Contour Threads


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Member - American Society of Plastic Surgeons

Contour Threads

Contour Threads
Are You A Good Candidate
Meeting With The Doctor
How The Procedure Is Performed
What To Expect After Surgery
How Long Will The Results Last
Questions You May Have

Contour Threads
As you age, your skin's connective tissue thins and its collagen and elastic fibers begin to break down. These changes in the underlying support structure of your skin can cause sagging, deep creases, folds, and wrinkles to appear in your face and neck as early as your thirties. While many patients choose a traditional or endoscopic facelift, there is a new minimally invasive rejuvenation technique that uses Contour Threads� to produce a relaxed, fresh facial appearance while preserving and enhancing the natural contours of your face.

Contour Threads� are the only Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved self-anchoring thread technology that allows the doctor to use a minimally invasive surgical approach to elevate and reposition the midface, brow, and neck areas. A lift procedure performed with Contour Threads� is a safe, conservative, and effective one that offers subtle, natural looking results. This procedure does not replace a conventional face-lift; rather it offers patients an innovative, minimally invasive approach with immediate results and benefits:

� Procedural and recovery time are reduced
� Patient satisfaction is more immediate
� No general anesthesia is required
� Lower risk of complication

Contour Threads� are only available in the offices of qualified plastic surgeons such as the doctors of The Metropolitan Institute for Plastic Surgery. The doctors and staff of the Institute will provide you with detailed information on using Contour Threads� to achieve the facial rejuvenation you desire.

Are You a Good Candidate for Contour Threads�
The best candidate for a lift using Contour Threads� is someone in their thirties through sixties who wants a more youthful facial appearance, but does not want a conventional full facelift or brow lift. If you have one or more of the following conditions and are in general good health, you are most likely a good candidate for a Contour Threads� lift:

o Moderate drooping or sagging of the cheeks, eyebrows, or neck
� Asymmetrical brows or face
� Poorly defined upper and mid face contours

Meeting With The Doctor
Prior to scheduling your Contour Threads lift, you will meet at length with the doctors and staff at The Metropolitan Institute for Plastic Surgery to determine if the procedure is right for you and to answer any questions you may have.

The Metropolitan Institute for Plastic Surgery doctors and staff will:
� Review the various facial lift options with you
� Clearly discuss the potential risks of the procedure
� Outline in detail how the procedure is performed and what you can expect before, during, and after the procedure
� Provide detailed cost and payment information
� Answer all your questions

You will be asked to provide:
� Details about your medical history
� A list of all medications you currently take including over the counter medications such as aspirin, vitamins, and herbal supplements
� Information regarding your tobacco and alcohol use

How The Procedure Is Performed
Your Contour Threads� lift will be performed in the office or at one of the region's premiere accredited outpatient-based surgical facilities: the Center for Ambulatory Surgery, Inc. (CASI). Your procedure will take about 60 minutes to complete and is performed under local anesthesia with light intravenous sedation if desired.

The doctor creates discreetly placed access points along the areas of the face and/or neck to be lifted. The Contour Threads�, which have evenly spaced cogs or barbs, are inserted under the skin. Once inserted under the skin, the cogs are fixated in an umbrella-like fashion and tension is applied that gently lifts the sagging tissue of the brow, face, and neck.

Due to the unique design of the cogs of the Contour Threads�, the surrounding tissues act to hold the threads in place without the need for visible scars. The cogs do the work of holding by being fixated to tissue as they are softly contoured into place. The exact placement of the threads will vary from patient to patient. And because Contour Threads� are clear in color, they are not visible under fair or thin skin. Once the Contour Threads� are in position, your body generates new collagen bundles that surround each thread to maintain the lifting effect.

What To Expect After Your Surgery
Activity When

Bandages Removed One to Two Days After Surgery

Shower and Shampoo Hair Two Days After Surgery

Back to Work One to Seven Days After Surgery

Driving As Soon as You Feel Comfortable

Strenuous Activity Two Weeks After Surgery

Immediately After Your Surgery
Your Contour Threads� lift is performed on an outpatient basis and you go home shortly after the surgery. In most cases, there is minimal discomfort, bruising, or swelling. Ice compresses are recommended for the first 24-48 hours. Patients can usually return to work or normal activities in a few days to one week after the procedure. Any discomfort you experience will improve rapidly after the first two days.

Your doctor will remove your bandages at your first post-operative visit. There may be a small amount of bleeding around your incisions. This is normal and can usually be controlled by applying light pressure to the area. If the bleeding does not respond to light pressure or becomes heavy, call The Metropolitan Institute for Plastic Surgery for further instructions.

The First Two Weeks After Surgery
Most patients are back to work within a week of surgery. You can begin using makeup two days after your procedure. You may notice:

� Numbness in the area of your incisions; this is normal and may take several weeks to disappear completely.
� Itching as a result of the healing of the nerves near your incisions.

Resuming Your Normal Routine
Everyone heals at different rates and you are the best judge of when you are ready for certain activities, but the following are general guidelines:

� You can most likely return to work a few days to a week after your surgery.
� You can resume driving as soon as you feel comfortable doing so.
� You can most likely return to your physical exercise program within two weeks of your Contour Threads� lift.
� Most of the visible signs of your surgery should fade within about two weeks.
� Prolonged exposure to heat and sun should be limited for several months.

How Long Will The Results Last?
How long the results of your Contour Thread� lift last varies depending on your age at the time of the procedure, the degree of sagging, and the number of threads used. Over time, additional Contour Threads may be added as needed to maintain the results you desire.

Questions You May Have

� Can a Contour Threads� lift be reversed?
The Contour Threads� lift is a simple procedure to perform and complications are rare. Since the technique is entirely reversible, unwanted effects are usually easily corrected under local anesthesia, if necessary.

� Will I still be able to have a traditional facelift or a brow lift at another time?
The unique design of Contour Threads� allows a traditional facelift or brow lift procedure to be performed when you are ready.

� Can the Contour Threads� procedure be combined with other cosmetic procedures?
It is not uncommon to have a Contour Threads� lift combined with Botox injections to reduce frown lines, dermal fillers such as CosmoDerm to enhance volume, or peels and laser therapy to improve skin texture. Liposuction of the neck is often done in conjunction with a Contour Threads� procedure to improve the overall youthful appearance of your face and neck. Complementary procedures will be discussed with you during your initial consultation with the doctors and staff of The Metropolitan Institute for Plastic Surgery.

� Will my insurance coverage pay for my Contour Threads� lift?
A Contour Threads� lift is considered a cosmetic treatment and, therefore, is not covered by your insurance. You are responsible for the full payment for your procedure. Cost and payment information will be discussed in detail with you during your initial consultation.