Medically reviewed by Dr Sin Yong · Last reviewed · 18 min read · Doctor-performed, never delegated · Jump to questions
Dr Sin Yong · MBBS (NUS) · MRCS (Edin) · MSc Aesthetic Medicine with Distinction (Queen Mary, London) · MSc Practical Dermatology (Cardiff) · International KOL
Absorbable threads placed along the nasal dorsum to add definition without surgery. The nose is unforgiving anatomy — which makes the choice between threads and filler, and the plane they sit in, the decisions that matter.
Nose thread lift in Singapore places fine absorbable polydioxanone threads along the nasal dorsum through a needle entry point, to add definition without surgery. The threads act as a scaffold and resorb over the following months, and Dr Sin Yong chooses between threads and filler after assessing the nose.
Key takeaways
A nose thread lift places fine absorbable polydioxanone threads along the nasal bridge to add definition without surgery.
It is used for a low or poorly defined bridge, and where suitable to support the tip.
Threads or filler are chosen after assessing whether the nose needs projection, definition or both.
Threads cannot reshape cartilage, bone or nostrils; those matters are structural and rhinoplasty is the route.
Dr Sin Yong, an aesthetic physician, assesses and performs the treatment personally.
Fine absorbable threads made of polydioxanone are introduced along the nasal dorsum through a needle entry point. They act as a mechanical scaffold along the bridge, and as the material resorbs over the following months, a collagen response develops along the track it occupied.
The material disappears. What remains is the tissue response to it, which is the point of using an absorbable polymer rather than an implant that stays.
Threads or Filler?
Both are used for the same complaint, and they behave differently.
Filler adds material to the supraperiosteal plane. On the dorsum, Dr Sin Yong usually works with calcium hydroxylapatite or polycaprolactone, because a firmer biostimulator holds projection more predictably on a mobile, thin-skinned structure; hyaluronic acid is used instead when a patient would rather have a filler that can be dissolved.
Threads add structure rather than volume, and recruit collagen along a defined line.
Which suits you depends on whether the presentation needs projection, definition, or both — and on your existing nasal anatomy. Neither is a substitute for rhinoplasty where the underlying structure is the issue.
Why the Anatomy Deserves Respect
The nose carries a vascular supply that leaves little margin. Both threads and filler in this region require an understanding of the planes involved and of what lies beneath them.
This is not an area where product choice compensates for technique. Suitability, including whether a non-surgical approach is appropriate at all, is assessed in person before anything is planned.
Key Facts
At a glance
Material
Polydioxanone (PDO) — an absorbable surgical suture polymer
Placement
Along the nasal dorsum, in a plane above the periosteum
Dual action
Mechanical scaffolding from the thread, followed by a collagen response along its track
Absorbable
The thread resorbs; the collagen laid down along its path is what persists
The filler alternative
Calcium hydroxylapatite or polycaprolactone, placed deep with a fine cannula
Why CaHA or PCL is usual
A firmer biostimulator holds projection more predictably than softer hyaluronic acid, which is used when a dissolvable filler is preferred
Anatomical caution
The nasal vasculature makes plane and technique critical. This is not a low-risk area
“The nose has less room for error than anywhere else on the face. Plane and technique matter more than product choice.”
Dr Sin YongOn non-surgical nasal work
What Determines the Cost
Treatment is planned individually, so the cost follows the plan rather than a fixed list. Four things shape it:
Factors discussed at consultation
The area treated. A single zone differs from several, and surface area drives the work involved.
What the assessment finds. The same complaint can have different causes, and the cause decides the approach.
Whether one modality or several. Some presentations are addressed by a single approach; others are not.
How the plan is staged. Work spread over time is planned differently from work done in one visit.
A figure quoted before assessment would not reflect your presentation. Cost is set out clearly at consultation, before anything is agreed.
How is a nose thread lift different from a face thread lift?
