Case report of unusual complication following thread lifting: an obstructive stone in the parotid duct

Abstract

Advances in plastic surgery have included a shift toward less invasive procedures. To improve outcomes and avoid incisional surgery, numerous noninvasive face-lifting techniques have been studied. This includes thread-lifting, a technique that promises to correct facial aging with limited scarring, rapid recovery, and minimal complications. As the population ages, an increasing number of ordinary people in South Korea are undergoing thread lifting procedures for the purpose of rejuvenation. The procedure involves insertion of a thread under the skin into the subcutaneous tissue, using a long needle as a guide. Dents or barbs prevent the thread from slipping and provide uniform aggregation of soft tissue to create a new volume contour when the thread is lifted. This procedure has gained worldwide popularity and is frequently performed. However, some minor complications have been reported. In this paper, we report an unusual complication: an obstructive stone in the parotid (Stensen) duct after a thread-lifting procedure using nonabsorbable anchoring threads.