Risks of Breast Thread Procedures

Thread procedures are often described as minimally invasive, but they place a foreign material under the skin. This page is part of our guide to breast thread procedures.

Possible complications

• Bruising, swelling and pain
• Infection, including abscess, sometimes late
• Visible or palpable threads, especially in thin tissue
• Thread extrusion, where a thread comes through the skin
• Migration, where threads move from the intended position
• Skin dimpling, puckering or irregularities
• Asymmetry
• Granulomas or inflammatory nodules
• Nerve irritation or altered sensation
• Scarring at entry points
• Allergic reaction or reaction to the material
• Interference with imaging, possibly appearing as lines on mammograms or ultrasound

Why the breast is different

The breast is soft, mobile and changes with movement, weight and hormones. Threads can behave differently from how they do in the face.

Removal difficulties

Absorbable threads dissolve over time, but in some cases problems need earlier removal. Removal can be difficult if threads are deep or have migrated.

Who has higher risk

People with active infections, skin conditions at the site, bleeding disorders, autoimmune conditions, keloid tendency or poor healing should discuss this carefully.

Questions to ask

• What complications have you seen with breast threads?
• How would you remove them if needed?
• Who treats me if there is a problem out of hours?