Seoul
Chief MD, Gangnam
Duk-ha Kim
The trust our patients have placed in this clinic was built on conviction and principle. We intend to hold to both, unchanged, through the next hundred years.
Absorbable thread lift guide
Silhouette Thread Lift
Silhouette is not one product with one worldwide indication. The US 510(k) record K200140 covers Silhouette InstaLift, a sterile, single-use absorbable suspension suture intended to temporarily fix cheek subdermal tissue in an elevated position during midface suspension surgery. Sinclair describes Silhouette Soft for European use in the reconstruction of facial and neck morphological asymmetry and ptosis. Neither record establishes Korean authorization, a fixed duration or a guaranteed cosmetic outcome.
- US device in K200140
- Silhouette InstaLift, a sterile single-use absorbable suspension suture
- US material
- Glycolide and L-lactide filament with absorbable cones
- US scope
- Temporary fixation of cheek subdermal tissue in an elevated position during midface suspension surgery
- Important boundary
- Silhouette Soft has separate European information; K200140 does not establish Korean authorization for either product
What is a Silhouette thread lift?
It is a suspension procedure using an absorbable filament and cones to hold selected tissue mechanically. The most important first step is identifying the product: FDA K200140 is for Silhouette InstaLift, while the manufacturer presents Silhouette Soft separately for healthcare professionals in Europe. A shared brand family does not make the names, indications or regulatory records interchangeable.
Sources: FDA 510(k) K200140 — Silhouette InstaLiftSinclair — Silhouette Soft information for healthcare professionals
What does the US record for Silhouette InstaLift actually cover?
K200140 describes a sterile, single-use absorbable suture intended for midface suspension surgery. Its stated purpose is to temporarily fix cheek subdermal tissue in an elevated position. The words midface, cheek and temporarily set the boundary: the record does not establish a lasting outcome, a whole-face indication or an outcome for every area marketed under a thread-lift menu.
What scope does Sinclair describe for Silhouette Soft in Europe?
Sinclair describes Silhouette Soft for reconstruction of morphological asymmetry and ptosis of the face and neck in adults. That European product information is useful for identifying the manufacturer’s stated scope, but it should not be presented as a US FDA clearance or as Korean authorization. Confirm the exact product on the package and the authorization that applies where treatment occurs.
Sources: Sinclair — Silhouette Soft information for healthcare professionals
What are the filament and cones made from?
The K200140 summary describes a glycolide and L-lactide filament with absorbable cones. These components provide mechanical suspension while present; the record does not turn material absorption into a promise about how long a visible change will last. Material, cone arrangement and model should be confirmed from the package for the product actually offered.
What does the published observational study add?
A prospective observational study followed 193 patients treated with Silhouette Soft or Happy Lift threads. It can describe outcomes and adverse events observed in that cohort, but it compared more than one thread family and was not a randomized controlled trial. It therefore cannot prove that every Silhouette model, treatment area or technique will produce the same result.
Sources: Savoia et al. — prospective observational study of Silhouette Soft and Happy Lift
Can a fixed duration be promised from these sources?
No. The US indication itself uses the word temporarily, and the observational study does not create a universal expiry date for an individual result. Visible change can be affected by product, placement, tissue characteristics, technique and follow-up. Ask the clinic what product-specific evidence supports any duration it quotes and how it defines the endpoint.
Sources: FDA 510(k) K200140 — Silhouette InstaLiftSavoia et al. — prospective observational study of Silhouette Soft and Happy Lift
How long does the effect last?
Material and outcome are two different axes for a thread lift, and neither source here measures the second one in months. K200140 describes the InstaLift filament as absorbable but states no absorption timeline, so material breaking down and a visible lift fading are not the same clock — material presence is not a stand-in for how long an outcome will read as improved. The Savoia study reports what its cohort looked like at the follow-up visits investigators chose for that observation, not a study built to measure duration across products or techniques. What is likely to move that outcome for an individual includes tissue laxity and skin quality at the start, thread placement and vector, the number of sutures used, technique, and how closely aftercare instructions are followed. Ask the clinic for the specific product’s stated absorption profile, whether it is InstaLift or Soft, and what follow-up interval it uses before deciding whether a repeat procedure is needed.
Sources: FDA 510(k) K200140 — Silhouette InstaLiftSavoia et al. — prospective observational study of Silhouette Soft and Happy Lift
What risks should be discussed before treatment?
Relevant risks include infection, pain, swelling, bruising, temporary skin depression or wrinkling, asymmetry, migration or exposure of a thread, and nerve injury. Their likelihood cannot be calculated from the three sources used on this page. A consultation should cover prevention, early warning signs, who reviews a problem and whether removal or another procedure could be required.
Sources: FDA 510(k) K200140 — Silhouette InstaLiftSinclair — Silhouette Soft information for healthcare professionalsSavoia et al. — prospective observational study of Silhouette Soft and Happy Lift
Does minimally invasive mean scar-free or downtime-free?
