Why Does the Effect of Thread Lifting Disappear After 3 Months?

Hello.

I am Dr. Huh Jae-won, a board-certified plastic surgeon performing anti-aging surgery at 입체성형외과.

Recently in the clinic, I have been hearing questions about thread lifting especially often.

I usually focus on lifting surgery, but there was a time when I used to perform more than 200 threads a day.

Even among doctors who specialize in thread lifting, that is not a small number. Back then, I kept thinking, “How can I narrow the gap between surgical results and thread lifting?” and approached it in various ways.

The immediate effect of thread lifting usually does not last longer than 3 to 4 months on average.

Of course, there were exceptional patients. But when looking only at the effect of thread lifting alone, the typical maintenance pattern I observed was as follows.

• After 1 month: about a 50% decrease in effect

• After 2 months: a perceived 70–80% decrease

• After 3 months: almost back to the original state

When I ask about thread lifting experience during facelift consultations, more than 95% of patients give almost the same answer.

In the end, the maintenance period of thread lifting could not be explained solely by differences in a doctor’s skill.

Then does a skilled doctor’s result last longer?

I often see people who heard things like “it lasts a year at that clinic,” “it lasts longer because they use special threads,” or “that director is especially good,” paid a price comparable to a facelift, underwent the procedure, and then came back for another consultation after experiencing a similar maintenance period.

Thread lifting can make the immediate change look dramatic due to differences in aesthetics.

But the maintenance period is not a matter of aesthetic sense; it is “science” based on tissue response and physical principles.

In other words, it is difficult to avoid the returning effect.

In exceptional cases where the effect lasts more than 4 months, it is mostly not the result of thread lifting alone, but rather the outcome of combining it with other procedures.

Typical combinations include the following.

• Liposuction

• Fat grafting

• Injectable procedures such as fillers

When volume adjustment is involved, synergy can appear in certain situations, but that also makes it difficult to separate the contribution of thread lifting itself.

Two important premises to check if you are considering thread lifting

Premise 1) The immediate effect of thread lifting is difficult to maintain for more than 4 months.

Premise 2) The effect rapidly fades from month 1 to month 2 to month 3.

If you fully understand these two facts, thread lifting can be a very satisfying option for those who want short-term lifting.

• When an important event is 1 to 2 months away

• When a facelift still feels too burdensome, but you want yearly maintenance

• When you want a procedure with little recovery time and swelling

However, if you hear consultations or advertisements that go beyond this premise, it is best to be cautious.

Thread lifting is an attractive procedure that can create an immediate change not seen with laser or device-based treatments.

However, there are still many misconceptions created by unrealistic expectations regarding how long the effect lasts.

Therefore, if you are planning thread lifting, I recommend first checking whether you have realistic expectations.

(While writing this, I had just finished having the same discussion in consultation today about the “thread lifting effect that disappeared after 3 months.”)

If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment anytime.

Thank you.