"Too much sagging for threads" is a finding about its nature, not its degree. Threads can move shifted tissue but cannot remove skin. How Edition tells the two apart and where each finding leads.
When a patient hears that their sagging is “too much for threads”, the real finding is usually about its nature rather than its degree. A thread can hold tissue that has shifted and move it back into a better position. It cannot take skin away. Where the problem is mainly displaced tissue, threads can still be appropriate even when the change looks marked; where the skin has stretched so far that there is more of it than the face needs, a facelift may be more effective.
That is a more useful way to hear the phrase. It does not mean “you have left it too late”, and it does not mean threads have failed as a method. It means the tool and the problem do not match.
This page explains the difference between displaced tissue and excess skin, how Edition separates them at consultation, and where each finding leads.
Two components of sagging decide whether threads fit. Tissue that has moved downward can be repositioned with threads; skin that has stretched beyond what the face requires can only be addressed by removing it surgically. Edition looks for which one dominates in the area that concerns you. If repositioning is the main need, threads remain an option; if surplus skin is, a mini-incision lift or a facelift is discussed instead, and if fat volume is the driver, that is dealt with first.
What does “too much sagging for threads” really mean?
It is shorthand, and the shorthand hides the reasoning. Two faces can look equally dropped in a mirror while being quite different underneath. In one, the soft tissue has slid down but the skin over it is still close to the amount the face needs. In the other, the skin itself has stretched, so that even with the tissue returned to position there would be skin left over.
A thread lift at Edition is aimed at the first situation. The phrase “too much sagging” is really describing the second.
What can a thread do with tissue that has moved?
A thread is placed beneath the skin, holds the soft tissue along its length and repositions it. Edition moves that tissue outward and back, towards the area behind the hairline, rather than simply upward, so that it does not bunch over the cheekbone.
This works when there is structure to move. Edition regards a thread lift as effective where sagging is early to moderate, where there is not a great deal of excess skin, and where the main concern is the deep cheek or the corners of the mouth.
Why can't a thread deal with excess skin?
Because nothing is removed. Threads change where tissue sits; they do not change how much skin there is. When the skin has stretched considerably, repositioning the tissue beneath it leaves the surplus skin in place, and what remains is a problem of quantity rather than position.
A facelift addresses that directly. Through a wider incision it repositions the tissue and trims the excess skin in the same operation. That is the reason it can be the more effective choice when surplus skin is the main finding.
How does Edition tell the two apart?
The consultation separates sagging into three causes: loss of elasticity in the skin itself, a change in the position of fat, and loosening of the retaining ligaments that anchor soft tissue. The first is where the question of surplus skin arises; the second and third describe tissue that has moved.
The face is assessed from the front, at 45 degrees and in profile, and photographs are taken as a reference point. Previous treatments such as filler or earlier threads are checked, since they affect what the tissue is doing. The consultation takes around twenty to thirty minutes, and it can end with the conclusion that another method would serve better.
What if fat volume is the main cause?
Some faces look heavy in the lower half because of the amount of fat rather than where it sits. Lifting that tissue relocates the weight without reducing it. In those cases Edition considers liposuction or contouring first, before any decision about threads.
Where does each finding lead?
The table links the main finding to the kind of correction it needs. The first four rows follow the order Edition uses when matching lifting options to the degree of sagging.
| Main finding | What it needs | Approach discussed |
|---|---|---|
| Tissue has shifted, with little surplus skin | Repositioning | Thread lift (non-incisional) |
| Descent in the mid- to lower face beyond what threads reposition | Repositioning through a limited incision | Mini-incision lift, with a small incision in front of the ear |
| Considerable surplus skin | Repositioning and removal of skin | Facelift, through a wider incision |
| Descent of the forehead | Correction of the brow area | Brow lift |
| Heaviness from fat volume | Reducing volume | Liposuction or contouring considered first |
| Volume loss rather than descent | Restoring volume | Collagen booster or filler considered |
Does a bigger thread plan make up for excess skin?
No. Adding threads or choosing a longer-lasting thread does not change what a thread can do. The average across the whole face is around 14 threads, a reference point rather than a target, and it is not a dial that can be turned up to take skin away. The same applies to duration: a thread that lasts longer still repositions rather than removes.
Is it always one or the other?
Faces rarely have a single cause. Sagging and volume loss often appear together, and in that case threads may be paired with volume restoration. What the consultation establishes is which problem dominates in the area that bothers you, and whether the proposed plan is aimed at that one. The degree of change also varies widely between people of the same age, so age alone does not decide which side of the line a face falls on.
Frequently asked questions
If threads are not suitable, do I need a facelift?
Not necessarily. A mini-incision lift, a brow lift, volume restoration or fat reduction may fit better, depending on what the examination finds. A facelift is discussed when surplus skin is the main finding.
Can I try threads first and see?
If surplus skin is the dominant problem, threads do not change it, because they reposition tissue rather than remove skin. The consultation sets out what threads could and could not achieve in your case before any decision.
When does a thread lift work well?
Edition regards it as effective when sagging is early to moderate, when there is not much excess skin, and when the main concern is the deep cheek or the corners of the mouth.
What is a mini-incision lift?
A lift performed through a small incision in front of the ear, used for the mid- to lower face. It sits between a thread lift and a facelift in the range of options.
Is surplus skin just a matter of age?
No. People of the same age can differ considerably in how their skin and tissue have changed, which is why the assessment looks at the face rather than the birth year.
How long does the assessment take?
The consultation at Edition takes around twenty to thirty minutes, including separating the causes of sagging and checking any previous treatments.
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.