What is the Silhouette Instalift?

The silhouette Instalift procedure is a relatively new breakthrough technology that uses clear threads with tiny clear cones on them placed precisely under the skin to lift up the skin of the mid face including cheeks, nasal labial folds, marionette lines, jowls, and jawlines without surgery or incisions, and with far less downtime.

These threads are made out of the same substance that is used in the product Sculptra. That substance known as PLLA (poly-L-lactic acid) is famous for building collagen in the skin like almost nothing else. The substance was first used in medical patients with conditions such as AIDS and cancer where their faces had hollowed out and left these patients looking gaunt. This substance became famous when safely injected into those hollow areas, it was able to stimulate the bodies own collagen production and build back up the skin allowing their faces to look full and healthy again.

Using this PLLA (poly-L-lactic acid) in lifting threads is really a completely different concept from the thread lifts of old. Instead of permanent threads lifting the skin, these threads slowly dissolve but leave a collagen matrix in their place that continues to lift the skin as well as rejuvenate the skins texture and appearance giving a twofold effect.

How long does the Silhouette Instalift last?

In general the collagen created by PLLA is thought to last for 18 to 24 months. That said, some have found that the lift effect lasts much longer. The reason thought to be behind this longer duration of lift is the fact that when your skin is held in a lifted position for a long period of time, other dermal attachments to the skin will often form holding that skin in that lifted position indefinitely. That said, to manage expectations properly we generally like to say the Silhouette Instalift procedure lasts anywhere from 1 1/2 to 2 years.

How long does the procedure take to perform?

The procedure generally takes approximately 45 minutes to perform. It is performed under simple local anesthesia without the need for general anesthesia. A two hour appointment is booked for you and the remainder of time is often not entirely needed, but generally used to take before and after pictures, go over the procedure a final time, carefully mark where the threads are going to be placed, clean and sterile drape the facial areas, and go over your aftercare instructions.

How uncomfortable is the procedure?

Again, the procedure is performed under local anesthesia. Most patients rate the procedure as a 3 to 4 out of 10 on a 10 point pain scale. Most of the discomfort patients actually say is the discomfort of the local anesthetic being administered itself which again is rated on that pain scale as a 3 to 4 out of 10. After the anesthetic has been injected, the patients generally find the procedure reasonably comfortable and tolerable.

What are the common side effects from this procedure?

Most common side effects include bruising, and for the first 2 days puckering, and draping of the skin that has almost always completely resolved by DAY 3. These side effects always resolve, and having performed the second highest number of this procedure in New England, I have yet to ever see anything but an incredibly soft and natural result which has made this procedure so satisfying to perform. Approximately 10-15% of patients get a significant bruise usually up in the hairline region which can last longer than the usual 5 to 6 day recovery time but is generally easily covered up with makeup.

What is the downtime after the Silhouette Instalift procedure?

The downtime after the Silhouette Instalift procedure is generally 5 to 6 days if you want no one to know that you had it done. Generally, people will look most noticeably done for the first one to two days after which the lifting effect will settle in nicely and very naturally.

For 1-2 weeks we ask that you rest your face and go into what we call our ‘Resting B. Face mode’ where you avoid as much facial expression as possible while your results settle in and collagen builds so as to optimize the amount of lifting that occurs. For this reason we discourage heavy exercising and grimacing at the gym, and ask patients to try and use a donut pillow and sleep off of their faces as much as possible.

What sort of lift can I expect from this procedure?

The Silhouette Instalift procedure gives a beautiful and always natural lifting effect. It is not a surgical face lift and cannot give as extreme a lifting result. That said, where a facelift in some can appear overly taut and unnatural for a period of time or longer, the Silhouette Instalift always looks natural and rejuvenating. This procedure fills the void for patients that have some mid to moderate facial drooping, heavy smile lines, jowls, and loose skin but are not really ready or far enough along to need a facelift. Or for patients that really prefers to stay away from going under the knife all together, the Silhouette Instalift procedure can be repeated in more heavily problemed areas of the face months later to achieve more profound results.

The other advantage of the silhouette instalift procedure is the beautiful collagen building skin effect the threads have on the face that one does not get with a surgical face lift alone.

This technology is also being used in relatively young patients to correct early, often inherited problem areas to stave off the signs of early aging. There are many who believe that used in this way along with other aesthetic technologies, many in the future may never need to go under the knife at all.

How much does the procedure cost?

Unless we are just correcting a simple problem area in a younger patient where only a few threads may need to be used, we are generally using 3 to 4 threads on each side of the face, or 6 to 8 threads for a face in total. The cost of this generally ranges between $2250 and $2800 at our facility, but at other facilities can range as high as $500 per thread or $4000.

If this is something you are interested in and want to learn more about, book your free consultation today to see if you are a good candidate and if the Silhouette Instalift procedure is right for you.

Warmest Regards,

“Dr S.” (Craig Schacher, MD)

of Bella MedSpa by Dr S., PLLC

info@mybellamedpa.com

https:// mybellamedspa.com

+1 (413)562-3552