No. A smaller access point does not justify a promise of no scar, no recovery time or no visible reaction. Bruising, swelling, discomfort and temporary contour changes may affect travel and social plans. Obtain written aftercare instructions and a route for contacting the clinic after leaving Korea.
Sources: Sinclair — Silhouette Soft information for healthcare professionalsSavoia et al. — prospective observational study of Silhouette Soft and Happy Lift
What should be confirmed before booking?
Confirm whether the package says Silhouette InstaLift or Silhouette Soft, the model and material, the treatment area and tissue plane, the number of sutures and why, the locally applicable authorization, the expected size and temporary nature of change, foreseeable risks, aftercare and the plan for complications. Do not use an FDA document for InstaLift as proof that Silhouette Soft is FDA-approved.
Sources: FDA 510(k) K200140 — Silhouette InstaLiftSinclair — Silhouette Soft information for healthcare professionals
Medical care at Abijou
Care is provided by the medical team at the branch you select. These clinicians lead the three branches linked from this guide; confirm the doctor assigned to your visit with that branch.
Chief MD, Myeongdong
Cheol-su Yoon
I want to be thinking about how the patient feels right up to the last moment of the procedure.
Chief MD, Hongdae
Jae-wook Kim
I will give my best with the attentiveness to catch even the smallest change.
Listed branch medical team — not a medical-review byline for this article.
Frequently asked questions
Are Silhouette InstaLift and Silhouette Soft the same product?
They belong to the same broader brand context but should not be treated as one regulatory product. K200140 names Silhouette InstaLift in the United States, while Sinclair presents Silhouette Soft with European information. Confirm the package name before relying on either record.
Is Silhouette Soft FDA-approved?
This page has no source supporting that statement. K200140 is a US 510(k) clearance for Silhouette InstaLift, not a blanket approval for Silhouette Soft. Clearance and approval are also different regulatory pathways.
What is the US intended use?
K200140 describes temporary fixation of cheek subdermal tissue in an elevated position during midface suspension surgery. It does not establish a lasting outcome or a whole-face indication.
What does the European information say?
Sinclair describes Silhouette Soft for reconstruction of facial and neck morphological asymmetry and ptosis in adults. That statement should be labeled as European manufacturer information, not Korean or US authorization.
What is the thread made from?
The US K200140 summary describes a glycolide and L-lactide filament with absorbable cones. Ask the clinic to show that the exact product and model offered matches the document.
How do the cones work?
They provide mechanical engagement along the absorbable filament so selected tissue can be held in an elevated position. The record does not support turning that mechanism into a guaranteed degree of change.
How long does a Silhouette lift last?
These sources do not support one fixed duration for every patient. The US wording says temporary, while the observational study cannot create a universal timetable across products, techniques and treatment areas.
Will the result be immediate and strong?
No source here guarantees either description. The size and timing of visible change depend on the product, treatment plan, tissue and follow-up, and should be discussed without outcome guarantees.
Is there no scar or downtime?
That cannot be promised. Access points may be small, but bruising, swelling, discomfort and temporary skin depression or wrinkling can still affect recovery.
What complications should I know about?
Discuss infection, pain, swelling, bruising, temporary depression or wrinkling, asymmetry, migration or exposure of a thread, and nerve injury. Ask how each would be assessed and managed.
What did the 193-patient study prove?
It reported observations in patients treated with Silhouette Soft or Happy Lift. Because it was observational, included more than one thread family and lacked randomized comparison, it does not prove a universal result for one Silhouette product.
Is this product authorized in Korea?
The cited US and European sources do not establish Korean authorization. Request the local product name, model and applicable Korean documentation from the clinic.
How many threads will I need?
None of the cited sources provides a universal count. The number should follow the product model, treatment area, anatomy and clinician plan rather than a fixed online formula.
What should an overseas visitor arrange before leaving?
Obtain the product record, treatment map, aftercare instructions and a direct contact route. Ask who will assess swelling, asymmetry, skin changes, possible exposure or increasing pain after travel.
How Abijou works
We started in Gangnam in 2006 and the network now runs 17 branches across Korea. The line we work to is skin transformation woven into everyday life — care you can keep up with, rather than one dramatic change.
- Across the 17 branches in Seoul, Gyeonggi, Incheon and Busan: over 1,000 medical professionals and more than 350 certified medical devices
- Authentic products only, in appropriate amounts — the treatment is fitted to the condition, not to a package
- Prices are quoted from each branch’s published price list as it stands
Contact and location
- Phone
- 1544-0377
Free Consultation
Booking happens at the branch
There is no inquiry form on this page. Once you have picked a branch above, open that branch’s site or the official reservation center and choose a time yourself.
- No deposit and no online prepayment — everything is paid at the visit
- Per-treatment prices are published for each branch on the official reservation center
- English, Japanese and Chinese are supported alongside Korean