Facelift: Info, Prices, Photos, Reviews, Q&A

A feather lift is a minimally invasive procedure with threads that are barbed. They are threaded into the tissue and then placed under tension to affect a lift in certain areas. I have never been that impressed with the concept nor the results that I have seen.

In general they are most frequently used by non-surgeons who want to get into the cosmetic field. I do not recommend them. (Talmage J. Raine, MD, FACS, Chicago Plastic Surgeon)

A Feather Lift is a thread facelift which has been proven by numerous studies to be less than optimal in terms of long term results, long term pain, and extrusion of threads. Talk with a facial plastic surgeon who performs a range of facelift procedures to determine what is best for you. (D.J. Verret, MD, Dallas Facial Plastic Surgeon)

A Suture Suspension Face Lift

Featherlift sutures

Feather lift is one of many minimally invasive procedures that were designed to refresh the face without surgery. Unfortunately it just doesn’t work. The patient might notice some temporary improvement in the appearance of the face, but the results do not work as the suture eats through the tissue, and the sagging face re-emerges. (Boris M. Ackerman, MD, Newport Beach Plastic Surgeon)

A feather lift is one of several types of procedures that utilize attempts at quick fixes and tend to produce unhappy patients. Utilized primarily by non-plastic surgeons because of it’s ease of marketing. the feather lift utilizes barbed sutures threaded through the face in an attempt to lift the tissue.

The result is often a poor aesthetic outcome, which is often temporary. Problems with reactions and extrusion of the threads are a secondary issue. (Adam David Lowenstein, MD, FACS, Santa Barbara Plastic Surgeon)

APTOS Thread Lift Before And After Photps

A feather lift is a well marketed procedure using barbed sutures to elevate soft tissues around the cheeks. It is not a substitute for facelift and certainly does not last. (Steven Wallach, MD, New York Plastic Surgeon)

Feather lift, Lifestyle face lift, one hour face lift are branded names done by someone who does not know how to do a face lift . They are JUNK MEDICINE. (Samir Shureih, MD, Baltimore Plastic Surgeon)

Featherlift works but has limitations.

A featherlift uses thread or barred sutures that put in under the skiin to pull the jowls and neck skin upwards and backwards. The featherlift procedure last 6 months to 2 years. (David A. F. Ellis, MD, Toronto Facial Plastic Surgeon)

Featherlifts…what are they

Feather lifts is a name branded procedure. Essentially it uses sutures with tine barbs on it like barbed wire. the theory is that these barbs will hold up the skin and a lift can be done in a few minutes.

Before And After Feather Lift

Don’t waste your money. The fact is they don’t work. If you really want rejuvenation, see a board-certified surgeon to discuss your options. Your options include a spectrum of procedures from facial resurfacing procedures, injectable treatments, and surgical options. (Raghu Athre, MD, Houston Facial Plastic Surgeon)

Featherlift is a version of Thread lift

My understanding is that Featherlift procedure is a version of contour thread lift technique. The idea was good and it involved placing sutures throughout the face with small barbs attached to it in order to lift up the face.

It was supposed to be done without incisions, under local anesthesia, in the outpatient office setting. Also it was supposed to be much less expensive than the facelift, or mini facelift procedure. Unfortunately, they do not work and they fell out favor.

Before And AfterFeather Lift Surgery

Most reputable plastic surgeons, and facial plastic surgeons do not to use this technique any longer. By knowing what this technique can or cannot deliver, I would suggest looking for an alternative. (Boris Volshteyn, MD, MS, East Brunswick Plastic Surgeon)

Featherlift – Not Worth It !

This is one of many ideas that had a lot of publicity and great hype but the results (or lack thereof) just did not support the expectation of patients and surgeons alike. Essentially “thread” lifting or ” barbed suture” lifting is the concept.

They are placed through small “stab incisions” and threaded through and tied under tension. Of course as would be expected the tiny barbs “cheese wired” through the soft tissue and the results fade in a matter of several weeks to several months.

Feather Lift Is Less Invasive Than A Full Facelift

I personally have removed more than I have placed, from dissatisfied patients with suture migration and almost immediately abandoned this technique. Contour threads (“Thread lift”) have been removed from the market and APTOS threads which are the barbed sutures used for the “Featherlift”) are also history.

Save your money and consider a real procedure with longevity from a board certified plastic surgeon. (Larry S. Nichter, MD, MS, FACS, Orange County Plastic Surgeon)

Featherlift Alternatives

A Featherlift procedure utilizes barbed permanent suture threads that are placed under the skin in an attempt to elevate the facial soft tissues to a more youthful position. Unfortunately, this procedure has really fallen out of favor amongst facial plastic surgeons.

Firstly, the patients that were considered good candidates for this procedure were few and far between. You couldn’t be too thin nor could you be too heavy to have the procedure. Secondly, the results from a Featherlift did not last very long at all.

Feather Lift Photos

Lastly, there were many concerns about the threads coming out through the skin sometime after the operation, which could lead to unsightly scarring in some cases. Spend your time and money looking into more established, reliable methods of facial rejuvenation. (John M. Hilinski, MD, San Diego Facial Plastic Surgeon)

Featherlifts Disappoint

Featherlift is a branded procedure which uses sutures with barbs (like on fishhooks but made of nylon), to lift the face. These sutures run across the face, forehead, and neck. The reality is that they simply don’t work.

