Threading Augmentation Patient Pleased With Results

Jenny Rice often thought about what a simple lift would do for her looks.

"I think everybody considers plastic surgery at some time or other," she said.

Then, Rice heard plastic surgeon Dr. Greg Ruff could give her the lift she wanted at about half the cost of a traditional face lift. Last fall, the Food and Drug Administration approved special barbed sutures Ruff invented.

Four pairs of threading goes in at the hair line and under the skin. Then, Ruff gently lifts the skin. He said within weeks, skin bunching tightens up.

Rice had to wait for scar tissue to grow around the barbed sutures to make her new look more permanent. She had about two weeks of some discomfort and swelling. Then, she was able to unveil the new look.

"There's no wrinkle on my forehead now and it was a deep wrinkle and (it) is gone," Rice said.

Rice said she would have the procedure done again. Her husband, Lattie, likes the results as well, even if it may cause problems at their usual social gatherings.

"One lady said, 'Lattie, do you feel threatened now?' I said, 'Well, you see I left her at home. I don't trust these old geezers over here,'" he said.

One thing Rice had to be careful of right after the procedure was making too many facial expressions that might pull the skin back down, but after a couple of weeks, that risk lessens.