Evaluating the Compartment-Specific Effects in Superficial Facial Fat Compartments After Thread-Lifts by the Tensiometer and FACE-Q

Abstract

Abstract Background The thread-lifts have been popularized because they offered minimally invasive procedures of facial rejuvenation, but not evaluated by the objective assessment system. Objectives The purpose of this study is to evaluate the compartment-specific effects after thread-lifts by the tensiometer and FACE-Q. Methods Retrospective cohort study was performed on 369 consecutive patients undergoing the thread-lifts with V-Loc devices (n = 173) and the limited scar face lifts (n = 196), with the mean follow-up period of 32.2 ± 5.2 months, between January 2014 and December 2015. Two hundred-seventy patients had intraoperative tension measurements performed. In an online survey, the blinded study coordinator registered all data in 12 FACE-Q scales. Results The average age was 46.0 ± 10.1 years. The complication rate was 4.8%. The mean value of the tensions was 9.5 ± 1.9 N. Patients were better satisfied with the appearance of their marionette (44.3 ± 24.8) lifted by device 3&4 (10.1 ± 1.6 N), compared with satisfaction with the appearance of their nasolabial folds (37.9 ± 20.7) lifted by device 1&2 (8.7 ± 2.1 N). The satisfaction of patients of the 40s and 50s&60s was higher than that of patients of the 20s&30s with decision. The satisfaction of patients undergoing limited scar face lifts was higher than that of patients undergoing thread-lifts with social and psychological functions. Conclusions The tension measurements correlate with compartment-specific effects and play the same role as the indicator between gravitational and volumetric theories, but the limited effectiveness of thread-lifts was found to look 2.3 years younger during a mean follow-up of 2.5 years. Level of Evidence: 3