Thread lift results not meeting expectations
User · · Last reply 🌐 繁中
I originally hoped that thread lifting would transform my U-shaped face into a V-shape, reducing my nasolabial folds and the sagging of my cheeks. However, after the procedure, the jowls are still there, while my mid-face appears sunken. This has actually worsened the cheek hollows and made the asymmetry between both sides of my face even more pronounced.
During my follow-up visit, the doctor insisted that the lifting effect was achieved and that it simply didn't meet my personal expectations. Meanwhile, feedback from people around me has been consistent: they ask if I’ve lost weight because the cheek hollows are very obvious, making me look much older.
I would like to know if this is just my own perception, a gap in my understanding of how this thread lift works, or if the result is truly incorrect.
For this procedure, I had 8 threads of Mint Lift (神力拉提) and 1cc of Ellansé (洢蓮絲) injected into the apple cheeks.
2 Replies
Dr. Ta-Ju Liu · Board-certified dermatologist🌐 繁中 Doctor
Hello, I am Dr. Liu.
Direct Answer: This situation does not necessarily mean a complete failure, but it cannot be simply dismissed with "it has a lifting effect, just not meeting expectations." Hollowing of the cheeks, jowls, and left-right asymmetry being magnified can indeed be caused by inadequate assessment of the lifting vector and overall facial morphology, which warrants a re-evaluation.
Possible Scenarios to Distinguish
Making the face look younger is not just about pulling it upward. If the lifting vector, fixation points, original facial shape, fat distribution, apple cheek position, and the causes of nasolabial folds are not evaluated together, it can sometimes magnify problems that were previously inconspicuous. These facial issues generally need to be examined separately:
1. Is the current hollowing true tissue loss, or is it a visual hollowing caused by the lifting vector?
2. Are the jowls caused by fat, laxity, ligament tugging, or altered midface support?
3. Is the placement of Ellansé in the apple cheeks natural? Ellansé is not like Hyaluronic Acid (HA) and cannot be dissolved directly with hyaluronidase. If there is protrusion, depression, displacement, or an unnatural feeling, its exact location and tissue response require precise assessment.
4. Was the facial asymmetry present beforehand, or was it magnified post-procedure?
5. Does your facial structure actually call for reduction, slimming, firming, or localized revision?
General Approach to Management
- Avoid rushing to add more Hyaluronic Acid (HA) or undergo additional lifting procedures. Often, a face appearing older, wider, or less smooth cannot be fixed by continuously adding products; subtraction is frequently needed first.
- During a physical consultation, the physician will assess facial structure, texture, and dynamic expressions, utilizing ultrasound when necessary to determine whether this is a cognitive gap regarding thread lift results or an actual structural and proportional issue.
- In situations like this, treatment does not need to be rushed, but you must first identify where the problem lies. Truly effective revision is not about refilling the face, but about subtracting and organizing unnatural areas to restore a smooth, natural facial contour.
When to Seek Immediate Medical Attention
If you experience redness, swelling, heat, pain, thread extrusion, or fever at the thread insertion site, please return for a follow-up or seek medical attention promptly.
This online response is for general health education and does not constitute a diagnosis, nor can it replace an in-person consultation and ultrasound examination.
User🌐 繁中
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