149. Epub 2023 Jan 3. PMID: 36728578.

12. Jałowska, M., Kowalczyk, M., Gornowicz‑Porowska, J., & Adamski, Z. (2019). The interdisciplinary aspects of aesthetic medicine. Journal of Face Aesthetics, 2(2), 71–79. https://doi.org/10.20883/jofa.12

 

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Facelift After Threads: Myths vs Truths - Aptos