A nose thread lift adds definition; a face thread lift repositions tissue that has descended. The word lift is shared, but the aims, the threads and the technique differ.
Illustrative image — not a patient.
In a face thread lift, such as Dr Sin Yong's Bliss Lift, barbed cog threads engage fat and fibrous tissue under the skin and carry it back along planned vectors, which is why they are used for early jowling, a flattening midface or a lowered brow. Several absorbable materials may be used, including polydioxanone (PDO), poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) and polycaprolactone (PCL), chosen for how long their support needs to last.
In a nose thread lift there is no descended tissue to lift. Fine PDO threads are placed along the dorsum, and where suitable the columella, to act as a scaffold that sharpens the bridge line and supports the tip, with a collagen response forming along each track as the thread resorbs. The concern is shape rather than sagging.
This is why searching for a thread lift in Singapore can lead to two quite different treatments. Which one is relevant depends on whether the concern is a nose that lacks definition or facial tissue that has started to descend, and that is clarified at assessment.
Can a nose tip thread lift reshape the tip?
Threads can support the tip, but they cannot reshape it. Where the anatomy is suitable, threads placed along the columella, the strip of tissue between the nostrils, act as a strut that gives the tip a little more support and a cleaner line from the bridge.
What threads cannot do is change the cartilage that shapes the tip itself. A bulbous or broad tip, a long or drooping nose caused by the cartilage framework, or nostrils that need narrowing are structural matters, and rhinoplasty is the route for those. Thick nasal skin also tends to soften any definition that threads provide.
The tip has thin skin and little tissue over it, so visibility, a thread end working its way to the surface, and infection are risks discussed before any tip work. For that reason the tip is assessed separately from the bridge: some patients are suited to dorsal threads alone, some to threads with filler, and some to surgical referral rather than threads at all.
What is recovery like after a nose thread lift?
Recovery after a nose thread lift usually involves swelling along the bridge, possible bruising and tenderness at the entry point, and a feeling of firmness while the tissues settle. How long this lasts varies from person to person, and it is discussed before treatment so it can be planned around work and social plans.
In the early period you are asked to avoid pressing, rubbing or massaging the nose, and to be careful with anything that rests on the bridge. Facial treatments over the nose and strenuous activity are postponed for a time, and the entry point is kept clean.
Some signs need prompt review rather than waiting. Increasing pain, spreading redness, warmth or discharge can suggest infection; a thread end that can be seen or felt at the surface needs attention; and any change in skin colour over the nose, such as blanching or a dusky patch, should be reported straight away. A review appointment is arranged so the result and the healing can be checked.
Illustrative image — not a patient.
Non-surgical and surgical options for nasal definition compared by what each can and cannot do
Option
What it does
What it cannot do
Typical recovery
Who it tends to suit
Nose thread lift (PDO threads)
Absorbable polydioxanone threads placed along the dorsum, and where suitable the columella, add definition and a collagen response along their track
Does not add much volume or projection, and cannot change bone, cartilage or nostril shape
Swelling, possible bruising and tenderness at the entry point
Low or poorly defined bridges where the existing anatomy is suitable
Nose filler (calcium hydroxylapatite or polycaprolactone)
A firm biostimulator injected in the supraperiosteal plane builds projection along the bridge
Does not shorten the nose, narrow the nostrils or correct a structural deviation
Swelling and possible bruising at injection points
Presentations where projection, rather than a defined line, is the main need
Combined threads and filler
Threads provide structure along a line while filler adds projection where it is lacking
Still works within the existing nasal framework
As for each component; the plan may be staged
Noses that need both projection and definition
Surgical rhinoplasty (referred on)
Reshapes the underlying bone and cartilage
Is not a non-surgical option, and involves an operation and formal recovery
Set by the operating specialist
Structural issues such as a dorsal hump, deviation or tip changes beyond what threads or filler can address; Dr Sin Yong refers these patients to a plastic surgery specialist
How Dr Sin Yong approaches a nose thread lift
Dr Sin Yong assesses the bridge and the tip separately before planning anything. He places fine absorbable PDO threads along the nasal dorsum, in a plane above the periosteum, and along the columella only where the anatomy is suitable to support the tip. Some patients are planned for dorsal threads alone, some for threads combined with filler, and some are referred for a surgical opinion rather than treated.
