Facelift & anti-aging
Thread lift in Korea
A thread lift gives a small lift to early sagging in the cheeks, jowls and smile lines, with barbed threads passed under the skin through needle holes. At Urban Plastic Surgery, our partner clinic in Seoul, a face thread lift takes about 30 minutes with local anesthesia and leaves no stitches to remove. Allow a few days before flying.
Who is a good candidate for a thread lift?
- Your skin has started to loosen and you see early sagging in the cheeks, jowls or smile lines
- You want a small lift with little downtime and are not ready for a facelift
- You understand the effect fades with time and may need repeating
- The area is one the clinic treats with threads: between the brows, the forehead, smile lines, around the eyes, the jaw or the cheeks
When it may not be the right choice
- Your skin hangs below the jawline or folds at the neck. Threads cannot remove skin, so a facelift or neck lift usually fits better
- Your face is very thin, or your skin is very thin, so threads are more likely to show or be felt
- You have an infection or active acne where the threads would go
- You are over 50 and dimpling worries you. In one meta-analysis dimpling was more common in this age group
Which method fits you?
The clinic lists two kinds of thread and chooses the type and length for the area and how much it has sagged. The main difference is whether the thread dissolves, and the surgeon can explain why one type is chosen for your face.
| Method | What happens | Suits | Downtime |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dissolving barbed threads (PDO) | Threads made of polydioxanone (PDO), the material of some dissolving stitches, with small barbs that hook into tissue. The clinic names MINT threads. | Early sagging of the cheeks and jaw | Same day back to daily life, per the clinic |
| Non-dissolving elastic threads | Threads that do not dissolve and stay in the body, described by the clinic as elastic. The clinic names Elasticum. | Ask the surgeon which areas it is used for. Because it does not dissolve, a thread that causes a problem has to be removed | Same day back to daily life, per the clinic |
What happens on the day of a thread lift?
- Consultation. The surgeon looks at where your face has dropped and decides the thread type and length.
- The skin is cleaned and numbed with local anesthesia.
- Each thread goes in through a needle hole using a blunt cannula, is pulled to lift the area and is trimmed. For these face threads, the clinic says no extra fixation or tape is used. The whole session takes about 30 minutes.
- You can walk out the same day, with no dressing to change. Ask what to avoid for the next weeks, such as wide yawning or massage on the treated area.
What is recovery like after a thread lift?
- First days
- Swelling, tenderness and a tight feeling are common. Small bruises or puckers at the entry points can show.
- Before you fly
- Swelling and tenderness ease over days to weeks, and the doctor can say what is normal for you. Dimples or a pulling feeling that remain are worth showing before you leave.
- First weeks
- The face looks more settled. Avoid strong facial massage unless the doctor allows it.
- Months onward
- The lift fades with time. Dissolving threads break down, and the effect does not stop aging.
How long should you stay in Seoul after a thread lift?
You do not need a long trip for a face thread lift. You walk out the same day with nothing to remove later, and the clinic lists no return visit. Its thread method for a double chin is a separate plan with a longer session and 2 to 3 visits, so check which one you are booking. Either way, keep a few days in Seoul between the session and your flight: swelling and bruises need time to settle, and a doctor can look at any dimple, lump or thread end before you leave. Take the thread name and the clinic’s contact details home.
What are the risks of a thread lift?
- Swelling, the most common side effect. A meta-analysis of 26 studies found it in 35% of patients
- Skin dimpling or puckering, reported in 10%, and in 16% of people over 50 compared with 5.6% of younger patients. It can be eased by massage or a small release procedure, or by removing the thread
- A thread that can be seen or felt, that comes through the skin (extrusion), or that moves. In the same meta-analysis, extrusion and numbness or tingling were more common with non-dissolving threads
- Infection, reported in 2%, or a lump around a thread. Redness, heat, pain that gets worse or a fever need a doctor promptly
- Asymmetry, or a lift that is smaller or shorter-lived than you hoped. Satisfaction in the meta-analysis fell from 98% right after treatment to 88% at longer follow-up
- Bruising and pain. Injury to a facial nerve or the parotid (salivary) gland has also been reported. For sudden weakness of part of the face, or swelling, redness and pain that spread quickly, get emergency care first, then tell the clinic
What affects the cost of a thread lift in Korea?
What changes a thread lift quote is mostly the thread: dissolving or not, how many are used and which areas they treat, plus anything added such as fat grafting or fillers. Pricing is not shown here yet, because the surgeon first looks at your photos. The written quote should name the doctor, the thread brand and the number of threads.
More questions
How long does a thread lift last?
It is temporary, and there is no single answer. Dissolving threads break down over time, aging continues, and in a meta-analysis satisfaction fell from 98% right after treatment to 88% at longer follow-up. A facelift usually lasts longer. Ask the doctor what to expect with the thread planned for you.
What is skin dimpling after a thread lift, and does it go away?
Dimpling is a small pucker where a barb pulls the skin. It often shows in the first days and can settle as swelling goes down. If it stays, a doctor can release it with massage or a small procedure, or remove the thread. Show any dimple to the doctor before you fly.
Do dissolving or non-dissolving threads work better?
Neither is better for everyone. Dissolving PDO threads break down in the body. Non-dissolving threads stay, and a meta-analysis found more numbness and more threads coming through the skin with them. Ask the doctor why a type is suggested for your face.
Is a thread lift a non-surgical facelift?
It is often called that, but it does not do what a facelift does. No skin is removed, and the deeper SMAS layer is not lifted and fixed. It suits early sagging. If your skin hangs or folds, ask about a mini or SMAS facelift instead.
Related procedures
Sources
- Clinic figures as published by Urban Plastic Surgery, collected October 3, 2026. Your surgeon confirms your own plan.
- Thread Lift. American Society of Plastic Surgeons
- A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review of the Incidences of Complications Following Facial Thread-Lifting. PubMed, US National Library of Medicine
- Complications of thread lift about skin dimpling and thread extrusion. PubMed Central, US National Library of Medicine
- Facial Thread Lifting Complications. PubMed Central, US National Library of Medicine
Cases and clinic figures come from our partner clinic, Urban Plastic Surgery. The partnership does not change what we publish about risks and recovery.