“Your face is marked with lines of life, put there by love and laughter, suffering and tears.”
The first step is to get a consultation with Dr Rachel who will help to do a detailed facial analysis, determining the type and number of threads required. I was told that since I’m still considered young (yap, I’m still under 40 years old), 2 threads are enough- one thread for each side of the face. For someone such as my mum, they will need at least 2- 3 threads to lift the skin.
Dr Rachel is very patience and detailed in providing me a background of the threadlift procedure and highlighting about my problem areas which is my nasolabial folds and my sagging cheeks. I told her I am extremely afraid of needles and pain so she said she will ensure that I won’t see a single sight of needles in the entire procedure.
Threadlifts for the face and neck have been around for years and is the beauty treatment of choice for the rich and famous (Madonna is understood to be amongst one of them) Fine threads are placed under the skin to lift the tissue, thereby correcting saggy and droopy tissues. There is no incision, scar or downtime, yet, the result can be as good as a surgical facelifts.
There are many different type of threadlift in the market, and the first type being developed in korea uses many micro threads inserting into the skin to provide the lift. One can use up to 400 threads in the face which also equals to 400 insertions! Ouch.
Face threadlifts are also very versatile and can be used to treat the following conditions:
- Saggy and droopy areas: forehead, eyebrows, cheeks, neck, jawline, turkey neck
- V shaped face
- Double chin
- Facial folds and lines: nasolabial lines, marionette lines, jowl lines
- Nose augmentation (both bridge and tip)
Dr Rachel Ho recommend most patients to use Silhouette Soft which is a product from the USA for my face threadlift. This is because the Silhouette Soft threads achieve greater lift and stability with less number of thread required. Silhouette Soft threadlift also last longer than threadlifts using threads from Korea.
The difference between Silhouette Soft and Korean threadlift is it’s special mini cones on one long suture. These downwards pointing cones, provide traction and fixation points into the facial tissue to keep the thread in place, thereby encourage build-up of new collagen formation. This action is what helps restore shapeliness to the face and at the same time causing inflammation beneath the skin to stimulate production of collagen. The result from a threadlift are immediate and will continue to improve as the threads will encourage your own skin’s collagen growth and this will enhance the results of the threadlift.
Poly L-lactic acid (PLLA) is the principal component of Silhouette Soft threads. It is a well-known polymer that has been used for many years in a number of biomedical and pharmaceutical applications: suture thread, orthopedic pins, rods, screws and nails for bone fractures. Unlike many suspension sutures on the market today which originate from Asia, Silhouette Soft is made in the USA and is subject to numerous sanitary controls, thus, it is extremely safe.
Since Silhouette Soft technique for the face threadlift uses 2 long blunt cannulas as guidance and a long suture, minimal number of insertion is required, thus, it’s faster and less painful than the traditional Korean threalift. The blunt cannulas are cut after guiding the threads into the face after the face threadlift. After inserting the suture, the doctor applies slight pressure on the treated area. In this way, the doctor reshapes the contours of your face and makes it visibly smoother.
The image above on the left is the actual Silhouette Soft suture that will be inserted into my face. The graphics next to it illustrates how the cones sits in the skin.
The entire procedure takes only around 30 minutes to complete. Although it’s a very fast procedure, this is by no means a hit-it-and-quit-it lunchtime lift. There may be some swelling and bruising for a couple of days. My suggestion is to schedule the face threadlift on a Friday afternoon, so you’ll be more-or-less presentable come the following work week.
In summary:
Silhouette Soft threadlift uses it’s unique cones to hold and lifts the skin.
Only one entry and exit point required for each thread.
Whole procedure takes only 30 minutes. No scaring, minimal downtime and no general anaesthetic required. You can return to work immediately after the procedure if you don’t mind having a slightly swollen face.
Made in USA and very safe using Poly L-lactic acid (PLLA) a well-known polymer that has been used for many years as suture thread, orthopedic pins, rods, screws and nails for bone fractures.
Threadlift effect will last around 18 months and during the period, new collagen are generated in the skin due to the fraction caused by the cones.
The video below shows how Silhouette Soft are inserted in the skin and how it works in detail.
Steps of the face threadlift by Dr Rachel Ho
STEP 1:
Above is the first step of the procedure where the nurse helped to remove all traces of make up on my face, and then applied the numbing cream on my face to prepare me for the injection of the local anaesthesia. (I looked like a wrapped up doll in the last photo where they place cling wrap on my face to speed up the numbing cream process.)
STEP 2:
After that, a photo of my face before the threadlift procedure was taken so that we can compare the results after the procedure. (sorry I looked so terrible because I have no make up in this photo). My hair was all neatly tagged into the cap and taped so that it will not get into the way during the procedure.
