Nose Thread Lifts

Q: What is a nose thread lift?

A nose thread lift is a minimally invasive procedure that uses dissolvable threads placed under the skin to enhance the shape and definition of the nose without surgery. It can address aspects such as tip definition and bridge height.

Q: How is a nose thread lift different from nose filler?

Nose thread lifts use dissolvable threads to provide structural support and definition, while nose filler uses injectable dermal filler to reshape the nose. Dr Scott Horsburgh can advise which option is more appropriate for your concerns during a consultation.

Q: Are nose thread lifts available in Brisbane?

Yes. Nose thread lifts are available at Dr Scott Horsburgh's clinic at Lila Aesthetics, 1/33 Lytton Rd, East Brisbane QLD 4169. Call 0455 859 548 or email info@drscott.net.au to book a consultation.

Question 1

What is a nose thread lift?

Accepted Answer

A nose thread lift is a non-surgical procedure in which fine absorbable threads are placed under the skin of the nose to provide temporary structural support.

The threads most commonly used are made from polydioxanone, usually shortened to PDO, a material long used for surgical sutures. They are inserted through one or two small entry points using a fine needle or cannula, then gradually break down and are absorbed by the body over a period of months. As they do, they can prompt some collagen formation along the path where they sat.

Whether this approach suits you is decided after an in-person assessment. Outcomes vary between patients.

Question 2

What can a nose thread lift realistically change?

Accepted Answer

It can provide modest support and elevation, most often to the tip of the nose, along with some added definition along the bridge.

It is worth being specific about the scale involved. Published reviews measuring outcomes after thread rhinoplasty report tip elevation in the range of two to three millimetres, together with small changes in the angle between the nose and the upper lip. Those are real changes, but they are subtle ones.

A nose thread lift does not remove a dorsal hump, narrow the bony base of the nose, or alter the internal structure. If your goal involves any of those, threads are unlikely to achieve it, and that will be said plainly at your assessment rather than after treatment.

Question 3

How is a nose thread lift different from non-surgical rhinoplasty using an injectable?

Accepted Answer

They work by different mechanisms and are not interchangeable. Threads act as a temporary scaffold and provide support along the axis in which they are placed. An injectable approach changes contour by adding volume, and at this clinic that involves a registered medical practitioner using a prescription-only medicine.

Their risk profiles differ as well, rather than one simply being safer than the other. Threads carry risks specific to a physical implant, including migration, extrusion through the skin, and infection. An injectable approach in the nose carries risks related to blood vessels. Reversibility also differs, which matters to some patients more than others.

Some people are better suited to one, some to the other, and in selected cases both may be discussed. Our non-surgical rhinoplasty page covers the injectable approach in more detail.

Question 4

How long does a nose thread lift last?

Accepted Answer

It is temporary, and often shorter than patients expect.

Published reviews of thread rhinoplasty report that results from PDO threads commonly last somewhere in the range of eight to twelve months, with longer figures reported for threads made from other materials. Patient satisfaction in those studies tends to be rated higher at earlier follow-up than at later follow-up.

Australian clinic websites quote a wide spread of figures for this, from a few months to two years, so any single number is worth treating with caution. Your own timeframe depends on the threads used, where they are placed and how your body responds, and should be explained to you before you consent.

Question 5

Can a nose thread lift be reversed or removed?

Accepted Answer

Not in the way an injectable treatment can be. There is no agent that dissolves threads on demand. They break down on their own over months.

If a thread becomes visible, can be felt under the skin, or works its way out through the skin, it can usually be trimmed or removed by a medical practitioner. That should be dealt with promptly rather than left alone. Do not pull or cut an exposed thread yourself. Contact the clinic the same day.

This difference in reversibility is one of the more practical points to weigh when choosing between threads and an injectable approach.

Question 6

Does a nose thread lift hurt, and how long does the appointment take?

Accepted Answer

The entry points are numbed beforehand, and most patients describe pressure and an unusual pulling sensation rather than sharp pain. The nose is a sensitive area, so some discomfort should be expected rather than ruled out.

The procedure itself usually takes well under an hour. Your first appointment runs longer, because it includes the assessment, the discussion of risks and recovery, and consent. Tenderness for a day or two afterwards is common.

Question 7

What is recovery like after a nose thread lift?

Accepted Answer

Swelling, redness, tenderness or bruising around the nose is common in the first few days, and how long it lasts differs from person to person.

You will be given aftercare instructions specific to your treatment, and those should be followed in preference to general advice found online. They commonly include avoiding pressure on the nose, which in practice means being careful with glasses and sunglasses, not sleeping face down, postponing strenuous exercise for a period, and not massaging or manipulating the area. Facial treatments over the nose are usually deferred for a while as well.

If you wear glasses every day, mention it at your consultation so it can be factored into the plan.

Question 8

What are the risks and complications of a nose thread lift?

