AestheticsFeatured ArticlesPsoriasisThe Latest

Experts Offer Recommendations for Use of Absorbable Suspension Sutures

By February 24, 2021No Comments

Featured Article

Featured Article

Used alone, absorbable suspension sutures offer a dual mechanism of action

More Aesthetic Articles

Used alone, absorbable suspension sutures offer a dual mechanism of action

Heather Onorati

As the use of absorbable suspension sutures continues to grow, it’s important for physicians to understand the technique and mechanism of action to optimize their use alone and in combination with other facial aesthetic tools, according to a recent paper published in the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology. 

First, patient selection is central to obtaining optimal results, write authors Sabrina Fabi, M.D., Robert Weiss, M.D., and Susan Weinkle, M.D., in “Absorbable Suspension Sutures: Recommendations for Use in a Multimodal Nonsurgical Approach to Facial Rejuvenation.”

Setting appropriate expectations is also important to an ideal outcome. Patients need to understand that nonsurgical positioning cannot produce the same results as surgery, the authors write, noting a study that demonstrated older patients (those ≤60), were less likely to view absorbable sutures as an effective treatment at 24 months compared with younger patients (those ≤50). Similarly, patients who had received prior surgical treatments were less likely to view absorbable suspension sutures as effective compared with patients who had no experience with surgical treatment.

In their paper, Drs. Fabi, Weiss and Weinkle discuss the mechanism of action for absorbable suspension sutures as well as provide guidance based on their extensive experience for combining absorbable suspension sutures with other nonsurgical modalities, including sequencing and timing.

Used alone, absorbable suspension sutures offer a dual mechanism of action, they write. They lift and stimulate collagen. Based on previous studies of duration, the authors suggest that with optimal technique, most patients should experience a duration of effect up to 24 months.

Through several case studies, the authors illustrate the utility of combining additional therapies, such as filers, toxins and energy-based devices.

When selecting an optimal combination of both sutures and filler, the authors note that it is important to determine whether the patient is in need of volume or tissue repositioning. If a patient has already received filler, absorbable sutures should be used six to 12 weeks later. If treating for residual ptosis, fillers should be placed after the sutures and in a separate anatomical plane or area. For patients naĂŻve to fillers, sutures should be placed six to 12 weeks after filler.

The authors recommend administering toxin two weeks prior to suture placement, because the toxin effect can reduce the mechanical load on the suture and prevent the disengagement of the cones which may improve the lifting effect and duration, they write.

Ideally, treatment with ablative lasers should be performed six weeks prior to suture placement but no less than two weeks prior to allow for resolution of any swelling and inflammation that might interfere with placement. However, treatment with non-ablative lasers and IPL can generally be performed in the same day as suture placement, the authors note. Radiofrequency treatments should be performed four weeks before or after suture placement, they suggest. And, they add, microneedling should be performed at least two weeks before or five to eight weeks after suture placement.

“As the use of absorbable suspension sutures continues to increase, it is important that physicians are aware of how modalities can be safely layered and combined to produce an optimal aesthetic effect.”

Heather Onorati is an experienced medical writer and editor with more than 20 years covering the dermatology industry

Discover new clinical findings in  Aesthetics.  View the latest articles, case reports, supplements, CME activities, Podcast episodes and more.
View Aesthetic Articles Now

You May Also Like

Journal of Drugs in Dermatology JDD Article About Successful Treatment of Sacral Pressure Injury With ACU-D1

Successful Treatment of Sacral Pressure Injury With ACU-D1

| Featured Articles, Latest News, The Latest | No Comments
Could Proteasome Inhibitors Offer a New Option for Pressure Injuries? Pressure injuries, especially in the sacral area, are a frequent and frustrating challenge, particularly in elderly patients. Standard care focuses…
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology JDD About The Full Spectrum of Dermatology: A Diverse and Inclusive Atlas. The images is of rosacea among different skin tones

Decoding Derm: What’s the Diagnosis? National Melonoma and Skin Cancer Awareness Month

| Featured Articles, Inclusive Derm Atlas, Inclusive Dermatology Atlas, Latest News, Rosacea, The Latest | No Comments
In acknowledgement of National Melonoma and Skin Cancer Awareness Month, we are rerunning this series of Decoding Derm. Join Dr. Alexis Carrington in Decoding Dermatology: What’s the Diagnosis, as she presents a…
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology JDD Article About Current Landscape of Hyaluronic Acid Filler Use in the United States

JDD Article on HA Fillers Gets a Beauty Spotlight—Here’s Why Dermatologists Should Take Note

| Aesthetics, Featured Articles, Latest News, The Latest | No Comments
Knowledge is Critical for Successful Outcomes: Current Landscape of Hyaluronic Acid Filler Use in the United States   When a recent article of Allure recently explored the science behind “medical-grade”…

Leave a Reply