STEP 3:
Dr Rachel Ho then marks the points where the insertion would go in and out of my face. Since I’ve already told Dr Rachel Ho how scared I am of needles, thus, from this moment onwards, I was told to close my eyes and think of happy thoughts.
STEP 4:
I was relieved to discover, the worst and most painful part of the entire face threadlift procedure is the injection of the local anaesthesia. (LA) As I requested to be as painless as possible, Dr Rachel Ho kept asking if I felt any pain after the first few injections. Once I said I feel the pain, she stops immediately, and requested to inject more LA, until I totally feel nothing and then, she will begin the procedure.
STEP 5:
Then, as I lay on the bed, as the numbness kicks in, I could vaguely feel Dr Rachel Ho inserting the 30cm thread with the cones were attached into the centre of my cheek during the face threadlift. Although the face threadlift is not painful anymore, but the sensation is very strange. I felt like Frankenstein where my face were to be sewn together.
The thread travelled 5mm from the top layer of skin (the epidermis) through the dermis, the subcutaneous tissue, the collagen and stopped just past the fibroblasts (the skin cells that make connective tissues). The needle and thread were then pushed upwards beneath my skin to the exit point near my hairline, where another needle was inserted to make a hole for the needle and thread to come through. (You can see it that in the image above where I looked like I’m participating in Thaipusam ceremony.)
The thread was pulled taut at both ends, so that the downwards cones can be embedded into the subcutaneous fat and the upward cones nudged the facial tissues upwards.To be honest, I was totally terrified during the entire procedure (yes, I’m a scaredy cat), although I only felt painless pulling of my skin. Dr Rachel Ho was really understanding and tried to talk to me about my interested such as travelling and praising me of my photo taking to make me feel better and distract me. I never open my eyes at all during the procedure so that I won’t be able to see blood or the needles. I am grateful that I am under the hands of an understanding and patience doctor who is willing to tolerate my timidness on the needles. I ever fainted before while a nurse draw blood for a routine blood test, so, I am amazed I can go through this entire procedure without blacking out, thanks to a wonderful doctor.
Complete!
The whole process took just around 30 minutes, though it felt far longer since I was self terrifying myself. I was finally handed the mirror and I saw in the mirror a much younger me! 10 years was taken off my face just within 30 minutes. I am very pleased with the results and the entire session is definitely worth it.
Dr Rachel Ho wanted to minus off another 5 years off my face by adding some fillers into my cheeks. The brand she uses is called Juvederm Volift which is a very soft cheek filler to give a very natural effect.
Below is the photo of my face after the procedure. You can see slight swelling and bruising on my face but my face is obviously much lifted and looked brighter. A sharp v line is now seen when previously, I face looks more oval.
I was given anti bruising medicine and antibiotics which I need to take for the next 5 days before my next follow session with Dr Rachel Ho. No make up or extreme exercise was allowed for one week to avoid any chance of infection.
It took about a few days for the bruising of the face after the face threadlift to fully subside, and after that, my colleagues were wondering did I went for a refreshing short vacay or I had a well rested weekend. They commented that I looked so much fresher until I told them what I’ve done. The results from threadlift is very natural which is what I wanted. There is no drastic change to the face, but only a brighter and more youthful look. But once you compare the photos, the change is obvious. Below photo on the left was taken in first week of October when I was in Malaysia, KL while the photo on the right was taken in 1.5 weeks after my thread lift session, which is third week of October. I was smiling so hard in the photo but my lines are much lesser and I have a more youthful look. My eye bags are gone and my skin looks more bouncy with more collagen. I was told that the effect will get better over time as the skin starts to produce more and more collagen from the fraction caused by the cones on the thread.
If you are interested to try this instant face lift and immediately look 10 years younger, you can seek a consultation session with the wonderful Dr Rachel Ho who will explain to you what will be most suitable for your face. Charges varies, but generally, one person will need at least 2 threads (one for each side of the face) and the cost will range from the low to mid 4 digits.
For more information about the Silhouette Soft face threadlift, Dr Rachel Ho has a detailed explanation on her blog. For further readings on cheek fillers, you can also read Dr Rachel Ho’s post here.
290 Orchard Road #08-01/02
Paragon Medical Tower (Lobby 2)
Singapore 238859
T: (65) 6235 4040
E: hello@laclinic.com.sg
Mon – Fri: 9 am – 5 pm
Sat: 9 am – 1 pm
Sun & PH: Closed
Credits: Video and illustration of Silhouette Soft is taken off https://silhouette-soft.com/
All flower images are by @mivioleta.
Thank you to myfatpocket team to help take the photos during the procedure.
