What are the Disadvantages of Shopping Lift? Risks and things to watch out for are also explained.

What are the downsides to shopping lifts?"

Are there any risks or failures associated with a shopping lift?"

Do you have these questions about the disadvantages of shopping lifts?

Hello, I am a physician at the Cosmetic Dermatology and Smart Skin Clinic.

In this article, we will explain the disadvantages and risks of shopping lifts and show you what you can do about each disadvantage yourself.

What is a Shopping Lift?

Shopping Lift (Shopping Threads) is one of the skin texture improvement and sagging treatments using threads (threads).

An ultrafine needle with a fine thread 30-40 mm long is inserted into the "dermis layer" deep within the skin, and the needle is withdrawn, leaving only the thread. When the inserted thread stimulates the fibroblasts in the dermis layer, it promotes the repair function that the human body has. In this process, the fibroblasts produce collagen and elastin, resulting in firmness and elasticity of the skin.

It features a natural finish with a tightening (tightening) effect.

7 Disadvantages of Shopping Lift

The following are seven of the most common disadvantages of the shopping lift that patients are concerned about.

➀ Painful during treatment.

The pain during the Shopping Lift procedure is "about the size of a fingernail being picked at the fingertip" when the needle is inserted. The threads are also extremely thin, so there is almost no resistance to the skin.

However, the perception of pain varies from person to person, and some people find it hard to bear the pain that is repeated dozens of times, even if it is mild.

(2) Postoperative pain, discomfort, or internal bleeding may occur.

Postoperatively, symptoms such as swelling, pain, redness, burning, scarring, and internal bleeding may occur.

Downtime refers to the time it takes to return to normal life. Although the postoperative symptoms of a shopping lift are described as "little to no downtime for a shopping lift" because they do not interfere with daily activities, this does not mean that symptoms are completely absent.

symptoms	Period
Redness/warmth	a few hours
Swelling and pain	several day period
Internal bleeding (spotting may occur)	Gradual fading over 1-2 weeks Can be covered with makeup
Thrushiness and discomfort around the mouth and jaw	several day period
cicatrix	Almost unrecognizable

(iii) There are behavioral restrictions in postoperative life.

Housework and desk work do not interfere, but there are certain restrictions in postoperative life, especially in the private aspects of the patient's life.

Make	Possible from the next day ・Possible on the same day except for the area to be treated
Face wash/shower	Allowable on the same day; do not rub the affected area hard.
take a bath	Allowable if swelling has gone down; avoid for long periods of time
Sauna, excessive alcohol consumption, and other activities that promote blood circulation	Avoid for about 1 week
Strenuous exercise and facial massage	Avoid for about 1 month until the threads are fixed.

(4) No immediate results, duration of results is not permanent.

The shopping lift is not a treatment that produces results immediately after surgery.
The effects gradually begin to be felt as early as 1 to 2 weeks after the surgery, with a peak after 3 to 4 months. In addition, the effects are not permanent, but last from one to one and a half years.

If immediate or permanent results are desired, a shopping lift is not appropriate.

(5) No effect, weak lifting power

The effects of the Shopping Lift are mild, but it is not a treatment that is completely imperceptible. However, a significant lifting effect cannot be expected with the Shopping Lift.

The Shopping Lift is a short thread lift, which is a skin care treatment among thread lifts. It differs from the "thread lift," which is a type of lift that uses long threads with cogs to hook and fish the tissue.

(6) Sometimes they fail.

Because the shopping lift is not a procedure that uses a scalpel or high-risk anesthesia, it is basically a procedure with no major failures. However, there is no possibility of failure depending on the skill of the physician.

For example, if the thread is inserted too shallowly, the thread may pop out of the treated area. If the insertion site feels prickly, the thread may have come out.

(7) Unable to receive other cosmetic procedures

In some cases, other cosmetic treatments are not available after a shopping lift procedure.

For example, laser therapy produces high localized heat, which carries the risk of thermal denaturation of the inserted threads, reducing their effectiveness. Another disadvantage is that because the shopping lift procedure causes inflammation of the skin, further heating of the skin with other treatments can compound the damage and prolong downtime symptoms.

Shopping Lift Disadvantage Measures

Most of the possible disadvantages of shopping lifts are due to lack of awareness of shopping lifts, or even if they are disadvantages, they can be mitigated or avoided.

Each of the seven disadvantages of shopping lifts will be addressed in this section.

➀ Pain during the procedure can be alleviated with anesthesia and cooling.

The pain of needle insertion may be reduced by the use of a surface anesthetic such as anesthetic tape or anesthetic cream; as the anesthetic gradually takes effect after about 20 minutes, the skin becomes less sensitive. Although some discomfort will remain during the surgery, pain will be reduced. Pain can also be reduced by cooling the affected area before and after the surgery.

If you are very anxious about pain, you may inhale "laughing anesthesia". Only during inhalation, you will feel a fluffy sensation as if you were intoxicated by alcohol.

(2) Postoperative pain can be relieved by cooling, and internal bleeding can be covered with makeup.

