Skin Lifting and Regenerating with Silhouette Soft®...

In addition to the wide range of dermal fillers and neuromodulators which have become standard in the aesthetic market a new product has been gaining a lot of attention and popularity lately: the so-called “Thread Lift”. 

With the appearance of Lead Fine PDO threads: straight short threads made out of Polydioxanone (PDO) which are placed in the subcutaneous skin layer in rather large numbers (10 to 20 in the face only).  To our opinion these threads have only a regenerating effect: their presence triggers the immune system to react by stimulating the synthesis of collagen and thus skin regeneration.  Polydioxanone is a colourless, crystalline, biodegradable synthetic polymer also used in the preparation of surgical sutures.  There is to our knowledge, until this day, no medical authority in the USA or in the EU which has approved PDO threads for use in aesthetic procedures. 
In view of the foregoing we are happy to introduce Silhouette Soft®.

Silhouette Soft®

Silhouette Soft® is produced in the United States by the same company which introduced the Silhouette Lift® sutures in the plastic surgery market in 2006.  Silhouette Lift® threads are suspension sutures which are used in cosmetic and reconstructive surgery. 

They are until today the only suspension sutures to have received approval from the American FDA (since 2006) and they are CE marked for the European market.  Since 2007 more than 20.000 Silhouette Lift® procedures were carried out successfully and presently every 15 minutes somebody somewhere in the world is being helped with Silhouette Lift®.

In October 2012 Silhouette Soft® was approved for use in the European market as a “spin-off” of the Silhouette Lift® sutures: they are shorter, with fewer cones and without the need to be stitched to the skin on either end.  They are best described as polylactic acid bi-directional bio-resorbable sutures with cones.  They have in the mean time also been approved and launched in the Latin American markets (including the massive Brazilian cosmetic market) and FDA approval and subsequent launch in the North American market is imminent.

  

Before	After

 

Polylactic Acid (PLA)
Unlike other existing threads, Silhouette Soft® is made out of a natural component: polylactic acid, which is derived from renewable resources such as corn starch or sugarcane.  Being able to degrade into harmless lactic acid, PLA is used as medical implants in the form of screws, pins and rods (and now also lifting threads).  PLA breaks down gradually over a period of 6 to 24 months.  This gradual breakdown is desirable for creating a support structure.

Bi-Directional
The Silhouette Soft® suture is made of a clear resorbable material and 8 absorbable cones.  The length of the suture is 30 cm.  The eight resorbable cones are made of Lactide Glycolide (a mixture between lactic and glycolic acid) and they are positioned on the suture and separated by knots.  There are four cones on each side of the suture, free floating between tied knots each 0,5 cm apart.  Each series of cones faces the opposite direction and points towards the end of the suture, hence the term “bidirectional”.  Two knots 1,5 cm apart are tied in the central section of the suture.  These two knots are at equal distance from the middle of the suture.  There is no cone between these knots.

 

Procedure
The insertion of the suture in the subcutaneous (adipose) skin layer occurs through an entry point in the middle of the suture pattern.  The entry point enables the insertion of each half of the suture respecting the appropriate orientation of the cones.  After the insertion of the sutures in the treated area a manual compression of the adipose tissue is performed to obtain the full and immediate result.
A local anaesthesia is required only at the entry and the exit points of the sutures.  The sutures are inserted under sterile conditions through the skin in the subcutaneous tissue.  The procedure is performed at the office and does not require any surgical incision or stitches.

How does it work?
Combatting the effects of ageing above all means restoring smoother and more toned skin, but also a more shapely face.  To meet this dual requirement Silhouette Soft® combines two effects: lifting and regenerating:

• The lifting effect is immediate and discreet as it is the result of compressing and elevating tissue at the time of adjusting the suture.  After inserting the suture, the doctor applies slight pressure on the treated area.  In this way the doctor reshapes the surface of the skin and makes it visibly smoother.
• The regenerative effect is gradual and natural: polylactic acid (PLA), the principal component of Silhouette Soft® is a natural polymer known in the medical field for many years (suture thread, orthopaedic pins, screws and nails for bone fractures are all made of PLA).  It is because this product is particularly biocompatible with the human body and also completely biodegradable that such applications have been developed.  Once the suture is applied, the PLA acts on the deeper layers of the skin and naturally stimulates the production of collagen.  This action which continues over time helps increase the volume of saggy areas and restores shapeliness to the face (or other body part) gradually and perfectly naturally.

In which cases is Silhouette Soft® indicated?
Silhouette Soft® is recommended for men and women of 30 and over who are trying to combat effectively the signs of ageing, which do not want any heavy and invasive treatment, but are looking for real and natural results.

Silhouette Soft® treatment is suitable for all skin types – testing for allergic reactions proved negative in clinical studies.  Nevertheless the use of Silhouette Soft® is not recommended if you are allergic or sensitive to biomaterials.

Silhouette Soft® can be used for correction of the following areas:

• Facial contour: 2 or 3 sutures on each side
• Lower jaw: 2 sutures on each side
• Cheeks and cheekbones: 2 sutures on each side
• Eyebrows: 1 suture on each eyebrow
• Neck: 2 or 3 sutures on each side.

The number of sutures to be applied is given here for guidance only.  Depending on the desired result and the condition of your skin some variation may occur.  Our doctor will give you exact information during your (free) consultation.

Combination with other procedures.
We are very enthusiast about Silhouette Soft® because it constitutes a perfect addition to dermal fillers and neuromodulators:

• Neuromodulators (Botox, Dysport) relax relevant small muscles and avoid the appearance or reduce the existence of lines and wrinkles (like crow’s feet and worry lines)
• Dermal fillers (Restylane, of course) replace lost volumes and fill up small and large wrinkles and folds.
• Silhouette Soft® sutures form the supporting chassis.  They provide an immediate lifting effect and safeguard or restore the facial contours.

The three different procedures together constitute a complete and very efficient armoury in the war against ageing.

Why Silhouette Soft® is safe

• Silhouette Soft® received CE 0499 approval and the ISO 1385 standards are in accordance with European Directive 93/42.  Silhouette Lift® is since 2006 already FDA approved in the USA and CE marked.
• The development of Silhouette Soft® is based on six years of experience in suture suspension with cones used in reconstructive and cosmetic surgery in the United States (Silhouette Lift®).  Silhouette Soft® has been used since 2010 in the Asian market where it was met with great success.
• Silhouette Soft® is manufactured in Michigan/USA under strict medical and sanitary control.
• The natural substance of Silhouette Soft® (polylactic acid) has been used for many years in various pharmaceutical and medical applications such as suture thread, orthopaedic pins, screws and nails for bone fractures.  It is also used in new biodegradable stent trials.

Application of Silhouette Soft® must be carried out only by a doctor who has been trained in a Silhouette Beauty® Laboratory or by a certified Silhouette Soft® training doctor.