BOSTON -- It's the latest development in plastic surgery, without the surgery. Contour Thread Lift uses sutures to grab sagging skin and pull it tight again.
NewsCenter 5's Liz Brunner reported that the procedure is non-invasive and recovery time is short. But similar thread lift procedures haven't lived up to their claims.
One patient, who did not wish to be identified, said she never considered plastic surgery before.
"I won't do anything with anesthesia," she said.
But now she is ready to try a new non-invasive procedure that doesn't require general anesthesia.
"You want to age gracefully, but sometimes life has its own plan," she said.
The new procedure, Contour Thread Lift, was just approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
As part of the non-invasive procedure, doctors make tiny incisions along the hairline and insert needles threaded with barbed sutures.
"Once they're placed, they have little cogs or suture-related hooks that grab the skin. And once placed, what I can do is slide the skin into the position that I want it while the patient looks into the mirror and give them the amount of lift or tightening that they're looking for, all in about an hour," said Dr. Michael Kaminer of Skin Care Physicians.
Thread lifts aren't new, but past procedures have run into problems with sutures rising to the surface and short-lived smoothness.
Plastic surgeon Raffi Der Sarkissian of Boston Facial Plastic Surgery said he's not convinced that Contour Threads are any different.
"We don't know if these results are going to be long-lasting. I'd like to see some results at a year or two years, and if at that point, the results are good, sustained, safe, then I would consider doing the procedure myself," he said.
Kaminer said the new threads should last seven to 10 years.
Sherre Wilson-Rae had the procedure done a week ago and is happy with her results so far.
"It's a very noticeable difference, so yeah, I'm totally thrilled," she said.
Thread lifts are not for everyone, doctors say. Kaminer said the best candidates are people who have minimal signs of aging and just need a little lift. People with major signs of aging will likely still require traditional plastic surgery.
Contour Thread Lift is much less expensive than traditional plastic surgery at a cost of $4,000 to $8,000 for the procedure.
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