Silhouette Soft® Thread Contouring/Lift

Silhouette Soft® Thread Lift, sometimes referred as ‘one-stitch face lift’ or a ‘puppet face lift’, is a unique minimally invasive facial non-surgical cosmetic procedure used to re-contour the face by elevating the deeper layers of the skin. This results in a re-tightening effect for an immediate but discreet result. It also has a regenerative effect for gradual and natural-looking results.

Silhouette Soft® can be used for facial reconstruction in the treatment of facial lipoatrophy or morphological asymmetry. The Silhouette Soft® Thread Lift is suitable for both men and women who suffer from mid face and cheek drooping, sagging jowls and creasing from the nose to the lips. Silhouette Soft is most beneficial for people in their mid- to late-30s to mid-50s, who have good skin support structure with only light sagging that does not require a surgical face lift. It can also be used for the elevation and the compression of the neck.

Silhouette Soft® is a resorbable sterile implantable single-use suspension suture made of Poly L-Lactic Acid monofilament with tiny blue molded cones along the length of the suture. The cones are made of Lactic Glycolide (a mixture of lactic and glycolic acids). The cones are bi-directional and there are 4, 6 or 8 cones on each ‘side’ of the suture (from the centre), which are free-floating between the tied knots, at intervals of 0.5cm. Each set of cones faces in the opposite direction and points towards the end of the suture thread. Finally, two knots are position 1.5cms apart in the centre of the thread, at an equal distance from the mid-point, where no cones are situated. The suture acts as scaffolding under the surface of the skin to lift sagging soft tissues. The cones both hold the threads in place, and in time stimulates the body’s production of collagen to replace depleted facial volume which diminishes with age.

Reasons for choosing Silhouette Soft® Thread Lift 

• It is a minimally invasive non-surgical procedure. 
• Silhouette Soft is a unique treatment which can be carried out on a variety of areas of the face with long lasting results. It can also be used in the neck. 
• reatment gives an Immediate lifting effect. 
• Works by restoring body’s own lost collagen. 
• Made of re-absorbable material. 
• Minimal downtime. 
• Natural results. 

Procedure

At Richmond Cosmetic Clinic we follow a strict protocol for performing Silhouette Soft® Thread Lift.

Prior to the procedure:

The treating doctor will take your medical history, perform a face/neck assessment and discuss the treatment in detail including benefits and potential complications. You will be given 2 weeks ‘’cooling off period’’ so that can make an informed decision whether to go ahead with the procedure.

On the day of the procedure, treatment area will be photographed. Prophylactic antibiotics are administered: Oral Azithromycin 500 mg one hour before the procedure followed by once a day for two days post- treatment. During the Procedure:

During the Procedure:

• Local anaesthetic is applied to the face and our specially trained doctor will insert the Silhouette Soft thread under the skin using a fine needle.

After the Procedure:

• Antibiotic cream will be applied at the sites of thread insertion.
• Ice packs may be applied to reduce the swelling and bruising.
• Clients are advised to refrain from chewing or drinking hot liquids until their face has regained full sensation.
• Clients are advised not to wash their face on the same day following the procedure. Gentle cleansing is permitted the next day.
• Avoid opening the mouth wide and avoid routine dental treatment for at least 4 weeks post treatment.
• Avoid taking aspirin for seven days after the treatment.
• Avoid extreme temperatures (sauna, etc.) for seven days after the treatment.
• Avoid having other cosmetic treatments for 14 days after the treatment.

Side effects

It is normal to experience some minimal bruising and swelling for two to three days following treatment. Rarely lumps at the points of entry can occur that settle spontaneously.

Duration of action

Results generally last for 12 to 18 months. We advise repeating the procedure after this time period.

Combining Silhouette Soft® with other aesthetic procedures

It can be combined with other aesthetic procedures such as Botox, dermal fillers, Sculptra, Platelet Rich Plasma and fat transfer.

Contraindications

A thorough assessment by one of our clinicians will establish whether or not you are suitable for this procedure. Typically, PDO thread contouring is contraindicated in the following instances:

1. Active acne or skin infection.
2. Keloid predisposition.
3. Auto-immune diseases: scleroderma, sarcoidosis, amyloidosis, etc.
4. Anti-coagulant medication: coumarin & heparin (aspirin).
5. Haemophilia.
6. Pregnancy, IVF.
7. Malignancy/Chemotherapy.
8. Hepatitis B & C, HIV.
9. History of bacterial endocarditis: Such clients need antibiotic prophylaxis for this procedure.
10. Existing systemic infection.
11. Porphyria.
12. History of Herpes simplex labialis.
13. Body dysmorphic disorder.
14. Unrealistic patient expectations.