Beauty Trends
Song Sun-mi and concerns about thread lifting
Actress Song Sun-mi recently spoke candidly on her YouTube channel, Yes, Song Sunmi. Beginning with, "I'd like to share how I take care of myself as a single mother," she said, "I realized that letting myself go would be very dangerous, both for me and for my child." That is why she has been exercising harder, paying more attention to good food, and taking greater care of her skin.
Viewers commented that her clear, porcelain-like skin made them wonder whether she had undergone a thread lift. Song replied, "I tried it when I was younger, but I don't like it now," adding, "Artificially lifting things looks pretty for a while, but ultimately it leaves damage."
Song maintains skin that rivals her prime while working a busy schedule and raising a child on her own. Because her conclusion came from personal experience, anyone considering a thread lift could understandably hesitate. Nevertheless, a great deal has changed between earlier procedures and those performed today. Some misunderstandings are involved too, so I would like to take a closer look.
Why do side effects worry people considering a thread lift?
Lifting procedures broadly fall into laser lifting and thread lifting, each serving a different role. Laser lifting uses radiofrequency or ultrasound to improve overall skin firmness, whereas thread lifting inserts threads to physically raise sagging areas. One strength of thread lifting is its ability to directly lift fine lines or sagging in thin, delicate areas such as around the eyes, the outer eye corners, between the eyebrows and the forehead. It can be used broadly for deep wrinkles, fine creases and hollow areas.
In the early thread lifts Song experienced, planning around thread materials, insertion depth and pulling tension was not as precise as it is today. Threads sometimes pulled too strongly and left an uneven surface, or became visible because insertion depth was inconsistent. Prolonged bruising and swelling were also common side effects. These reflected the limits of the technology and planning of that time more than a problem inherent to thread lifting itself. Today's procedures, with different materials and more precise design, begin from a different starting point.
The next generation of thread lifting: Benjamin Lifting
Benjamin Lifting is a nonsurgical, incision-free thread lift using absorbable medical threads. It substantially improves on several concerns associated with older procedures. Without incisions, it leaves no incision scars, and its short treatment time allows a prompt return to everyday activities. Patients often visit ahead of important occasions such as weddings, reunions or school events.
Unlike the damage Song worried about, the medical threads used in Benjamin Lifting are naturally absorbed by the body over time. Importantly, the dissolving threads stimulate collagen regeneration around them. Newly formed collagen continues to support the skin after the threads disappear, maintaining elasticity. The skin does not simply return to its previous state when the threads dissolve; its condition improves.
Benjamin Lifting lasts for more than a year, and repeated treatments allow collagen to accumulate, increasing both wrinkle improvement and durability. Satisfaction tends to be greater with the second treatment than the first, and greater with the third than the second. Busy patients also appreciate that there is no need for separate thread removal or an additional visit for that purpose.
Depending on the skin's condition, combining it with another procedure can be more effective than performing it alone. A representative combination is Oligio, an energy-based lifting treatment that uses radiofrequency to improve firmness. If Benjamin Lifting raises sagging areas, Oligio helps hold that lifted state. The combination offers the strengths of both thread lifting and laser lifting.
Once wrinkles have been smoothed, areas lacking volume may become more noticeable. Targeted Baby Collagen Injection in those areas can restore facial dimension and produce a much more natural-looking result.
Song's comments are not entirely wrong. Earlier thread lifts had clear limitations, and some people experienced difficulties as a result. But judging today's thread lifting through that older understanding is not accurate. Thread materials, treatment planning and the range of procedures that can be combined have all changed. Most important, as she said, is not to let yourself go. Whether through exercise, dietary care or skin treatments, each person can find an approach that suits them.