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Contour Thread LiftAs the aging process begins, the connective tissue thins and collagen and elastic fibers break down. These changes in the support structures appear as sagging skin, deep creases, folds, and wrinkles. Corrective procedures with Contour Threads™ are safe, conservative, minimally invasive, and effective, offering subtle, natural-looking results for:
By gently shifting sagging tissues in an upward direction, this technique allows Dr. Michelson to produce a relaxed, fresh appearance while preserving and enhancing the natural contours of your face. This procedure does not replace a conventional facelift. Rather, it offers patients an innovative, minimally invasive approach.
During the time of your consultation with Dr. Michelson, you will see, demonstrated in the mirror, the relative amount of lift that the Contour ThreadLift™ can achieve. The procedure can also be combined with other techniques, including blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery), peels and laser therapy (to improve skin texture), fat transfer or dermal fillers (to enhance volume), botulinum toxin (to reduce facial muscle activity), liposuction of the neck and lower jaw, and chin augmentation. In general, the best candidates for a Contour ThreadLift™ include both women and men who prefer a dramatic and long lasting effect with a minimally invasive procedure. Patients should not be too heavy or too thin, be medically well, not be taking blood thinning medication, and have realistic expectations.
Completion time usually takes thirty to sixty minutes--and patients can leave for home soon after the procedure. Pain and discomfort are very minimal with this technique and most patients require only non-prescription pain relievers. In most cases, ice compresses are recommended for the first twenty-four to forty-eight hours. There are also some practical instructions and care that must be taken in the three-week period following the procedure. To avoid traumatizing or dislodging the threads from their supportive locations in the deep fat of the face and neck, it is important to:
Depending upon your job and your tolerance for some minor bruising and swelling, you may be able to return to work in two to three days following the procedure. Most patients look good in makeup after one week. The Contour ThreadLift™ is a relatively simple procedure to perform. Complications are rare and will be less likely with your experienced, fully trained surgeon. Usually, only one session is needed to achieve the desired lifting effect. The duration of your new appearance varies, depending upon your age at the time of the procedure, the degree of sagging, and the number of threads used. Additional threads may be added as needed. The lift effect of the Contour ThreadLift™ can last three to five years in some cases. Many physicians offer non-invasive outpatient treatments that enhance or protect the effect. These adjunctive procedures include botulinum toxin, dermal fillers, laser and light therapy, chemical peels, and microdermabrasion. Developed by a board certified plastic surgeon, the unique design of Contour Threads™ allows a traditional facelift or browlift procedure when you are ready. For a Contour Threadlift in Thousand Oaks or Oxnard California contact plastic surgeon David Michelson |
A Contour ThreadLift™ utilizes tiny, specially designed sutures fashioned from clear, non-absorbable polypropylene,
a material that has been safely used for many years as a surgical component within the body. Unlike other thread products,
Contour Threads™ are clear so they are not visible under fair or thin skin; they have tiny, evenly-spaced teeth-like
(barb-like) cogs that, once inserted under the skin and tensioned, open in an umbrella-like fashion to form a support structure
that gently lifts and repositions the tissues into a more youthful position.
In most cases, only local anesthesia is required. Dr. Michelson may also offer you the option of having light sedation or twilight
anesthesia, depending on the scope of the Contour ThreadLift™ you are having and the number of Contour Threads™ to be used in one stage.
Dr. Michelson makes a tiny incision behind the hairline and, using a long needle, the threads are inserted in precise locations and are
advanced along previously marked contours so their cogs create a firm hold on the underlying tissues and stationary fascia. Taking care
to cause a minimum of trauma, the suture is tensioned, resulting in an immediate lifting effect. The needle is removed and the end of
the thread is knotted and cut, allowing it to retract deep under the skin where it cannot be felt or seen. The surrounding tissues also
act in the following weeks to hold the threads in place by generating new collagen bundles that surround each thread, helping to maintain
the lifting effect.