Thread Lift

Cheekbone Thread Lift in Seoul: Planning Your Visit

A visit-planning guide to the cheekbone thread lift at RESUM Plastic Surgery Clinic in Gangnam: what it changes in the side profile, how long to set aside and why it is not a way to reduce the cheekbones.

Plan a consultation

Published: 2026-10-15

Updated: 2026-10-15

At a glance

It lifts sagging soft tissue beside the cheekbones toward the temple. The size of the bone does not change.
The session takes 30-50 minutes under local anaesthesia, and the main swelling settles in 3-5 days.
The cheekbone area is planned together with the lateral cheek and deep cheek lines so that the profile stays connected.

What does a cheekbone thread lift change?

A cheekbone thread lift tidies the side of the face, not the bone. When soft tissue beside the cheekbone drops, the curve of the profile breaks, the cheekbone can look more prominent and the face can look wider. Absorbable threads, mainly cog threads of the PDO, PLLA or PCL type, are passed from an entry point at the temple down to the sagging line and draw that tissue back up toward the temple.

Collagen is also induced as the threads break down. At RESUM Plastic Surgery Clinic in Gangnam, Seoul, Dr. Jin-Young Kim reads the profile as one line from cheekbone through cheek to chin, so the lateral cheek and the deep cheek are assessed in the same 1:1 consultation.

How much time should I set aside?

Set aside 30-50 minutes for the treatment itself, in addition to the consultation. It is done under local anaesthesia. The main swelling settles in 3-5 days and most of it within 1-2 weeks, and during those 1-2 weeks you should avoid opening the mouth wide, strong expressions and firm massage over the cheekbones. Let us know your travel dates in advance.

Treatment time	30-50 minutes
Anaesthesia	Local anaesthesia
Daily activities	Main swelling settles in 3-5 days; mostly gone within 1-2 weeks
How long it lasts	About 12 months as a general guide; by thread type about 9-12 months (PDO), 12-24 months (PLA) or 24-36 months (PCL)

What a cheekbone thread lift cannot do

A cheekbone thread lift does not make the cheekbones smaller. If the bone itself is large, the degree of lift is limited and bone surgery is the more suitable route, which the doctor will tell you directly. Threads are recommended only when sagging at the side is the main cause. Lifting the cheekbone area on its own can also leave it disconnected from the cheek below, so a combined plan with the lateral or deep cheek is often advised.

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Purpose & suitability

The curve of your side profile looks interrupted because tissue beside the cheekbones has dropped, typically in your 30s-40s.

Sagging at the side bothers you more than the size of the cheekbones.

You want to tidy only the side contour without surgery and with a lighter return to daily life.

You want the lateral cheek and deep cheek treated in the same plan for a balanced profile.

An earlier cheekbone treatment faded quickly and you want the thread type and the design reviewed.

Treatment process

Assessment. Dr. Jin-Young Kim examines the soft tissue beside the cheekbones and the bone structure together, to establish which of the two is behind what you see.
Design. The pull is drawn from the temple entry point to the sagging line, and the thread count and direction are chosen with the lateral and deep cheek lines in view.
Insertion. Under local anaesthesia, cog threads are placed at a depth that keeps clear of the temporal branch of the facial nerve and the superficial temporal artery and vein, and the side contour is lifted toward the temple.
Aftercare briefing. You hear how to manage swelling, how left-right differences settle and when a touch-up could be planned.

Time & recovery

The main swelling lasts about 3-5 days and has mostly gone within 1-2 weeks. A temporary difference between the two sides is possible in this area and settles with time.

Wide mouth opening, strong facial expressions and firm massage over the cheekbones are off limits for 1-2 weeks, so that the threads stay in place.

The skin over the cheekbone and temple is thin. If a thread sits shallow you may feel it for a while, and this eases with time.

Limitations & precautions

Pregnancy and an active skin infection are both reasons not to go ahead.

The temporal branch of the facial nerve and the superficial temporal artery and vein run close to this area, so threads are placed only at a depth that avoids them. Irritation of that nerve branch has been reported in rare cases, as have infection and thread exposure.

Temporary asymmetry, dimpling and knot irritation can occur and mostly settle with time. Outcomes vary between individuals, and a consultation with a specialist is required first.

Frequently asked questions

Will a cheekbone thread lift make my cheekbones smaller?

No. A cheekbone thread lift moves soft tissue that has sagged beside the cheekbones and leaves the bone unchanged. If the cheekbones themselves are large, bone surgery is the more suitable option, and Dr. Jin-Young Kim will say so at the consultation.

Can I have it during a short stay in Seoul?

A cheekbone thread lift takes 30-50 minutes under local anaesthesia, with no incision, so the procedure itself is short. Plan for the main swelling to settle in 3-5 days and largely within 1-2 weeks, and avoid wide mouth opening and firm massage of the cheekbone area for 1-2 weeks.

Will I be able to feel the threads?

Possibly, for a while. The skin over the cheekbone and temple is thin, so a thread placed at a shallow depth can be felt temporarily after a cheekbone thread lift, and this settles with time. Temporary differences between the two sides also even out.

Is the cheekbone area treated alone or with the cheeks?

A cheekbone thread lift is usually planned together with the lateral cheek and deep cheek lines. Lifting the cheekbone area alone can disconnect it from the line below and make the profile look awkward, so RESUM checks whether those areas are sagging too and designs a combination when needed.

Who plans the treatment, and what should I prepare?

Dr. Jin-Young Kim plans the cheekbone thread lift personally in a 1:1 consultation, starting with whether the cause is sagging or bone. Tell us your travel dates and bring a list of earlier procedures and current medicines, because an earlier result that faded quickly changes the choice of thread and design.