The Filament lift is a non-surgical method of facial rejuvenation, which allows lifting and repositioning of facial tissues to attempt to restore those youthful contours. It is particularly indicated for brows, cheeks, jowls and sometimes the neck. The Filaments are polypropylene surgical threads (nylon-like suture material), and are designed with directional cogs or barbs which allow for the lifting and re-positioning.

Hence we have “secure anchoring facial threads for elevation”  or the S.a.f.t.e. Lift.  Sometimes called “Thread Lift”.

Critical to this procedure is the accurate positioning of the surgical threads. They must be placed in the correct layer of tissue, and in the appropriate orientation to give the desired lift. The Threads anchor themselves within the tissues and apart from a small amount of bruising and associated swelling there are very few potential complications.

They can be used alone or in conjunction with a variety of mini-lifts but in each circumstance there are less incisions and less surgery involved than in a traditional lifts. The procedure is relatively quick and can be performed under local anaesthetic but in some cases a light sedation may be helpful in relaxing the patient.

The results of the SAFTE lift improve over time (3-6 months) as your collagen encapsulates and contracts around each thread causing even further lifting.

In the after-care it is important to be gentle with face washing and skin care. It takes some days for the Filaments to “settle” in the appropriate tissue planes and for the swelling and bruising to resolve. Patients may shower normally the day after the procedure. Recovery is quick and little down time is required. In some cases, it may be required to have a week off work for the bruising to resolve. You are able to wear make-up the day after the procedure. There will be no surgical scars to be seen on the face with this procedure. You should always be better off than not having had the Threads, but it is not expected to last as long as a surgical facelift. A reasonable expectation would be 2-5 years.  

Risks and Complications

All medical procedures carry some risks as well as potential benefits. There are general surgical risks such as bruising, bleeding, blood clots, infection.

Bruising is common and resolves well, usually in a matter of days. Bleeding at the time of operation is well controlled but sometimes bleeding occurs after the operation and may collect as a haematoma. If a haematoma is large enough it may need to be drained. This is extremely uncommon with Thread Lifts.

Poor wound healing is troublesome but uncommon. It is usually due to involvement of hair follicles at the insertion sites. There are treatments available to help to manage these problems.

Major complications such as injury to nerves may cause abnormal movement patterns which may not be able to be corrected. This is extremely uncommon but has been reported.

Infection is uncommon but if it occurs it can be serious and so it needs to be treated seriously. All patients are treated with antibiotics to try to prevent infection. Severe infections may cause skin necrosis and loss of tissue which will need to be repaired.

The most common issues are the temporary occurrence of skin bunching which might take a few weeks to resolve. Some pain at the anchorage sites of the threads is to be expected but can be easily treated.

Despite the risks, Thread Lifts, when performed by an experienced practitioner is a very safe procedure and has a high level of patient satisfaction.