Silhouette Soft® Thread Lift
Reduce the visible signs of aging with VIDASKIN Signature V-shaped Thread lift.
Refresh your face, and lift and tone skin in less than an hour with a Silhouette Soft Thread Lift at VIDAKSIN. A Silhouette Soft Thread Lift has two effects – lifting and regenerating.
The lifting effect is immediate and discreet as it is the result of compressing and elevating tissue at the time of adjusting the suture. Once the suture is applied, the polylactic acid acts on the deeper layers of the skin and naturally stimulates the body so that it produces its own collagen. This action, which continues over time, helps increase the volume of saggy areas and restores shapeliness to the face gradually and naturally.
What Is Silhouette Soft® ?
Silhouette Soft (The USA FDA approved product being “Silhouette Instalift” – made of 82% poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) and 18% glycolide polymer (PLGA)) was revolutionary when it was introduced. It gave men and women an option to lift sagging skin, reposition and recontour the face in areas such as the cheeks, jowls and neck, without having to go under the knife. Prior to that, treatments for lifting at such efficay and repositioning, with so little downtime, were very limited.
Lifting Effects of Silhouette Soft Thread Lift
Manage your expectations. It is important to have realistic expectations when you undergo a non-surgical aesthetic treatment. You will not see dramatic results after a non-surgical treatment. The purpose of an aesthetic treatment is to delay aging by making subtle changes to your facial features and erasing fine lines and wrinkles to make you look less tired.
The maximum amount of lift that can be achieved by Silhouette Soft Thread Lift is about 1 to 1.5cm. If you have severe sagging skin, this treatment may not be suitable for you. However, if you are not keen to undergo surgery, you may discuss your concerns with your doctor and he will plan out a staged approach with you using a series of treatments which may include Ultherapy and dermal fillers.
What Makes Silhouette Soft Thread Lift A Preferred Choice?
The Dual Action of Silhouette Soft Treatment
Silhouette Soft features bidirectionally oriented cones along the length of each suture. Being bidirectional, the cones anchor skin tissue on the more superior (higher) side, and hook onto skin and fat on the more inferior (lower) side to lift and reposition sagging skin. The unique selling point of Silhouette threads are the bi-directional cones that improves the “lifting power” by increasing its surface area for anchoring of the skin tissues. The anchored skin tissues are then lifted to the desired position for visible facelifting results.
The threads are safely reabsorbed and broken down by the body naturally over the next 6 to 9 months. The Silhouette Soft Thread Lift has been called the “lunchtime facelift” due to how quickly the procedure can be performed, and the minimal recovery time involved.
In addition, the sutures also induce collagen stimulation over the next few months through a low-grade inflammatory response. Hence, the treatment provides 2 effects:
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Immediate lifting and repositioning of sagging skin and fat
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Improved skin texture and volume through collagen production over the next few months.
How long do Silhouette Soft Face Threads last for?
The lifting results and collagen stimulation from Silhouette Soft Face Threadlift can last up to 18 months. Results may vary depending on the individual’s skin’s ageing process and response to the threads.
To further prolong and enhance results, the Silhouette Soft Face Threadlift can be combined with other non-surgical face lifting and collagen boosting treatments such as Thermage, Ultherapy, Rejuran, Bare Skin Skinboosters and Profhilo.
Which Areas Can Silhouette Soft Face Threads Treat?
At least 3 are required, and often, 4-5 threads per side is used to give the reposition results which are desired. Silhouette Soft works best in the cheeks and jowls, and well in the upper neck. Results for lifting the eyebrows and upper face are a less impressive with the Silhouette Soft.
The common areas that Dr Vicki recommends to be treated are :
- Lifting of sagging cheeks and midface
- Deep laugh lines (Nasolabial Folds) improvement
- Marionette lines softening
- Jowls lifting
- Jawline Contouring
- Eyebrow Lift
- Neck Lift
Latest Scientific Data on Silhouette Soft Thread Lift
A recently released study, which features 12 months of data from a prospective, masked controlled clinical study, sheds some light on some of the beneficial effects of Silhouette Soft thread lift.
In the study, 20 men and women, aged 41 to 75 years old, underwent the Silhouette Instalift procedure, and their results compared after 3 months and 12 months. The amount of facial lift and patient satisfaction was analysed. Side effects were also recorded. 3-4 threads were used on each side for the midface.
1 week after the procedure,
100% of patients had lifting of 0.5mm or greater.
80% of patients had lifting of 1mm or greater.
45% of patients had lifting of 1.5mm or greater.
3 months after the procedure,
80% of patients had lifting of 0.5mm or greater.
35% of patients had lifting of 1mm or greater.
25% of patients had lifting of 1.5mm or greater.
1 year after the procedure,
60% of patients had lifting of 0.5mm or greater.
50% of patients had lifting of 1mm or greater.
20% of patients had lifting of 1.5mm or greater.