[Pain].
Postoperative pain is not severe, but sensitivity to pain varies from person to person. The pain will subside in a few days, but if it is bothersome, cooling with a coolant will help.
Opening the mouth wide may cause pain, but daily conversation and dental opening are not a problem.

[Internal hemorrhage].
The shopping lift is a treatment in which dozens of needles are inserted. After the needles are removed, pressure is applied to stop bleeding to prevent internal bleeding, but the possibility of internal bleeding cannot be eliminated. You may be concerned about the impact on your daily life, but rest assured that even if internal bleeding does occur, it will most likely be in the form of small dots and can be covered up with foundation or concealer the next day or later.

Symptoms of swelling and pain will gradually diminish, but if there is an increase in symptoms, consult the clinic immediately because of the possibility of infection.

A study comparing 14 women between the ages of 40 and 59 years old with threads implanted in their faces before and one week after the procedure stated, "Although internal bleeding, swelling, and pain occurred after the procedure, it was mild and short-lived.

Women aged 40-59 years with Glogau Photoaging Scale III-IV were recruited; 14 participants underwent a single session of thread-embedded acupuncture and were measured before and 1 week after the procedure. The primary outcome was the vertical distance from chin to subnasal area. Secondary outcomes were facial wrinkle distance, the Global Aesthetic Improvement Scale, the Alexiades-Armenakas relaxation scale, and a patient-oriented self-assessment scale. (omitted) The most common adverse events were minor internal bleeding, swelling, and pain. However, although adverse events did occur, most were minor and of short duration.

Younghee Yun, Inhwa Choi. effect of thread embedding acupuncture for facial wrinkles and laxity: a single-arm, prospective, open-label study. Integrative medicine research. 2017 Dec;6(4);418-426. doi: 10.1016/j.imr.2017.09.002.

(iii) Minimal postoperative behavioral restrictions, no major disruption in daily life.

Washing the face and showering can be done on the same day, but do not scrub strongly after the surgery because of the scar on the affected area. Makeup can be applied on the same day except for the affected area, and makeup on the affected area can be applied the following day.

Because of the scarring and inflammation, avoid activities that heat the affected area or promote blood flow, such as saunas and prolonged bathing, for about a week. Facial massage should be avoided for approximately one month until the threads have settled.

(4) Check the time when the effect appears.

The effect is gradual and takes at least one to two weeks before the threads are stimulated and the effect is felt; after about one to two months, it is even easier to feel the effect.

Once collagen and elastin are formed, they remain after the threads are absorbed, but they degenerate and repair more slowly with age, so continuous treatment is recommended to maintain the effect.

(5) Understand the original effect.

If you feel that your skin is not "lifted" or "ineffective," it is possible that your consultation was inadequate. Or, if the number of threads is extremely small, the expected effect may not be achieved. Communicate your wishes at the counseling session, confirm the number of threads needed, and accept the treatment only after you are satisfied with the results.

By inserting a large amount of short, cogless threads, the natural regenerative power of the skin is enhanced, bringing firmness and elasticity, and a natural sagging improvement effect through tightening can be expected.

6) To avoid failure, choose a reliable clinic in advance.

Technical skills vary from clinic to clinic. Check the clinic's reviews and case results in advance, and choose a clinic you can trust to perform the procedure.

During the counseling, symptoms, indications, and risks will be confirmed, and the ideal result will be shared with the doctor. It is also a good idea to confirm possible problems and what to do in case of trouble.

(7) If you want to receive other cosmetic treatments, consult your doctor.

As a general rule, allow at least one month for other treatments after a shopping lift.

Not all treatments are inaccessible, but if you are considering other procedures, please consult your doctor in advance so as not to impair the therapeutic effect of the shopping lift.

We will make suggestions based on the mechanism of action of each treatment, such as those that can be performed at the same time, those that can be performed before the shopping lift, and those that require a period of time after the surgery.

Advantages of Shopping Lift

Shopping lifts have many advantages as well as disadvantages.

The Shopping Lift treatment only involves the insertion of ultra-thin threads. Since no scalpel is inserted, downtime is light, and the results are natural without leaving a mark. Collagen is gradually produced, and you will notice firmness, elasticity, and tightness. The effect lasts about one to one and a half years. This treatment is easy to undergo for those who are sensitive to pain, busy people, or those who do not want to be noticed by others.

In addition, because short, ultrafine threads can be used to pinpoint and improve only the necessary areas, it is possible to treat face lines and eye areas that have been difficult to treat with thread lifts. By arranging the depth, angle, and number of needles, a variety of problems can be addressed.

Go to Smart Skin Clinic for Shopping Lift

The only disadvantages of shopping lifts that are known are those that can be addressed to some extent in advance.

To avoid disappointing results after undergoing a shopping lift, confirm the indications for the condition at the consultation and examination beforehand, and accept the treatment only after you are satisfied with the final image.

At Smart Skin Clinic, we provide necessary information to avoid mismatches and do not force unnecessary options.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us for a free consultation.

Reference

Younghee Yun, Inhwa Choi. effect of thread embedding acupuncture for facial wrinkles and laxity: a single-arm, prospective, open-label study. Integrative medicine research. 2017 Dec;6(4);418-426. doi: 10.1016/j.imr.2017.09.002.