French Suspension
What Is It?
The French thread lift repositions facial tissue as a whole rather than one feature: dissolvable suspension threads placed under the skin carry the tissue upward along planned lines and hold it there. Because the threads grip along their length, the change in contour is visible while the procedure is still under way.
There is a second effect as well: a collagen response forms around the threads over time and lends the tissue additional support. The result therefore comes not only from mechanical lifting but from the tissue’s own response — which is why the effect settles over weeks rather than in the first days.
How Is It Done?
Treatment begins with facial analysis. The degree of laxity, the weight of the tissue and the difference between the two sides are assessed; which area is carried in which direction — the vectors — is drawn and decided. This planning is the decisive part of the work: a wrong angle produces an unnatural pull.
Entry points are marked, local anaesthesia is given and the threads are placed under the skin to carry the tissue in the planned direction. The number of threads varies with the area and the weight of the tissue. The areas most often treated are the midface, jawline, brow and submental region. The procedure averages 45-60 minutes, and symmetry is checked at the end both at rest and during expression.
Who Is It For?
Suitable for people with mild to moderate facial laxity who feel their contours have softened, who do not want surgery or for whom surgery would be premature. Preserved skin elasticity and tissue that is not too heavy directly determine the quality of the result.
Where laxity is advanced and there is pronounced excess skin, the lift a thread can provide remains limited and surgical options are discussed. Pregnancy and breastfeeding, active infection at the site, bleeding disorders, uncontrolled autoimmune disease, a history of keloid and known allergy to the thread material all change the planning and are assessed individually at examination.
Process & Recovery
Facial analysis and vector plan
The degree of laxity, the weight of the tissue and the difference between the two sides are assessed; the directions of pull are drawn and decided. Photographs are taken.
Treatment day
Entry points are marked, local anaesthesia is given and the threads are placed under the skin to carry the tissue in the planned direction. The procedure takes 45-60 minutes.
First 72 hours
Tenderness and swelling appear at the entry points and bruising is possible; the face feels tighter than usual, especially on chewing and speaking. Wide expressions, sleeping face down, massage and intense exercise should be avoided in this period.
First 2-4 weeks
Swelling resolves and the over-tight look of the first days softens. The contours settle in this period; the result is not assessed before then.
Months 2-3
The collagen response around the threads comes into play and tissue support increases. A review is carried out at this stage; as the threads are absorbed, that support continues for a while longer.
Results & Duration
The lifting effect is visible during the procedure, but the appearance in the first days is more pronounced than intended because of swelling and tightness. The contours settle at about one month; the second, tissue-support effect becomes clear over months 2-3.
The range generally reported is 2-3 years. Duration varies with the type of thread, the weight of the tissue, age and skin structure. The threads are made of dissolvable material, are absorbed over time and leave no permanent structure behind. Renewal can be planned as the effect fades.
What Is Not Promised
A thread lift does not replace a surgical face lift and does not produce lifting on the same scale. It does not remove excess skin, has no effect on pigmentation or skin-quality problems, and does not restore lost volume.
No particular degree of lift or duration is guaranteed. Slight asymmetry and tightness may be felt in the first weeks; assessment is made after one month. If expectations do not match the state of the tissue, that is discussed openly at consultation.
Key Benefits
- V-sharpness
- Lifting
- Scarless procedure
“Success with threads is correct vector planning. A wrong angle spoils the naturalness, which is why no thread is placed without analysis.”
— Dr. Sinan Akyürek
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a thread lift surgery?
No. A surgical lift cuts the skin and removes the excess; here the existing tissue is repositioned without any incision, which is why recovery is measured in days.
Which areas can be treated?
Most often the midface, jawline, brow and submental region. Which area suits you is decided by facial analysis.
How long does it take?
Between 45 and 60 minutes, depending on how many areas are treated and how many threads are placed. You go home the same day.
Is it painful?
The area is numbed with local anaesthesia, so pain is not expected during the procedure. In the first days you feel a pull when moving the face — a sign that the threads have taken hold — and it eases within a few days.
Is the result immediate?
The change in contour is visible during the procedure but looks stronger than intended while swelling persists. The contours settle at about one month.
How long does it last?
The range generally reported is 2-3 years, varying with the type of thread, the weight of the tissue and skin structure.
Do the threads stay in my body?
No. The material dissolves and is absorbed; what remains for a while is the tissue support built around it, not the thread itself.
Which situations need separate assessment?
Pregnancy and breastfeeding, active infection at the site, bleeding disorders, uncontrolled autoimmune disease, a history of keloid and allergy to the thread material all change the planning; each is discussed at examination.