Types of Lifting and How to Choose: A Complete Guide from Thread Lifting to Facelifts

How Should I Choose the Right Lifting Method for Me?

Hello, this is 345 Plastic Surgery Clinic. Recently, many people are considering lifting procedures to achieve a firm facial contour. However, lifting methods range widely from non-surgical treatments to highly complex surgical procedures, making it difficult to determine which approach is right for you. Today, we will systematically categorize the types of lifting and explore the criteria for choosing a customized lifting method for each individual.

1. Main Types of Lifting: From Non-Surgical to Surgical

Lifting can be broadly divided into four stages based on the method and whether an incision is made.

• Energy-Based Lifting: These are laser treatments that use radiofrequency (RF) or high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) to improve skin elasticity.
• Thread Lifting: A non-surgical procedure that involves inserting medical-grade threads to directly pull up sagging tissues.
• Facelift: The most fundamental surgical method, which involves making incisions around the ears to directly pull and secure the skin and SMAS layer.
• Minimal Incision/Mini Facelift: A surgery that reduces the dissection area and incision length of a traditional facelift to lower the burden of recovery.

Generally, the wider the incision and the deeper the dissection (the process of separating the tissues beneath the skin), the more pronounced the improvement you can expect. However, this also requires careful consideration of the recovery period and aftercare.

2. Differences in Lifting Maintenance Periods

The maintenance period, which many people are curious about, varies depending on the method.

• Thread Lifting: PDO (dissolvable threads), which are commonly used, take about 6 months to be absorbed into the body. Considering the period they actively pull the tissues, you can expect the results to last for about 6 months to 1 year.
• Incisional Lifting: Surgical methods with a wide dissection area show a much longer duration compared to thread lifting.

However, no lifting procedure can stop aging itself. Since gravity and the natural aging process continue, it is a more reliable approach to understand it as a 'process of turning back the clock on aging and managing it' rather than expecting permanent effects.

3. Is It Simple Sagging or a Volume Issue?

Among the phenomena that patients perceive as 'sagging,' there are many cases where it is not actual skin sagging.

• Lack of Volume: Sudden weight loss or aging can cause a loss of volume, leaving excess skin that may appear to sag.
• Skeletal Characteristics: Koreans often have a short lower jaw (mandible) and a wide lateral facial structure, making 'jowls' easily noticeable even with minimal sagging.

If there is a lot of excess skin itself, an incisional lift is advantageous. If it is a volume issue, simply adjusting the contour by combining liposuction or fat grafting can provide a sufficiently improved impression.

4. Recommended Lifting Guide by Age Group

Although there are individual differences, the general recommendations by age are as follows:

• 30s to 40s: If skin elasticity is relatively good, you can expect sufficient changes with thread lifting or laser lifting without any incisions.
• 50s and Older: Since skin sagging and volume loss progress simultaneously, an incisional method like a facelift may be more effective.

Lifting is not simply a plastic surgery that changes your face, but a process of rediscovering the natural appearance you once had. Rather than being overly ambitious, it is important to find the method most suitable for your current condition.