Accepted Answer

All procedures carry potential risks. For nose thread lifts these may include redness, swelling or bruising at the treatment site, tenderness, temporary changes in sensation, headache, changes in skin colour, swelling that lasts longer than expected, reduced blood flow in the treated area, and vision changes.

There are also risks specific to threads as a physical implant. These include threads becoming visible or able to be felt, migration from where they were placed, extrusion through the skin, dimpling at an entry point, infection, and granuloma formation. Published reviews of facial thread procedures report infection and extrusion each at rates in the order of a few per cent, and case reports involving nose threads specifically include abscess formation and skin breakdown, most often where sterile technique was inadequate.

Recovery experiences vary between patients. Your risks are discussed with you before any treatment is agreed, and the clinic’s risks and complications page sets out further detail.

Question 9

Am I a suitable candidate for a nose thread lift?

Accepted Answer

Suitability is decided at an in-person assessment. Threads may be considered where you are seeking modest change to the tip or bridge of the nose and your goals match what they can realistically do.

They may not be appropriate if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have an active infection or skin condition on or near the nose, have an autoimmune or bleeding disorder, take medicines that affect clotting, have had previous nasal surgery or an implant in the area, or have a history of keloid scarring or poor wound healing. Published data on facial thread procedures also indicates that some complications occur somewhat more often in older patients, which forms part of the discussion rather than a barrier by itself.

If threads are not the right option for you, Dr Scott Horsburgh will say so and explain what else might be considered.

Question 10

Will a nose thread lift affect my breathing or a future surgical rhinoplasty?

Accepted Answer

Threads are placed in the soft tissue rather than in the airway, so they are not intended to change how you breathe. Any new breathing difficulty after treatment should be reported to the clinic.

On future surgery, tell any surgeon you consult that you have had threads placed in the nose, including roughly when and where. The threads themselves absorb over months, but scar tissue can persist in the tissue planes, and a surgeon planning a rhinoplasty will want to know about it.

If surgical rhinoplasty is something you are actively considering, raise it at your consultation before having threads placed rather than afterwards.

Question 11

Who should perform a nose thread lift, and what should I check?

Accepted Answer

It should be performed by a registered medical practitioner working in a clinical setting with proper sterile technique. Infection is one of the more consequential complications of nose threads, and reported cases cluster where aseptic standards were not met.

Reasonable questions to ask any provider: whether they are registered with AHPRA and what their registration number is, whether the threads they use are included in the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods, who will actually be performing the procedure, and what happens if a complication develops outside clinic hours. You can check any practitioner’s registration yourself on the AHPRA Register of Practitioners.

At this clinic, the procedure is performed or personally supervised by Dr Scott Horsburgh, a Brisbane cosmetic physician registered with AHPRA (registration number MED0000954670), who holds a medical degree from the University of Queensland and is a Fellow of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners.

Question 12

How much does a nose thread lift cost in Brisbane?

Accepted Answer

Cost is discussed at your consultation. It depends on your assessment, the number of threads required and the areas being addressed, and you will be given a clear figure before you consent to anything.

The number of threads is the main variable, and it cannot be judged reliably without examining your nose. That is why a quote given over the phone before an assessment is not particularly meaningful.

Nose Thread Lifts in Brisbane
with Dr Scott Horsburgh

What Is a Nose Thread Lift?

Treatment Approach

Concerns That May Be Addressed

What to Expect Before the Treatment

What to Expect After the Treatment

Risks and Complications

Book a Consultation

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a nose thread lift?

What can a nose thread lift realistically change?

How is a nose thread lift different from non-surgical rhinoplasty using an injectable?

How long does a nose thread lift last?

Can a nose thread lift be reversed or removed?

Does a nose thread lift hurt, and how long does the appointment take?

What is recovery like after a nose thread lift?

What are the risks and complications of a nose thread lift?

Am I a suitable candidate for a nose thread lift?

Will a nose thread lift affect my breathing or a future surgical rhinoplasty?

Who should perform a nose thread lift, and what should I check?

How much does a nose thread lift cost in Brisbane?

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Nose Thread Lifts in Brisbane with Dr Scott Horsburgh

What Is a Nose Thread Lift?

Treatment Approach

Concerns That May Be Addressed

What to Expect Before the Treatment

What to Expect After the Treatment

Risks and Complications

Book a Consultation

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a nose thread lift?

What can a nose thread lift realistically change?

How is a nose thread lift different from non-surgical rhinoplasty using an injectable?

How long does a nose thread lift last?

Can a nose thread lift be reversed or removed?

Does a nose thread lift hurt, and how long does the appointment take?

What is recovery like after a nose thread lift?

What are the risks and complications of a nose thread lift?

Am I a suitable candidate for a nose thread lift?

Will a nose thread lift affect my breathing or a future surgical rhinoplasty?

Who should perform a nose thread lift, and what should I check?

How much does a nose thread lift cost in Brisbane?

Want to see moreRelated treatments

ContactUs

Cosmetic Treatments

Laser

Hair

Skin

Body

Nose Thread Lifts in Brisbane
with Dr Scott Horsburgh