Thread-Lift Sutures: Anatomy, Technique, and Review of Current Literature

Abstract

The use of thread-lift sutures as an alternative to traditional surgical rhytidectomy or neck lifting is becoming a more common practice among surgeons. The Silhouette InstaLift (Sinclair Pharma, London, UK) is marketed as a minimally invasive procedure that immediately lifts and tightens the skin while stimulating fibroblast activation and collagen production. The evidence in the literature to support thread-lift sutures for facial augmentation is limited, with many studies having various degrees of bias. Our intention is to educate the oral and maxillofacial surgeon on the thread-lift suture materials, techniques, and relevant facial anatomy, as well as review the current limited data available. Using thread-lift sutures for facial augmentation is a relatively low-risk procedure that surgeons familiar with facial anatomy can offer patients either as an alternative to or in conjunction with other facial esthetic procedures such as facial filler treatment, neuromodulator treatment, or surgical procedures.