RELIFE considers the skin as the mirror of well-being. Therefore, it focuses on helping people to achieve their complete well-being starting from their appearance.

RELIFE integrated approach arises from daily practice needs and, through a process of conscious innovation, provides doctors with effective and professional technologies, allowing to address aesthetic targets.

Our strategy is made up of 3 different product categories and leverages on 3 therapeutic areas, the 3R: REshape (facial curves and lines), REstore (face volumes); REsurface (face skin).

TRUSTED AND PROFESSIONAL THREE-DIMENSIONAL RESHAPING THREADS ARE FINALLY IN OUR HANDS.

Facial ageing reflects the dynamic, cumulative effects of time on the skin, soft tissues, and deep structural components of the face, and is a complex synergy of skin textural changes and loss of facial volume.

Many of the facial manifestations of ageing reflect the combined effects of gravity, progressive bone absorption, decreased tissue elasticity, and redistribution of subcutaneous fullness.⁽¹⁾

As the skin ages, the connective tissue in the skin becomes thinner and the elastic fibers in the skin lose their elasticity. The lack of elasticity brings with it the departure of certain face-shaping supports and the face begins to sag and wrinkles appear.⁽²⁾
Currently, the face can be reshaped and sagging tissues can be moved to the original position with minimally invasive procedures that can achieve good results with a fast recovery time and a low risk of complications.

WHAT IS A THREAD RESHAPING PROCEDURE?

Thread reshaping is a minimal invasive procedure that repositions sagging tissues redefining facial contours.

Threads can be used to tighten the tissue and add volume to the area of application.⁽³⁾

With a high level of safety, minimum downtime, instant and persistent results, this procedure is considered excellent in treating sagging skin.⁽⁴⁾
When compared to face lift surgery, thread lift treatment requires very short downtime and almost no visible scarring.

Thread procedures are surgically convenient and a less invasive alternative to traditional facelift, designed for people experiencing early signs of aging, such as minor facial sagging.

The thread insertion can give immediate reshaping result due to the mechanical repositioning action. Once inserted, the threads become hidden within the skin itself without any visible scarring.

In addition threads can reverse aging by stimulating the inner collagen production by the dermis, so these devices can also be seen as a real “treatment” for skin aging. There is virtually no risk of scarring, severe bruising, bleeding or other complications after having a thread procedure.⁽⁵⁾

From these advantages, the treatment tends to appeal to patients who do not wish to undergo invasive surgeries.⁽⁴⁾

TYPES OF THREADS

The types of thread can be divided into two main categories.

1. MODE OF ABSORPTION

Depending on the material that makes up the suture and filling threads, we distinguish⁽⁶⁾:

• > Non-absorbable threads⁽⁶⁾: they remain permanently in the subdermal tissue⁽⁷⁾ because they are made of non-absorbable materials, such as polypropylene⁽⁷⁾.
• > Absorbable threads⁽⁶⁾: they are made of absorbable materials with a limited lifetime, due to the enzymatic action that hydrolyses them⁽⁶⁾. Polydioxanone (PDO), poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA), polyglycolic acid, poly-lactic-polycaprolactone acid (P(LA-CLA)) are some examples of absorbable materials.

2. SMOOTH AND NON-SMOOTH THREADS

• > Smooth Thread (for rejuvenation purpose)
  The smooth threads do not have barbs or cones. They are mainly used for the tissue biorevitalisation, rather than the soft tissue lifting, as they are not able to anchorage.
• > Non-Smooth Thread (for suspension purpose)
  Non-smooth threads are sutures with small projections that radiate outward from the centre of the suture⁽⁸⁾. These structural elements can be barbs or cones, that anchor and lift the soft tissue: the barbs open like an umbrella to form a support structure that lifts the sagging skin⁽⁷⁾.

Depending on the direction of the barbs, they can be categorised as:

1) Bidirectional threads present the barbs in opposite directions to guarantee a major traction.

2) Unidirectional barbed threads present barbs all angled in one direction.

HOW DO THE SUSPENSION THREADS WORK?

Barbs along the threads grasp ptotic facial areas and reposition the soft tissues in the right place.

Threads with barbs oriented in a convergent way respect the middle point also tend to gather tissues giving a mild volumising effect of the treated area, beyond repositioning sagging tissue: this double action is especially important for areas that need volume reshaping, like the zygomatic area.⁽²⁾

Beyond the mechanical action of the tissue repositioning, there is also a revitalising action stimulating synthesis of collagen hyaluronic acid and elastin, thanks to the barbs and the specific material.⁽⁵⁾

^{(1) Coleman S. R. et al. The Anatomy of the aging face: volume loss and changes in 3-dimensional topography. Aesthet Surg J 2006; 26(Suppl): S4-S9.}

^{(2) Rakesh Kalra Use of barded threads in facial rejuvenation Indian J Plast Surg. 2008 Oct; 41(Suppl): S93–S100.}

^{(3) Yongtrakul P. et al. Thread lift: classification, technique, and how to approach to the patient. World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology International Journal of Medical and Health Sciences Vol. 10, No. 12, 2016.}

^{(4) Shimizu Y. et al. Thread lift with absorbable monofilament threads. JSAPS 2013 Vol. 35 No. 2.}

^{(5) Reshaping with barbed threads, Enzo Berardesca, 2020, Minerva Medica.}

^{(6) Savoia A. et al. Outcomes in thread lift for facial rejuvenation: a study performed with Happy LiftTM Revitalizing. Dermatol Ther (Heidelb) 2014; 4: 103–114.}

^{(7) Suh D. H. et al. Outcomes of polydioxanone knotless thread lifting for facial rejuvenation. Dermatol Surg. 2015 Jun; 41(6): 720-5.}

^{(8) Villa M. T. et al. Barbed sutures: a review of the literature. Plast Reconstr Surg 2008 Mar; 121(3): 102e-108e.}