Sinsa-dong Thread Lifting: Several Things You May Easily Overlook

Hello. We are Re:本 Plastic Surgery, meeting you at Exit 1 of Sinsa Station.

There are several types of “lifting (face lift)” methods that lift sagging skin caused by aging.

These include “facelift surgery,” which appropriately dissects the SMAS layer through surgery and lifts the structures (skin tissue) above it; “thread lifting,” a minimally invasive method that pulls up specific areas; “ultrasound lifting,” which contracts the SMAS layer to address the root cause of sagging; and “radiofrequency procedures,” which remodel dermal collagen to improve elasticity.

Among these, which methods can produce results immediately afterward? The answer is “facelift surgery” and “thread lifting.”

Thread lifting, which is effective for “surgical correction”

Facelift surgery is the most effective and longest-lasting among the various methods, but because the incision area is large and the recovery period tends to be long, many people these days look for “mini facelift surgery” or “thread lifting.”

Unlike ultrasound or radiofrequency lifting, thread lifting is a procedure that is more focused on “surgical correction.”

In the case of ultrasound and radiofrequency, changes are induced by targeting the inside of the skin (each SMAS and the dermis), but because immediate effects are difficult to see and the procedure must be repeated, thread lifting can be said to be relatively better for surgical correction.

These days, thread lifting is often known only as a “simple procedure,” so many people choose a plastic surgery clinic based mainly on price. However, because even a small mistake in the procedure can become immediately noticeable, it can be said to be a much more delicate and difficult procedure than you might think.

Today, I would like to point out the aspects of thread lifting that you may easily overlook.

◆ The threads used in thread lifting differ in whether they have barbs, their materials, and their purpose.

These days, there is so much information about thread lifting that most people come in already knowing the general procedure.

In general, people know it is a procedure intended to “lift the skin,” but when I tell them that it is also effective for “improving contours and increasing volume,” many say they had not realized that.

The threads used in thread lifting differ in whether they have barbs, their materials, and their purpose.

They can broadly be divided into three types as shown below.

Mono thread (PDO)	A flat PDO (Polydiocanone) thread inserted into the dermis layer to regenerate collagen.
Cog thread (PDO)	A PDO thread with various types of barbs, inserted into the dermis-subcutaneous fat layer to lift the skin.
Cog thread and cone thread (PLLA)	A cone-shaped PLLA (Poly L Lactic Acid) thread inserted into the dermis-subcutaneous fat layer to lift the skin while also helping increase volume through its own collagen regeneration.

PDO thread is a medical absorbable thread that has long been used for suturing in surgery.

As the thread is inserted, it stimulates the skin and does induce collagen production, but unlike PLLA thread, it does not have the ability to produce collagen on its own, so collagen regeneration is considered a secondary role and it is generally used for lifting purposes.

However, among PDO threads, “mono threads” are also used with the purpose of stimulating the dermis more intensively by inserting them slightly more superficially than the area where general cog threads are inserted.

PLLA thread can be understood as an “inducer of self-generated collagen” to the extent that it is used as a material for collagen boosters.

If PDO thread induces collagen through stimulation, PLLA thread produces a large amount of collagen on its own, so we recommend it when both “volume enhancement” and “lifting” are desired.

◆ Thread lifting is a sensitive procedure.

The effect of thread lifting varies depending on the type of thread, the thickness of the thread, and the material of the thread, but the results also differ greatly depending on how deep it is inserted and in what direction it is pulled.

Unlike ultrasound and radiofrequency procedures, which are relatively more dependent on equipment, the surgeon’s delicate skill is important, so it is all the more advisable to carefully choose a plastic surgery clinic.

When the goal is “lifting,” threads are usually inserted deeply into the dermis-subcutaneous fat layer, but if they are inserted too deeply, the cogs do not engage properly and the lifting effect decreases.

On the other hand, if they are inserted too superficially, a “depression side effect,” commonly called dimpling, can occur, so it is important to carry out a delicate design tailored to each person’s skin before the procedure.

For reference, our clinic directly manufactures and uses threads with approved ingredients in order to prevent various side effects that can occur because the length of existing products is too short (such as the need to insert them in visible areas and the possibility that the cheeks may bear the force, making the face look larger, etc.).

Thread lifting is one of the procedures whose results can vary greatly depending on who performs it.

In particular, because it allows point-specific treatment in certain areas, if you have sunken skin or want lifting in curved areas, you should be even more careful to check the practitioner’s experience when choosing a plastic surgery clinic.

If you need help, you are welcome to contact Re:本 Plastic Surgery.

At a place with long-standing know-how, discover “naturally beautiful you” through Re:本.

Thank you for reading this long post.