Fourteen is an average across many faces, not a quantity each face should receive. At Edition the count is decided last, after the cause, the thread type and the direction of lift.
“About fourteen threads” is the average number Edition uses across a thread lift, and it is published so that patients have a sense of scale — not so that a plan can be built to reach it. The number any one person needs follows from how far their tissue has descended, what is causing the descent and what the correction is meant to achieve. Some plans use fewer, some use more, and neither is a sign that something has gone wrong.
The difference between a reference point and a target sounds small, but it changes how a plan is read. A reference point helps you notice when a proposal is unusual enough to ask about. A target turns the thread count into the product, which is precisely the wrong way round.
Fourteen is a typical value, averaged over many different faces, rather than a quantity each face should receive. At Edition the count is the last thing decided: the cause of sagging is diagnosed first, the thread type and direction are chosen next, and the number is whatever that design requires. It is fixed at the design stage and carried out as planned on the day. A figure well above or below fourteen is worth a question, and the answer should refer to your face rather than to the average.
Where does the figure of about fourteen come from?
The figure is an average across Edition’s thread lifts, adjusted in each case to the degree of sagging and the goal of the correction. It reflects two simple facts: a face has two sides, and tissue on one side seldom descends in a single direction. Supporting descent of the deep cheek or around the corners of the mouth — the concerns for which a thread lift is most often considered — usually means several threads per area rather than one.
Why isn’t fourteen the right number for everyone?
Because the number is an output of the diagnosis, and diagnoses differ. Edition separates the causes of sagging into reduced skin elasticity, a change in fat position and loosening of the retaining ligaments. Two faces with the same visible descent can have a different mix of these, which means the threads have different work to do, in different places and directions.
Some faces also turn out to need something other than threads for part of the problem. Where hollowing rather than sagging is behind a fold, adding threads does not help; the plan may instead pair a thread lift with volume restoration. In that case the thread count can be lower than average precisely because the threads are only asked to do what threads can do.
What makes the count go up or down?
Several variables move a plan away from the average. The table summarises the main ones.
| Variable | How it can affect the count |
|---|---|
| Extent and spread of sagging | Descent confined to one area needs fewer threads than descent that runs from the cheek down to the mouth |
| Cause of the descent | Skin, fat and ligament causes call for support in different places and directions |
| Thread type | PDO threads, Silhouette Soft and Aptos support tissue differently, so the same area can need a different number depending on the thread |
| Previous treatments | Filler, fat grafting or earlier threads are assessed first, and they can change where threads can usefully go |
| Goal of the correction | How much change is intended, and in which areas, shapes the design and therefore the count |
Are more threads a better result?
Not in themselves. A thread is a means of supporting tissue in a chosen position; it is not a material whose effect accumulates simply by adding more. A thread placed where the tissue does not need support adds to the count without adding to the correction, while a smaller number placed along the right vectors can produce a clear change.
“For me, a thread lift is not simply a procedure that pulls sagging skin; it is a process of redesigning the balance of the face. Rather than using many threads regardless, I think it is important to understand the patient’s face shape, direction of sagging and tissue condition and to select the most suitable threads and direction.” — Dr. Dae-hee Han, Representative Director, Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon
Why can’t the number be confirmed over the phone?
Giving a thread count without seeing the face would mean prescribing before diagnosing. At Edition the face is assessed from the front, at forty-five degrees and in profile, and the causes of sagging are separated before any number is discussed. That is why the count is always spoken of as “about” and “around” until the facial analysis and design step is complete.
Once the design is made, can the count change on the day?
At Edition the procedure carries out the plan set at the design stage. The number and placement of threads are not expanded in the procedure room; if something about the plan needs to change, that is a matter for a further consultation rather than a decision made on the table. Keeping the count fixed protects the logic behind it: each thread has a reason, and adding threads that were never part of the design would remove that reason.
How should you read a proposal against the average?
Use fourteen as a prompt for questions rather than as a benchmark to be met. If a proposal is well above it, ask which areas the extra threads are supporting and why those areas need them. If it is well below, ask what the plan leaves to other means, such as volume restoration, and why. In either case, a sound answer will describe your face — the cause of the descent, the direction of the lift and the thread chosen — rather than simply repeat a number.
Frequently asked questions
How many threads does a thread lift at Edition usually involve?
About fourteen on average, adjusted to the degree of sagging and the goal of the correction. The number for an individual face is set only after the diagnosis and design.
If my plan has fewer than fourteen threads, is that a lesser treatment?
Not necessarily. A lower count can reflect a more limited area of descent, or a plan in which part of the problem is addressed by volume restoration rather than threads.
Would adding extra threads make the result last longer?
The count is not among the factors Edition uses to explain duration. Those are the thread type, skin elasticity, the pace of ageing, lifestyle, weight change, the treated area, tissue condition and the degree of sagging. PDO threads last around six to eight months and Silhouette Soft and Aptos around one to one and a half years, with individual variation.
Can I ask for a specific number of threads?
You can raise it, but the number is decided by the design. A count chosen in advance can produce a plan that does not suit the face it is applied to.
Does the thread type change the count?
It can. PDO threads, Silhouette Soft and Aptos support tissue in different ways, so the same area may need a different number depending on which thread is used.
Will more threads be added during the procedure if needed?
No. The procedure follows the plan agreed at the design stage. Any change to the plan is discussed in a further consultation.
About the medical reviewer
Dae-hee Han, MD — Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon (specialist certificate No. 2045, issued 3 March 2014; medical licence 00394, issued 26 February 2009). Master’s degree, Ajou University School of Medicine. Training at the Craniofacial Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taiwan (2013), and the IFAAS Mini Fellowship, University of Florida, USA (2016). He carries out consultation, the procedure and follow-up personally; fee guidance is given by the clinic’s consultation manager.
Last reviewed: 2026-09-28
Clinic information
Edition Plastic Surgery Clinic & Dermatology
6F, OPUS 407, 407 Gangnam-daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul 06614, Republic of Korea
One minute on foot from Gangnam Station Exit 10
Tel +82-2-591-0100 · editionprs@gmail.com
Consultation hours: Monday to Friday 10:00–19:00 · Saturday 10:00–17:00 · closed Sundays and public holidays
Disclaimer
Individual results may vary. Bleeding, infection, swelling, asymmetry, and scarring can occur. Please decide after a full consultation with a board-certified specialist.
This page is general medical information. It is not a diagnosis, and it does not promise a particular outcome. Fees are given after an in-person consultation.