Dermal filler vs thread lift – What is the best treatment for me?

The aging process is inevitable. We can’t just rewind time and expect us to look youthful and refreshed. However, with aesthetic enhancements, we might be able to help you regain your confidence and reduce the look of a tired or dull face. You most likely have heard about dermal filler or thread lifts as trending topics on Instagram, but not sure what is most suited to you? This blogpost was written to help explain the differences and hopefully provide insight around the benefits or risks of each treatment.

What are dermal fillers?

Dermal fillers are increasingly popular as it is designed to stimulate collagen production, sculpt and firm an aging face. The treatment contains hyaluronic acid, which is a substance your body naturally produces. However, as you age the body will produce less of it. This treatment method is non-invasive and involves injectables with dermal filler product. The process usually takes less than five minutes and is painless.

What is a thread lift?

During a thread lift, threads will be inserted under the skin using a cannula tube. Small incisions will be made in primary regions (often in the hairline) and 2-20 threads will generally be inserted. The whole idea is to pull back the skin and therefore this methods tightens the skin. Patients who have a thread lift usually have results of a firmer face and skin tone is improved modestly. The best candidates for this procedure are 30-40s who want to avoid saggy skin on the face or neck.

What is the best treatment for me?

Between the two treatments, we highly recommend receiving dermal filler if you are looking for a non-invasive and subtle approach. Dermal fillers are great if you have one or a few areas of concern. For instance, cheek filler can lift and volumise your cheek area immediately without any recovery time. However, thread lift is a procedure designed to lift the entire face in one sitting and provides moderate results.

What are the differences in treatment time?

If you do not have much time and want a quick fix solution, we suggest dermal fillers. In less than 15 minutes you will be in and out of the cosmetic doctor’s doors. The injectable are very fine needles containing dermal filler product and the amount administered will depend on the results you wish to achieve. Majority of clients use 1-2mls per treatment area. Not much needs to be administered to see aesthetic-pleasing results. On the contrary, thread lift takes at least 60 minutes to be achieved by a professional doctor.

How long do effects last?

The dermal fillers are designed to last at least 4-9 months whereas thread lift lasts 1-3 years. Given this, majority of clients prefer dermal filler as they can come in after the monthly intervals for a top-up treatment. After seeing their first round of results, they are able to see the effectiveness of the injectables, and can alter their treatments according to the facial area of concern.

Which procedure hurts the most?

Thread lifts have been reported to hurt 70% more than dermal fillers. Even though thread lift uses anesthetic during the procedure, clients will experience pain. Dermal fillers is less invasive compared to thread lift and has no recovery time. Thread lift requires healing time and this will vary between patient to patient.

What treatment is more risky?

More complications arise post thread lift procedures. The first one is a feeling of discomfort and pain. Currently all thread lifts are not pain-free. Most patients who has thread lift will tend to experience a lot more bruising or swelling than patients who receive dermal fillers. Facial asymmetry is often a complication from thread lifts. If one side seems more lifted than the others, the patient will have a hard time in correcting these issues. On the other hand it is easier for cosmetic doctors to use dermal fillers to correct any asymmetrical issues without being invasive for the patient. 

The bottom line – dermal fillers are a top favorite amongst clients as they produce effective lasting results with no recovery time. It is more cost effective as most people have specific areas of their face they would like to anesthetic enhance rather than trying to lift their entire face. If you are looking for a painless solution to lift cheeks, reduce nasolabial fold, reduce or tighten your double chin, improve jawline appearance than dermal filler enhancements are the way to go. You can book in a complimentary consultation with a cosmetic doctor at any of our clinics in Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane.

Book your complimentary consultation with our experienced Cosmetic Doctors to find out more.