Abstract
Background
Thread-lifting (TL) is a minimally-invasive technique for facial rejuvenation, whereas liposuction is commonly used for facial contouring. This retrospective cohort study aims to introduce and evaluate a novel technique that combines liposuction and thread-lifting for mid-lower facial rejuvenation.
Methods
Consecutive patients who underwent TL for mid-lower facial rejuvenation from May 2016 to May 2021 were divided into thread-lifting group (TL group) or thread-lifting plus liposuction group (TLL group) according to whether liposuction was performed adjunctively. The co-primary outcomes were the changes between the preoperative and 6-month postoperative Wrinkle Severity Rating Scale (WSRS) and Facial Aging Evaluation Scale (FAES).
Results
A total of 185 patients (184 females) with an average age of 34.5±5.5 years were included. There were no significant differences in patients’ age, number of threads, and preoperative WSRS and FAES between the two groups. The TLL group (n = 128) had significantly lower postoperative WSRS (1.5±0.6 vs. 1.8±0.8, p<0.001) and FAES (2.5±1.4 vs. 3.8±2.1, p<0.001) than the TL group (n = 57). The decrease in WSRS (0.8±0.6 vs. 0.2±0.7, p<0.001) and FAES (2.7±1.3 vs. 1.6±1.6, p<0.001) were greater in the TLL group. Only 3.8% patients experienced slight side effects and totally recovered.
Conclusions
The combination of TL and liposuction is an effective and safe technique for simultaneous contour improvement and facial rejuvenation in middle-aged East Asian females.
Level of Evidence II
This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors https://www.springer.com/00266.
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This work was supported by the Key projects of medical school development of Shi**gshan District.
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This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Plastic Surgery Hospital of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, and all patients signed informed consent forms.
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Li, Z., Wu, H., Yang, Z. et al. Combining Liposuction and Thread-Lifting for Middle-Lower Facial Rejuvenation. Aesth Plast Surg 48, 1672–1678 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00266-024-03872-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00266-024-03872-y