What will I look like after the procedure?
Compared with traditional face lift – which leaves visible changes and wellhidden but clear scars, APTOS thread lift does not leave scars or alter the face’s original features. You will look like on the pictures of yourself several years ago.
What are the recommendations to be followed after APTOS thread lift?
- Apply ice packs immediately after the procedure
- Take analgesics in case of pain for 2-3 days
- Refrain from applying make-up for minimum 24 hours
- Sleep face up, in an elevated position for about 3-5 nights
- Wash face gently without rubbing or massaging for 5-7 days
- Avoid excessive face and neck movements for about 2 weeks
- Avoid face and neck massages for 1 month
- Avoid over-exposure to direct sunlight for 2 weeks
- Avoid sports and exercise for 2 weeks
- Do not use saunas for about 3 weeks
- Avoid dental surgery for 3 weeks
- The doctor will prescribe antibiotic if there is a substantial risk of infection
Is the treatment painful?
The procedure is not painful. The treatment is performed under local anesthesia. The procedure does not leave scars, is short and needs minimum of downtime.
Are there any contraindications to APTOS thread lift?
- Allergy to plastic, biomaterial, non-absorbable fillers
- Active acne or skin infection
- Keloid predisposition
- Auto-immune diseases: scleroderma, sarcoidosis, amyloidosis, etc.
- Anti-coagulant medication: coumarin & heparin (aspirin?)
- Haemophilia
- Hypertension, stages 2 and 3
- Severe diseases
- Collagenosis
- Neurological and mental disorders
- Pregnancy, brreastfeeding
- Malignancy/Chemotherapy
- Hepatitis B & C, HIV
- Porphyria
What happens immediately after the treatment?
Like all procedures of this type there is a possibility of side effects, although not everybody experiences them.
These side effects include:
- Pain
- Swelling
- Temporal asymmetry
- Transient rippling or dimple formation
- Transient hematoma or bruising
- Slight depression or skin irregularity
- Inflamation
These inconveniences should disappear a few days after treatment.
If you experience any side effects, you should talk to your doctor.
Who can provide APTOS thread lift?
Only doctors trained in APTOS METHODS are authorized to implement the treatment.
What must be done before the treatment?
No special preparation is required prior to APTOS thread lift.
However, it is recommended to discuss your expectations and ask your doctor any questions you have before starting treatment.
Inform the doctor of any treatment you have already received and of any medicines you are currently taking.
What are the indications for APTOS thread lift?
Ideal candidates for thread lifts include people with minimal signs of ageing who need just a small lift. Usually, these are women and men between 30 and 55.
Right candidates are those patients who have
- prominence of the jaw
- a relaxed / sagging mid-facial appearance
- slight bags under the eyes or on the neck
- candidates include those who have had some relapse from a previous procedure such as a facelift or neck lift
APTOS can be used to treat various parts of the face and body:
- Contours of the face
- Jaw line
- Cheeks and mid face area
- Eyebrows
- Neck
- Breast
- Arms
- Abdomen
- Buttocks
- Inner thighs
- Knees
Poor candidates
- Those patients who have excessively sagging skin at an advanced age will show a very limited improvement
- Those patients who are obese, or have very heavy, rugged skin too will show no improvement. In these patients, thread lift can be combined with liposuction
Am I a candidate for APTOS thread lift?
Ideal candidates for thread lifts include people with minimal signs of ageing who need just a small lift. Usually, these are women and men between 30 and 55.
Right candidates are those patients who have
- prominence of the jaw
- a relaxed / sagging mid-facial appearance
- slight bags under the eyes or on the neck
- candidates include those who have had some relapse from a previous procedure such as a facelift or neck lift
APTOS can be used to treat various parts of the face and body:
- Contours of the face
- Jaw line
- Cheeks and mid face area
- Eyebrows
- Neck
- Breast
- Arms
- Abdomen
- Buttocks
- Inner thighs
- Knees
Poor candidates
- Those patients who have excessively sagging skin at an advanced age will show a very limited improvement
- Those patients who are obese, or have very heavy, rugged skin too will show no improvement. In these patients, thread lift can be combined with liposuction
Does the procedure change the facial features?
Unlike traditional surgical facelifts APTOS threads rejuvenate the face without changing your natural features. Usally soft tissues are just repositioned to their original location. After a thread lift you can typically expect to look like you did several years ago.
Can APTOS threads be used in complete safety?
It has been more than 21 years since the first APTOS thread and method has been introduced to the aesthetic world. It was first developed in 1996 by Dr. Marlen Sulamanidze.
APTOS threads are currently marketed in more than 50 countries. More than a million threads are sold all over the world.
APTOS products comply with the requirements of European Pharmacopoeia. Products have a CE mark and the production is certified according to ISO 13485, that guarantees the quality throughout the entire manufacturing process.
As there is no cutting of the skin and only a local anaesthetic is used, the procedure is considered less complicated than a full surgical facelift.
What are the APTOS threads made of?
APTOS threads are made of both non-absorbable (polypropylene) and absorbable (poly-L-lactic acid + caprolactone) material. Polypropylene threads are used in surgery for more than 50 years. Polylactic threads are composed of fully absorbable, non-allergic material used in medicine for many years.
Threads provide double action: lifting and rejuvenation.
Aptos Threads have specially designed barbs that provide soft grip on surrounding tissues. As absorbable threads dissolve naturally, the skin starts to produce more collagen which gives a longer-lasting result. Over time they improve skin tone, texture, colour and hydration.
Background Information
As we age, the effects of gravity become more noticeable on our faces. The supporting tissue of the cheeks weakens and starts to sag, facial fat is lost, the jaw line that used to be firm and tight forms jowls at the edges of the mouth that drift down towards the chin and the lower face and neck sags. This sagging or drooping action of the tissue is referred to by doctors as ptosis.
Traditionally, the tendency for sugging would lead most people to a cosmetic surgeon in search of a facelift, however, there is now a less invasive procedure available that can lift, contour and suspend the sagging tissues of the face, neck and body; in those people who need only little to moderate rejuvenation.
Thread lifting is a procedure which involves elevating different parts of the face and body using specially designed threads without having to make incisions as per the classical face lift.
Dr Marlen A. Sulamanidze, thought that if you took prolene (a plastic non-absorbable suture) and cut barbs (very small “teeth”) along its length, it could act as a rope to hold up a drooping brow, cheek or jowl; and this resulted in the development and creation of APTOS threads in the late 1990’s. These barbed threads have now been patented, and further developed. Other forms of threads or sutures, both barbed and smooth have also now been developed for use in thread face lift procedures.
If you’re considering having APTOS thread lift, the following information will give you a basic understanding of the procedure. It can’t answer all your questions, since a lot depends on the patient and the surgeon, but please do ask your surgeon about anything you don’t understand.