What is a 'Ponytail' or 'Hollywood' Thread Lift, Anyway?

When it comes to pulling off a flawless “red-carpet” look, there’s a lot of factors to consider. There’s the wardrobe, hairstyle, accessories, and makeup, but there are also a few lesser-known tactics that the professionals use for those effortless results. One of those is known as a ponytail lift – and it’s a highly effective method of quickly removing wrinkles and lines from your face, without any downtime.

What is a Ponytail Thread Lift?

Named for the way it pulls toward the upper back of the scalp, this type of thread lift gives a subtle vertical boost to skin around the hairline. This smooths out skin on the forehead, temples, and around the eyes, making expressions brighter and more youthful. They are sometimes known as “Hollywood lifts” because of their supposed popularity for major industry events like awards shows.

They are a common procedure that doesn’t take long to do, although they do have one major limitation: they require high skin integrity with high elasticity and collagen support, making this lift much less effective on older people. Without that underlying support (after all, think of how thin the skin is around your hairline), the threads won’t hold for long and the skin will come back down.

How does a ponytail lift work?

In days past (and even now), starlets and other VIPs would use tape to achieve a similar effect when attending galas, but those easily fail as nights go on. Today, ponytail lifts are much like any other form of thread lift – they use biodegradable threads just below the skin to tighten and smooth wrinkles and lines. These are aligned toward the back of the scalp and are specifically placed to avoid main blood vessels and minimize swelling or other visible marks.

Benefits of Ponytail Thread Lifts

1. There’s no downtime: This lift is perfect for people who have upcoming events or a busy schedule and can’t afford downtime. Unlike a facelift, they are non-surgical and require virtually no recovery time afterward, thanks to the precise placement involved.  
2. No scarring: Thanks to the use of small hollow needles called cannulas, each thread can be placed and tightened with minimal disturbance to the skin. The result? No incisions, exposed tissue, or scars.
3. The process is quick and simple: The process can be completed in under an hour by a professional medical aesthetician, using local anaesthetic. Imagine removing a decade from your face in less than 60 minutes!
4. They last for a long time: It may only take an hour, but the results will last for months. Depending on individual factors like age and overall health, most lifts can last 18-24 months.
5. They are subtle, but noticeable: Getting a ponytail lift won’t drastically change what you look like – but it often adds just enough of a shift that you can’t deny a difference, even if others can’t quite put a finger on what it is. It’s the perfect mix of subtlety and confidence.
6. They help boost your skin’s health: Even though the threads – which are made of dissolvable materials that are completely gone within 3-6 months – disappear, their presence stimulates the growth of additional collagen and new skin cells. This can lead to better skin and a rejuvenated look in the affected area for years after the initial procedure. 

Getting Ponytail Thread Lifts in Calgary

Even though this method of thread lift is quick and fairly common, you should still know what to expect if you’re getting one for the first time – and you should have total confidence in the skills of the person performing it. We invite you to reach out and contact us for a free consultation at our location in Calgary’s Mission neighbourhood (4 St SW, near Cliff Bungalow and Roxboro), and our experts can help determine if a ponytail lift is right for you.

Even if it isn’t, there are many other options that can help you look and feel like your best self. With the Bardot beauticians at your side, you can make every reflection one that you’re proud to show off to the world!