Thread Lift Complications

Complications after thread lifts can be very serious! This article in the Times Newspaper raises some important issues about this popular aesthetic treatment that many celebrities have admitted to undergoing.

Thread lifts seem like a great idea. Inserting them is a relatively quick procedure with limited downtime and can be done under local anaesthetic. But, as always, please choose your provider with care.

If a healthcare professional inserts threads, it is considered a surgical procedure and must be done at a CQC-regulated facility (the CQC is the healthcare regulator). This means the facility must adhere to healthcare levels of care, hygiene, and standards.

However, in the UK threads can also be inserted by non-healthcare providers. As they are non-healthcare, they have no legal responsibility to work in premises that are CQC regulated. In fact, there is no regulatory oversight to this side of the industry. To me, this makes no sense and exposes the total lack of proper and comprehensive regulation in this country.

What are Threads?

Threads are designed to have small hooks or cogs that allow them to anchor themselves to the tissue under the skin. This anchoring helps them lift and secure the tissue to achieve a ‘lifted’ look. But this intentional design feature is also its biggest problem. If a thread becomes infected, it is difficult to remove them and surgery might be needed. To me, this is why it is vital they only be inserted in a clean environment under healthcare conditions (and why I would only advise a healthcare provider that is CQC regulated to anyone looking for such a treatment).

However, don’t assume all healthcare professionals are saints. Sadly, there are healthcare professionals that offer threads without being CQC registered. This is unacceptable and possibly illegal, and if such individuals are willing to ‘bend the rules’ about this, one must also consider what other rules they are bending. Please stay safe and ensure your provider is CQC registered before making a booking for such a treatment.

Are there risks associated with Thread Lifts?

Risks and complications can occur with any provider, but an ethical and regulated provider will adhere to proper standards of hygiene, will assess you properly, discuss the risks with you before treatment, and will be better able to provide help if problems occur.