Pain After Thread Lift: What's Normal, What's Not
The natural aging process causes facial tissues and skin to sag and “bag” over time. Along with Botox® and dermal filler injections, PDO thread lift procedures can temporarily slow and reverse these processes without traditional plastic surgery. Think of them as temporary anti-aging procedures.
Thread lift procedures stimulate collagen production and tighten the excess skin of the face and neck. Their results last up to two years and are most noticeable around the eyes and mouth, though they can be performed just about anywhere on the face.
Thread lifts are much safer than traditional plastic surgery. But like all minimally invasive cosmetic procedures, thread lifts have some risks and side effects. Temporary pain is one of the known risks of thread lift procedures. Here’s what to expect, pain-wise, during and after your procedure and when you should be concerned that your discomfort isn’t normal.
Is Pain After Thread Lift Procedures Normal?
It’s normal to experience some pain after a thread lift procedure.
The pain is caused by the body’s natural response to the threads and the needles that put them into place. Tightening of the excess skin can cause temporary discomfort as well.
Pain is normal during the thread lift procedure as well. All providers administer local anesthesia to reduce it. Usually, they combine topical and injected anesthetic, which can cause temporary pain until it begins to work.
Where to Expect Pain After Your Thread Lift
Post-thread lift pain concentrates around the treated areas. For example, you can expect pain to be concentrated around the mouth following a lip thread lift and around the eyes and lower forehead after an eye thread lift.
How Long Does Pain Last After a Thread Lift?
One to two weeks is typical. Some patients experience little to no pain after a thread lift; others experience moderate pain for up to two weeks.
When Should You Worry About Pain After a Thread Lift?
When should you worry that the pain you’re experiencing after your PDO thread lifting procedure is not normal?
Consult your provider if you notice any of the following:
- Severe pain around the treatment area
- Swelling or bruising that is painful to the touch
- Redness that feels hot or is painful to the touch
- Pain or swelling that is noticeably uneven — for example, one treated eye is much more swollen than the other
Choosing a board-certified healthcare professional who has completed advanced thread lift training can reduce these concerns, but no cosmetic procedure is totally risk-free.
How to Treat Pain After a Thread Lift
Here’s what you can do to treat temporary pain after a thread lift.
Thread Lift Recovery Do’s
To manage and minimize your pain after a thread lift, do the following.
- Do: Have realistic expectations about how long the pain could last — one to two weeks is typical.
- Do: Take acetaminophen (such as Tylenol®) for pain during the first 48 hours. Avoid ibuprofen (such as Advil®) during this time; it’s fine to take it after 48 hours.
- Do: Avoid heavy physical exertion for one to two weeks.
- Do: Keep your head elevated whenever possible, including during sleep periods.
- Do: Follow all of your provider’s post-treatment instructions.
Thread Lift Recovery Don’ts
These activities could aggravate the treatment area or increase your risk of other side effects. Avoid them.
- Don’t: Take aspirin until the treatment area has returned to normal.
- Don’t: Test the limits of your facial expressions during the first one to two weeks. Try to minimize laughter, wide smiles, and other facial movements.
- Don’t: Get a facial massage until the treatment area has returned to normal and the pain is gone.
Don’t: Schedule any other cosmetic procedures (such as Botox or dermal fillers), unless recommended by your provider.