Additionally, all investigators rated that all patients had some improvement on the Global Aesthetic Improvement Scale (GAIS). Patients also noted an improvement in skin quality. Most side effects were mild and of a short duration. 4 patients reported more “severe” side effects, which resolved eventually by themselves. The longest duration of side effects was tenderness in the treated area which lasted 10 weeks, in 1 patient.
Silhouette Soft Face Threadlift Treatment Experience
Every face is different, so a careful evaluation is performed first. Usually it is the jowls that need a lift but other areas such as the neck and brow can also be treated.Numbing cream is first applied over the treatment area for 30 minutes. After a careful assessment of facial aesthetics and symmetry, Dr. Vicki marks out the vectors for thread insertion to achieve optimal lifting and rejuvenation.
Local anesthesia (numbing injection) is given into the entry and exit points of the threads to further reduce discomfort. Next, a small needle is inserted at the entry point to create the opening for insertion of the threads. Each thread has 2 ends which is inserted and guided under the skin in 2 different directions to improve lifting of the skin and facial tissues.
After the ends of the thread exit the skin, the excess portion is removed. This process is repeated until all the threads are inserted. At the end of the treatment, Dr Vicki will "shape" the treatment areas to improve the lifting results. Finally, the skin is then lightly massaged upwards where the cones in the suture hold it in place. The effect is immediate and long lasting. Amazingly, no incisions are required so there is no scarring!
On average, each person may require 3 to 5 pairs of threads per cheek, totalling 6 to 10 pairs of threads in total. Depending on the number of threads to be inserted, the treatment duration may range from 30 to 45 minutes.
Conditions Can Treat
- Skin laxity through the cheek region and the eyebrows
- Loose of volume and fullness of the face
- Loose sagging skin around the eye or eyebrow region
- Loose sagging skin around the neck
- Ageing skin around the neck area or “jowls” under the chin
Choice of Doctor Matters
This cannot be overemphasised. Unlike machine-operated procedures such as laser treatments or medi-facial, Silhouette Soft Thread Lift treatment is very much dependent on the doctor’s skills and experience.
While Silhouette Soft threads are made of Polylactic Acid (PLA). For those unfamiliar with PLA, it is a key material used by surgeons for surgical sutures, medical implants and even drug delivery system and is biodegradable and completely safe for use in the human body, the results are very long lasting. As the threads are dissolvable, they dissolve completely in 6 to 9 months after the treatment. However, the face will continue to stay in its lifted position for another 12 to 18 months, depending on your lifestyle. Your choice of doctor could make a big difference between a traumatic experience resulting in an asymmetrical face and a lifted face with tighter, firmer skin erasing years from your face.
Don’t be afraid to ask the doctors questions you may have. Doctor Vicki encourages you to ask these questions:
- How many Silhouette Soft Thread Lift treatments have you done before?
- Any complications or complaints so far?
- Have you gone for any course?
Can I Do Silhouette Soft Thread Lift Even If I Have Dermal Fillers?
A patient who has had dermal fillers before can still opt for Silhouette Soft Thread Lift. There is very limited amount of lift that can be achieved using dermal fillers alone. Dermal fillers are capable of adding volume and provide subtle lifting for people who have experience mild sagging.
In fact, Dr. Vicki may work out an anti-aging regime with that may comprise of thread lift and dermal fillers for a complete makeover. If you have undergone dermal filler treatment less than 8 months before the thread lift treatment, inform us so that Dr.Vicki Will know how to perform the thread lift for optimal result.
Risks and Possible Complications
All medical treatments come with some risks and complications. Silhouette Soft Thread Lift is a very safe treatment but here are some risks that may occur:
- DIMPLING AND PUCKERING This is a common problem that people may face. If the thread is too tight, it may cause the skin to fold and a visible dimple may be seen. If the threads are placed in the correct layer of the skin with the correct taut, you will see visible lifting without any appearance of wrinkles and fine lines.
- INFECTION Although rare, infection can happen. This boils down to the clinic’s medical protocol. The doctor and the nurses must ensure that the surgical drapes and dressing pack are sterile.
- THREAD BREAKAGE There is a risk of breakage for Silhouette Soft threads as they are very fine. The doctor has to be experienced to carefully manipulate the thread when inserting into the face to tighten the skin.
- ASYMMETRY It can happen when the doctor is not experienced in performing thread lift treatment. The insertion points and the manipulation of the threads must be very precise to ensure that the face remains symmetrical when lifted by the threads. This takes a lot of experience for the doctor to perform this with finesse.
Scary as it may sound, the above risks and possible complications will be significantly reduced if you choose your doctor carefully to perform the thread lift treatment.
Find Out If You Are Suitable
If you are interested but have some unanswered queries, feel free to get in touch with us at 9830 0597. A skin assessment will help determine what treatment will work best for you.
We recommend that you come by for a non obligatory consultation with Dr.Vicki to better understand how you can benefit from these treatments. However, if you do not have the time to spare, you may send us some photos and we will do our best to advise accordingly.