The face is a dynamic structure and these sutures are static. In very short order the facial movements cause things to slip back to where they were.

Furthermore, the suture ends can poke out or cause dimples requiring removal. (Louis W. Apostolakis, MD, Austin Facial Plastic Surgeon)

Feather Lift Procedure

Buyer beware of gimmicks

Many patients seeking facial rejuvenation want the best result with the least downtown, and minimal expense. Not that these are bad goals, they are just a bit unrealistic. Many facelift techniques are marketed as being minimally invasive, with short recoveries and minimal expense.

Unfortunately, most if not all of these techniques come with limited results. Most of the post-operative result pictures are taken early in the post-op period. At six months or later, many of these patients become displeased with there ultimate result.

I encourage anyone considering facial procedures to seek out an experienced board certified plastic surgeon for their opinion on your best options. (Patti A. Flint, MD, Scottsdale Plastic Surgeon)

Featherlift and thread lifts

Most of the thread lifts have been taken off the market for a variety of complications. We have removed many of them when performing a facelift procedure. Thread lifts are only temporarily tightening skin. Thread lifts do not address tightening muscles or removal of fatty deposits in the neck.

Feather Lift Results

Is A comprehensive facial rejuvenation involves tightening the facial muscles and jowls, removal of fatty deposits above and below the platysma muscle in the neck, a platysma plasty, and conservatively tightening excess face and neck skin. (William Portuese, MD, Seattle Facial Plastic Surgeon)

I find it quite humerous and upsetting that people try to coin cute names for procedures that very often deliver alot less than they promise. If a doctor is telling you you don’t need a facelift but a featherlift or a Smartlift or a Lifestyle lift or a Bandaid lift, get a second opinion.

Most patients I see come in shortly thereafter asking why the procedure didn’t give them what they expected. Always remember, if it sounds too good to be true it probably is!. (Steven Schuster, MD, FACS, Boca Raton Plastic Surgeon)

Feather Lift With APTOS Threads

A “Feather lift” is synonymous with “snakeoil”

A well-executed facelift gives predictable and long lasting results with little risk. There are variations, but the properly executed operation is thorough and addresses all aesthetic problems. Post-op pain should be minimal and patients should be up and about the next day.

Period. Lesser procedures might be enticing, but most of the time the patients are disappointed. They are no less risky and the convalescence is the same. Don’t buy snake oil. (Vincent N. Zubowicz, MD, Atlanta Plastic Surgeon)

A Feather lift is a provedure where permanent barbed sutures are used to elevate the skin. These were proven to not be effective but the extremely high rate of problems and failures. Next came the threadlift which was just a new and improved featherlift suture, but this too had the same track record, and now is also well accepted as a poor procedure that does not work. (Jason B. Diamond, MD, FACS, Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon)

Safe Scarless Rejuvenating Technique

Feather lift was a good intentioned procedure but end up flopping. This involved threading sutures with barbs through the fat layer of the skin then pulling up on the strings to elevate sagging skin. However, over time (less than a year), gravity won out and the sagging skin fell again.

The end result is that you’re left with sutures in your face that don’t do anything for you. Look into a minilift procedure. (Oleh Slupchynskyj, MD, FACS, New York Facial Plastic Surgeon)

These procedures are rarely performed anymore. They tended to be popular about 5 years when several of these operations were performed using a variety of sutures with barbs or other techniques to snag and lift the skin with relatively minimal surgery.

Several different technologies were concurrently promoted such as Contour threads or Aptos threads, etc. Companies or surgeons developed marketing terms to desribe operations performed with these devices. For the most part these have been abandoned by most plastic surgeons.

The THREAD Lift Is Also Called The APTOS Lift, Feather Lift, Or Contour Thread Lift

In many instances these permanent sutures failed to achieve their intended goals, became visible, painful, or acomplished undesireable results. The tide has turned towards mini-face lifts for now, but new technologies are always being developed. (Otto Joseph Placik, MD, Chicago Plastic Surgeon)

It is a defunked procedure

A few years ago, a great deal of interest came about with the concept of lifting the face and brows using barbed sutures without open surgery. Unfortunately, these procedures proved to be very expensive and didn’t produce results that lasted even a year in most cases.

These procedures carried different names such as “featherlift” and “threadlift.” Rarely do you see any real plastic surgeons doing these anymore. (Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS, Seattle Plastic Surgeon)

Understanding The Feather Face Lift

Feather lifts, also known as threadlifts, contour lift, one stitch lift are basically barbed sutures which strive to suspend the deeper tissues.

It has been removed from the market by the FDA. Why doesn’t it work? – The only way to reposition tissue permanently is to lift up a layer of tissue and have it scar in place with existing tissue.

A suture can not hold up your whole face with time.

Often times there is excessive skin which must be redraped in order to rejuvenate the face – Tissues have stretchy qualities can stretch over time nullifying the effects of the suture placed Feather lifts have been replaced by more sophisticated lifts based on sound anatomic and mechanical principles. (Anil R. Shah, MD, Chicago Facial Plastic Surgeon)