Thread lift: what to ask before you consider one

A thread lift uses fine threads placed under the skin, usually with a needle or a tube. It is a procedure, not a cream, and it involves more than a quick visit. We cannot say what it may do for you, and results differ.

What should I ask?

Questions to ask your clinic

1. Who will do it, and are they licensed for this procedure?
2. What are the threads made of, and are they approved where I live?
3. What could go wrong, and how would it be treated?
4. Can the threads be removed if there is a problem?
5. What does the recovery look like, and what must I avoid?
6. What is the full cost, and what happens if I am not happy?
7. Who do I call, and when?

A rule to use

The bigger the procedure, the more time you should take. Ask for a written plan, go home, read it, and come back with questions. Compare with a second licensed practitioner. See a second opinion is not rude.

For a lighter choice, see muscle-relaxing injections or fillers.

The exception

Do not go ahead if the clinic cannot show a licence, will not name the threads or rushes you. After treatment, seek urgent care for severe pain, fever, spreading redness, pus, or skin that changes colour.

General information only. Ask a licensed professional about your own case.

What should be in writing?

Ask for the name and type of the threads, the number placed and where, the licence of the person who places them, the aftercare, the fee, and the plan if you have a problem. Read the consent form at home. If a clinic will not let you take it home, ask why.

Recovery can take time, so do not book close to a trip or an event.