Silhouette Instalift

Your skin’s collagen production decreases as a natural consequence of aging, which over time causes your skin to lose its natural firmness and contour. As early as your 30s, this can result in the appearance of loose and sagging skin around your cheeks, mouth and nose area. Surgical facelifts can help to reverse these changes, however they are painful and invasive procedures that require an extended period of downtime.

Silhouette Instalift is an FDA-approved, minimally invasive alternative that can provide similar results with far less discomfort and downtime. Located in Arden, NC, our clinic, SkinOvation, is highly specialized in this procedure, and we are eager to put our expertise to work to help you achieve a natural-looking, rejuvenated appearance. Ready to get started? Book a consultation with us today.

What Is Silhouette Instalift?

Silhouette Instalift is a unique thread lift procedure that works to tighten and smooth aging facial skin and enhance its natural collagen production, for immediate, long-lasting results.

Silhouette Instalift’s sutures are made with poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA), a biocompatible substance that dissolves over time and is eventually absorbed by the body. Currently, they are the only absorbable sutures that are FDA-approved for cosmetic facial treatments.

Who Is Silhouette Instalift For?

Silhouette Instalift is ideal for men and women aged 30–50 who are experiencing mild to moderate signs of aging in their cheek, nose and mouth area, and seek a natural-looking, more youthful appearance without surgery. It is also an excellent choice for patients who have undergone anti-aging cosmetic procedures in the past, and have begun to notice returning signs of aging.

Patients who are obese, or who have severe facial wrinkles and sagging skin are not appropriate candidates for this procedure. Neither are those with known allergies to plastic biomaterials or who have particularly thin, delicate skin.

How Silhouette Instalift Works

Instalift sutures are lined with specially designed micro cones, which serve the dual purpose of anchoring the sutures in place and stimulating collagen production.

As these cones dissolve over time, the skin tissue around them grows in to fill the small gaps left behind. This regrowth activates the skin’s collagen production, helping to enhance the skin’s firmness and smoothness, and maintain the procedure’s results long after the sutures have dissolved.

Before and After Photos

The patients in these photos may have undergone other procedures in addition to Silhouette Instalift. This photo gallery does not guarantee that everyone who undergoes a Silhouette Instalift treatment will obtain these or similar results.

Shortly after the procedure, you will likely experience some bruising, swelling and tenderness around the treatment area. These symptoms will resolve within 24–48 hours.

This procedure will provide an immediate lift to sagging tissue in your cheek area, and increase the tightness and smoothness of the skin around your mouth and nose. Your skin’s appearance will continue to rejuvenate over the course of the following 6 months, as the cones dissolve and work to increase your skin’s natural collagen production.

At the end of this six-month period, the final results will be apparent. These results will last up to 2 years before beginning to fade.

What to Expect from the Procedure

Once you are comfortably seated in our treatment room, one of our specialists will begin by using a marker to indicate the suture entry and exit points. Entry points will be located in the middle of your cheeks, while exit points will be located in your chin area and near your hairline. Our specialist will then inject a local anesthetic into each of these points.

Once the anesthetic has taken effect, our specialist will prepare a number of sutures by attaching a very thin needle to each end of them. The exact number of sutures needed for the procedure will vary depending on the severity of your symptoms.

Our specialist will insert one needle through an entry point in your cheek, push it out through the exit point in your chin area, and pull the suture taut. They will then insert the other needle through the same entry point and push it out through the exit point near your hairline. Once the suture has been set in place, our specialist will cut off the excess thread.

In this manner, they will insert the sutures symmetrically on each side of your face.

This entire process should take less than an hour and will be relatively pain-free. However, as the anesthetic fades, you will begin to experience some moderate to intense pain due to the sensation of the threads resting under your skin and stretching it. Your specialist will provide you with personalized aftercare tips to help you manage this pain.

FAQ

How does Silhouette Instalift compare to a surgical facelift?

Traditional facelifts involve surgically removing areas of loose tissue in order to tighten and smooth aging facial skin. No tissue is removed during a Silhouette Instalift procedure, and as a result, it requires significantly less downtime and involves less pain. The collagen-boosting micro cones used in Instalift procedures also help to enhance their results over time, whereas facelift results will remain static.

That being said, the results of Instalift procedures will not last as long as those of surgical facelifts, which can last up to 15 years.

How long will the pain from the sutures last?

Any pain that you experience due to the sutures will fade entirely after a few weeks, as your skin heals and becomes accustomed to them.

What should I do after an Instalift treatment?

You can manage pain after a Silhouette Instalift procedure by gently applying an ice pack wrapped in a thin cloth to the treatment area. If your discomfort is severe, you may also take acetaminophen. Do not apply makeup for the first 24 hours after a procedure.

For the first 3–5 days, be as gentle as possible when washing or shaving your face. When you sleep, lie face-up with your upper body slightly raised, either with the help of pillows or a reclining chair. This will help minimize swelling.

For 2 weeks after your treatment, be sure to avoid direct sun exposure, repeated neck movements and intense physical activity. You must also take care to keep your facial muscles relaxed, and avoid making exaggerated facial expressions.

For 3 weeks, avoid saunas and do not undergo dental treatments. Lastly, avoid face-down massages and facial cosmetic treatments for 4 weeks after your procedure.

How long will the sutures take to fully dissolve?

Usually, sutures will fully dissolve after about 6 months, however this will vary from patient to patient.