Safety Profile of Thread Lifts on the Face and Neck: An Evidence-Based Systematic Review.

Background: "Thread lifting" has quickly gained popularity as a minimally invasive treatment for facial rejuvenation. However, the effectiveness is questionable, and the safety and adverse effects are often not discussed.

Objective: To identify and discuss the adverse effects associated with various types of threads.

Materials And Methods: Studies describing the use of thread lifts were identified using a PubMed search. Inclusion criteria included studies in which barbed and nonbarbed threads were used for the face and neck.

Results: Fifty-nine articles consisting of 14,222 patients (14,134 barbed, 81 nonbarbed, and 7 combined cases) were included. The most common side effects overall were facial asymmetry (n = 6,143), edema/tumefaction (n = 453), and ecchymosis (n = 407). Serious adverse effects were rare and consisted of paresthesias, alopecia, and injuries to vessels/glands. Most adverse effects were transient and self-resolving, with the exception of contour irregularities, injuries to vessels/glands, infections, and inflammatory reactions.

Conclusion: Most side effects associated with threads were self-resolving, whereas more serious cases subsided with treatment. Future studies are critical to further determine whether thread lifting provides long-lasting, safe, and satisfying results.