Can You Lift This Without Surgery? Dr. Godley on Thread Lift
In many consultations, I see the same gesture. People place one hand on each side of their face and gently lift their cheeks upward. Can you do this? they ask. Or do I need surgery?
The same motion shows up when we talk about the eyes and the nose. Fingers lifting the skin, testing what changes when tissue is supported. The question is always the same: Can this be addressed without surgery?
That moment is where many of my conversations about thread lift begin. Below are the three questions I’m asked most often.
Do I Need a Face Lift?
Do I need a face lift?
Sometimes the answer is yes. There are cases where the degree of skin laxity and tissue descent means surgery is the only option that can really help. Before the Godley Clinic, I founded the False Creek Surgical Centre in Vancouver. My team worked with many patients seeking facelift surgery, and I have seen first hand when surgery is the right choice.
But often, the answer is no. No, you don’t need a face lift.
For these patients, there is not enough excess skin to warrant surgery. Tissue quality is good, and volume is not the issue. What they are noticing is a change in position, most often through the lower face and jawline.
Botox can soften lines and fillers can replace volume, but neither lifts tissue. In some cases, adding more filler can make the lower face feel heavier rather than more supported.
Thread lift addresses that concern. It allows tissue to be repositioned and supported without surgery. In addition to providing lift, the threads stimulate collagen as they dissolve, supporting skin strength over time.
Liquid Rhinoplasty or Nose Thread Lift?
Both treatments often come up in consultation as non surgical alternatives to rhinoplasty, but they address different concerns. Liquid rhinoplasty uses filler to add volume in specific areas, helping smooth a bump, straighten a profile, or refine shape. It does not make the nose smaller, but changes how it looks by filling around certain features.
For some people, this works well. For others, adding volume is not the right approach. In those cases, a nose thread lift may be more appropriate. A nose thread lift uses dissolvable threads to support and lift existing structure, helping raise the nose bridge, support a subtly more upturned tip, and refine overall definition. It does not add volume, but changes how the nose looks by lifting and supporting tissue.
During consultation, I assess nasal anatomy, skin thickness, and how the nose relates to the rest of the face. That assessment guides the treatment plan, whether that involves filler, threads, or a combination of both.
There Are So Many Under Eye Options. Is PDO Thread Lift Right for Me?
The under eye area is complicated, which is why there are so many treatment options. Concerns that look similar can have very different causes. Two people may both talk about under eye bags, but for one it is skin laxity, while for another it is volume loss.
Because of that, treatment varies. Some people are better treated with injectables. Others may need surgery. In select cases, PDO thread lift under the eyes can be helpful. Ultra fine threads are placed just beneath the skin to provide subtle support. They do not add volume and they do not remove skin, which makes this approach most suitable when downtime needs to be minimal.
During consultation, I focus on identifying what is actually causing the concern so the treatment aligns with it, rather than adding unnecessary intervention.
Book your thread lift consultation
That hands-on-the-face gesture shows up in my office every day. From there, the plan becomes specific. Some faces benefit from thread lift. Others are better treated with injectables or surgery. My role is to translate that moment into a treatment plan that fits the face in front of me. When care is tailored properly, the result looks balanced, natural, and refreshed.
Would you like to learn more about Dr. Godley’s approach to aesthetic medicine? Book your consultation in Vancouver or Abbotsford.