"I keep putting it off because I'm worried it'll hurt a lot during the procedure."
"They say anesthesia is used, but I'm still scared."
This is usually the very first question people ask when considering a thread lift.
Hello, I'm Kwon Si-jin, Director of DA Clinic Myeongdong ^^
We're getting ready to open our doors in Myeongdong soon, and since so many people worry about the pain ahead of our opening, I wanted to put this together for your information first.
With a thread lift, the days afterwards tend to bother people more than the procedure itself. What people worry about and where the actual discomfort lies often don't quite align.
Knowing in advance what you might feel at each stage makes it much easier.I'll break it down step by step for you.
Why it hurts more afterwards
A thread lift isn't a treatment that fires energy in — it physically passes a thread through and hooks tissue upwards.
So during the treatment the anaesthetic covers the pain, but once it wears off, a state of tension remains where the threads have caught.Many people describe it as similar to a muscle you've strained.
On top of that, tissue swells along the path the thread took, so the first few days bring ache and swelling together.
Broken down by stage
- The anaesthetic injectionthe sharpest stage. It passes quickly, though
- Thread insertionwith the anaesthetic working, this registers as pushing and pulling rather than pain
- Adjusting the tensiona momentary tightening can come while the balance is set
- Day 1 to 3the most uncomfortable stretch. The pull is distinct when you yawn or laugh broadly
- 1 to 2 weeksgenerally described as easing gradually
Where it hurts more
Even in the same procedure, the experience varies by area.
Areas where the skin is thin and close to bone tend to register more; areas with more flesh less.Many people say the pull lingers longest at the temples, where the anchor points are set.
And the more threads placed, and the harder they're pulled, the more the ache afterwards rises with it. That's one of the reasons not to push the thread count up unnecessarily.
It also differs by thread type
Even within "threads," the material divides, and with it the thickness and barb structure — so the sensation divides too.
- PDOthe most widely used material. Duration is generally given as six to twelve months
- PLLAdescribed as lasting longer, with twelve to twenty-four months mentioned
- PCLspoken of as the longest, with some sources putting it beyond eighteen months
You needn't memorise the numbers. Just ask "what material is the thread you're using today?" and see whether the duration you're quoted lines up with that material.
If only the thread count comes up and the material doesn't, you're welcome to ask again.
What matters more than the thread count
What decides the result in a thread lift is said to be not the number of threads but the anchor points and the direction.
Let me go a little deeper here.
- Anchor pointwhere the thread catches to hold. Get this wrong and it feels loose within months
- Vectorhow it lifts against the direction of the descent
- Layerthe same thread gives a different result placed at the SMAS versus in the subcutaneous fat
Expressions looking unnatural, or threads becoming palpable, are described as dividing on this plan rather than on the thread itself.
So if consultation only covers "how many threads" and never "where they anchor and in what direction", it's worth asking again.
The facial framework is assessed before starting
There's a preparation step in thread lifting that isn't widely known: looking at the bone structure first.
Whether the temples are hollow, whether the cheekbones project, and which way the jawline has descended all change where threads anchor and which way they pull.The same-looking sagging calls for a different plan on a different framework.
Skip this step and two things happen.One is missing the direction that needed pulling; the other is pulling an already hollow area further and deepening it.A hollow-looking rear cheek, or temples that look more sunken, come from here.
And the mapping is better done sitting up.Lying down pushes sagging tissue up and back, so where it has actually descended looks different.
Recovery runs in this order
- The day itselfthe pull rises as the anaesthetic wears off. Swelling starts from here too
- 2 to 3 daysdescribed as the stretch where swelling is most pronounced. The pull is distinct when you yawn or laugh broadly
- Around a weekswelling drops noticeably and the pull eases with it
- 2 to 4 weeksthe threads settle and the expression becomes natural. From around here it's close to the actual appearance
So there's no need to judge it in the mirror the day after. It's tightest right afterwards, most swollen next, and the real result comes after that.
Getting through it more comfortably
- On the day, best to avoid opening your mouth wide
- For the first few days, don't rub firmly or massage
- While there's swelling, raising your pillow to lift your head slightly at night helps
- Safer to postpone anything that adds a lot of heat, such as saunas and steam rooms, for a few days
- Hard foods are easier avoided for a few days
For pain relief, use what you were advised where you had the treatment, and rather than adding something else on your own, it's safer to check in advance which medications are fine.
There's no need to rush in these cases
Honestly, a thread lift isn't the answer to every kind of sagging.
- Where a lot of skin is left over — threads alone have clear limits
- Where the sagging is still shallow — threads may not be first in the order
- Where there's little cheek fat — a hollow-looking rear cheek is mentioned as a possible change
At our Myeongdong clinic we also have the energy-based lifting families in place.Ultherapy PRIME, Shurink Universe and Sofwave on the ultrasound side; Thermage FLX, InMode, XERF and Volnewmer on the radiofrequency side.
Some people need threads; for others, energy comes before threads.We have them so that we can say "threads aren't the answer right now" — not so that you should have all of them.
Don't wait these out
Most soreness settles with time.These are different.
- Pain that doesn't ease but worsens
- Swelling with warmth on one side only
- A thread showing or palpable through the skin
- One side of your expression distinctly unnatural
- Pus collecting or weeping
In these cases it's safer to contact the clinic that treated you straight away rather than wait.
- The hard part is the three days after, not during
- Swelling and tightness come together
- What you feel differs by thread type
Frequently asked questions
Q. Can I take painkillers?
A. Use what you were advised where you had the treatment.Rather than adding something else, it's safer to check first which medications are fine.
Q. Can I go to work the next day?
A. Most people can carry on as normal.Swelling and a pulling sensation remain, though, so if you have an important date I'd suggest leaving a few days.
Q. Does more pain mean a better result?
A. No. How much it hurts and how well it works aren't proportional. If anything it may mean more was placed than needed, creating unnecessary strain.
Q. Do the threads stay in my body?
A. Absorbable threads are described as breaking down and being absorbed over time.There's an explanation, though, that collagen formed at the site continues to do some work even after the thread has gone.
Q. It's tightest right after the treatment — has it loosened since?
A. It looks most pulled right afterwards, and is described as settling into a natural position over days to weeks.Usually that's the swelling dropping and the original plan reappearing.
Q. It feels loose after six months — was the thread wrong?
A. Duration differs by material, so checking the material comes first.If it's markedly early for that material, it's described as the anchor points or directional plan that get looked at alongside, rather than the thread itself.
Q. When can I have it again?
A. It depends on the thread material and how much result remains.Rather than waiting until it's gone entirely, replanning while some remains is often described as giving a more natural outcome.
Pain and result are separate
It's been a long read, and this is the only line worth keeping.
With a thread lift the three days after are the hurdle rather than the treatment itself, and how much it hurts isn't proportional to the result.
The question you first held leads here.
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 of DA Clinic Myeongdong.
This column is an informational article meant to provide general medical information, and the effects and side effects of treatments may vary by individual. DA Clinic Myeongdong is set to open soon. (Medical Service Act Art. 56)