When you hear the term "facelift," you probably think about surgery. If you know a little more about facelifts, you might imagine someone with scars along their hairline and near their ears where the skin has been cut and tightened. Indeed, this is what a standard facelift involves, but it is no longer the only kind of facelift available. Minimally invasive facelifts are becoming more common, and the most common minimally invasive facelift procedure is called a thread lift. Here's a more in-depth look at that procedure and what it involves.

What is a thread lift?

With a thread lift, your practitioner uses a special kind of thread to create a few stitches along your hairline and near your ears. These stitches basically pull the skin back from the face and towards these areas. It typically only takes a little lifting and a few stitches to make the face look more toned.

How long do the results last?

The stitches are not permanent, but they do last for several years. When you notice that the stitches have dissolved, you can go back to your plastic surgeon's office and have another thread lift performed. As a part of the healing process after the treatment, your skin is stimulated to produce more collagen. This makes your facial skin look fuller and more youthful. These results do tend to remain even after the stitches have dissolved.

Do you need to go under anesthesia to have a thread lift?

No, you do not need to undergo general anesthesia for this procedure, which is one reason why it's so much better than a surgical facelift. However, your doctor generally will give you a shot or two of a local anesthetic to numb the treatment area before they insert the stitches. This anesthesia will not affect your level of consciousness.

What is it like to recover from a thread lift?

You should be able to drive yourself home from the procedure, and recovery is usually quite straightforward. You'll need to avoid rubbing your face for a few days after the procedure. You can use over-the-counter pain medication to ease any mild discomfort. Unless you have a very physically active job, you should not need to take any time off from work.

These days, a facelift does not necessarily mean surgery. As described above, you can generally get the results with something far less invasive, like a thread lift.

For more info, reach out to a company such as Desert Bloom Skin Care.