"They say one round of thread lift lifts sagging cheeks right up — would it work for me too?"
"My friend saw results, but I'm on the fuller side, so I'm hesitating."
These are things people thinking about a thread lift bring up all the time.
Hello, I'm Director Kwon Si-jin & Yoon Ju-hyun at DA Clinic Myeongdong ^^
We're getting ready to open our doors in Myeongdong soon, and since so many people have been asking about thread lifts ahead of our opening, we wanted to put together this overview for your information first.
Let me start with the bottom line. With a thread lift, 'on whom, and in which direction you place them' decides the result — more than 'how many threads you put in'.
Read this for just 3 minutes and you'll see the standards worth keeping in mind, wherever you have it done.
A Thread Lift Is a Treatment That 'Supports and Lifts With Threads'
A thread lift is a non-surgical treatment that places threads absorbable by the body (the PDO, PCL, and PLLA families) into the appropriate layer beneath the skin to pull up sagging tissue.
The placed thread supports and lifts the tissue immediately, while at the same time inducing collagen regeneration around it.
It's easier to understand if you picture lifting a drooping curtain slightly with an invisible pin and fixing it in place ㅎㅎ
The thread itself is absorbed naturally over 6–12 months, and the collagen regeneration effect tends to last longer than that, about 1–2 years. (There is individual variation)
First, Honestly, We Don't Recommend It for Those With Too Much Volume
The first thing I want to point out is this part.
A thread lift is a treatment that 'lifts up' sagging tissue, so the heavier the weight it has to support, the harder it is to hold.
If someone with full cheeks or deeply advanced sagging tries to solve it with threads alone, they may find the effect falls short of expectations or sinks back quickly.
So rather than "let's put threads in first", we look at the amount of sagging and the thickness of the volume first, and sort out whether threads are right for that person. For those with a lot of volume, we tend to discuss other approaches alongside, which we consider the honest way to practice.
Second, the Vector (Direction) and the Thread Layer Are the Real Key
Many people ask 'how many' threads were put in, but what's actually more important is in which direction and into which layer they're placed.
Sagging flows in a different direction for each person.
If you get the direction that lifts against that flow — the vector, that is — wrong, the line can look awkward no matter how many threads you add.
The same goes for the layer the threads are placed in. The result differs depending on whether you place them in the deep layer (SMAS) or the subcutaneous fat layer, so you have to look at the sagging pattern and design it personally for each individual. This is exactly the point where the results diverge even when the same thread is used.
Third, Hollowing at the Back of the Cheek and the Cheekbones Need to Be Checked in Advance
As you pull the front up with threads, the back of the cheek can look slightly hollowed by the amount it's pulled.
The less cheek volume someone has, the more this part needs attention.
So before the treatment we look at the bone structure together. Depending on whether the temples are hollowed or the cheekbones protrude, we have to adjust the degree and direction of the pull.
Rather than pulling a lot and hard no matter what, it's about deciding 'how much' to pull to match your own facial bone structure. This is something that helps to check in advance, wherever you have it done.
Honestly, If It Came Loose in 6 Months, There's a Reason
You'll occasionally hear the story, "I had a thread lift but it sagged right back in half a year."
But since this is a treatment where, factoring in the collagen regeneration effect, you usually expect 1–2 years, if it came loose all of a sudden in 6 months, the likelihood is high that the issue was the fixation point or vector design rather than the treatment itself.
If the fixation point the thread hangs from is weak, or the direction of the pull doesn't match the flow of the sagging, it can sink back quickly over time.
Of course, since tissue condition and recovery speed differ from person to person, there's individual variation in how long the effect lasts. That said, if it came loose too early, I'd recommend you make sure to go over the fixation point and direction design next time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Do the threads stay in my body permanently?
A. The threads used in a thread lift are of a material absorbable by the body, so over time they break down naturally. We use absorbable threads of the PDO, PCL, and PLLA families, and they usually dissolve and disappear over 6–12 months. So they don't stay permanently. That said, the collagen regeneration effect stimulated while the threads are being absorbed lasts longer than that, about 1–2 years. So rather than "it goes right back to the original state once the threads dissolve", it's more accurate to see it as the firmness improvement being maintained for a while even after the threads are gone. There is individual variation in how long the effect lasts.
Q. Can I go back to daily life right after the treatment?
A. A thread lift is done with local anesthesia and no incision, so it's not a treatment where you have to rest for a long time to recover. That said, it doesn't mean you can carry on exactly as usual from the same day. Slight swelling or bruising may show right after the treatment, and it usually settles within a week. And for the 1–2 weeks while the placed threads settle into position, avoid expressions that laugh big or open the mouth wide, and saunas and intense exercise. When sleeping too, it's good to sleep facing the ceiling so the treatment area isn't pressed against the pillow. You may feel a slight tightness for about 1–2 weeks, but it gradually becomes natural.
Q. Can I have it together with other lifting treatments?
A. A thread lift is often received together with Botox or filler, or with radiofrequency and ultrasound lifting like Thermage and Ultherapy. While the thread physically supports and lifts the sagging tissue, radiofrequency and ultrasound firm up the elasticity and skin texture, so the roles differ slightly. So for those worrying about sagging and elasticity together, combining can be helpful. That said, having several all at once isn't unconditionally the right answer — looking at your own sagging pattern and skin condition to decide which combination suits, and the order of treatments, while diagnosing, comes first.
In Closing
If I sum up today's content in one line, it's this.
A thread lift — more than the number of threads, it's 'candidate selection, vector, and fixation point' that make the result.
This isn't an article recommending a treatment, but an informational article we've put together for your reference while preparing to open.
DA Clinic Myeongdong is set to open soon. We'll share news of our opening and treatment information first on our blog and Instagram ^^
Thank you for reading to the end. This was Director Kwon Si-jin & Yoon Ju-hyun at DA Clinic Myeongdong.
This column is an informational article intended to provide general medical information; the effects and side effects of treatments may vary by individual. DA Clinic Myeongdong is set to open soon. (Medical Service Act Art. 56)