Where projection is needed as well as definition, he combines threads with a firm biostimulator filler, usually calcium hydroxylapatite or polycaprolactone, and decides whether to do both in one visit or in stages. Hyaluronic acid is used instead of CaHA or PCL when a patient would rather have a filler that can be dissolved. Where the change needed is in the bone or cartilage, he refers the patient to a plastic surgery specialist.
Who should not have a nose thread lift?
A nose thread lift is not suitable when the change wanted is structural, or when the tissue of the nose makes threads riskier than usual. Identifying those situations is part of the assessment, and sometimes the outcome is advice not to proceed.
Wanting a smaller, narrower or shorter nose is the commonest reason threads are the wrong choice, because they work within the existing framework and cannot remove bone or cartilage. A large hump, a deviated nose, a bulbous or broad tip and any breathing problem belong with a plastic surgery specialist.
Previous rhinoplasty or a nasal implant changes the tissue planes and blood supply, and is often a reason to return to the operating specialist instead. Very thin skin over the tip raises the risk of a thread becoming visible or working its way out, while very thick skin tends to soften any definition. Active acne, infection or inflammation on the nose means waiting until it has settled.
Medical factors are reviewed too, including blood-thinning medicines, bleeding tendencies, conditions that affect healing, and pregnancy. Expectations matter as much as anatomy: threads add definition and support, and they are not a route to a different nose.
Who it suits, who should wait, who is referred on
Tends to suit
A low or poorly defined bridge
A tip that would benefit from a little extra support
Existing nasal anatomy that suits a non-surgical approach after assessment
People who want definition without surgery and accept its limits
Better to wait
Pregnancy or breastfeeding
Active infection, cold sore or inflammation near the nose
Expecting the nose to be reshaped or narrowed
Referred on
A bulbous or broad tip, drooping nose or nostrils that need narrowing → rhinoplasty assessment
Previous rhinoplasty or an implant with concerns → surgical opinion
Who should not have this treatment
Pregnancy or breastfeeding
Active infection or skin disease over the nose
A tendency to keloid or abnormal scarring
Thick nasal skin that would soften any definition
Previous rhinoplasty, implant or filler needing assessment first
Bleeding tendency or blood-thinning medication that needs review
People who want the nose reshaped, narrowed or made smaller, or who have thick nasal skin, tend to respond poorly, and rhinoplasty referral is the better route.
What happens, step by step
Consultation and examination of the bridge, tip, skin thickness and any previous work
Written plan and quote, including threads, filler, both, or referral
Treatment day: absorbable threads placed along the planned line with attention to plane and technique
Review to check healing and the result, with adjustment as needed
Risks, side effects and when to call
Swelling along the bridge, possible bruising, tenderness at the entry point and a feeling of firmness are expected while the tissues settle. Less commonly, a thread can become visible or palpable, a thread end can work its way to the surface, or infection can occur, particularly at the thin-skinned tip. The nose has a vascular supply that leaves little margin, so blanching or a dusky patch needs urgent review. Threads can also leave a contour irregularity. Response varies, and no outcome can be promised.
Contact the clinic the same day if
Blanching, or a dusky or mottled patch of skin over the nose
Increasing pain, spreading redness, warmth or discharge
A thread end that can be seen or felt at the surface
Declare all medications and supplements, especially blood thinners, aspirin and fish oil
Tell the clinic about any previous rhinoplasty, nose implant, filler or threads in the nose
Mention any history of cold sores, keloid scarring or slow healing
Say if you are pregnant, planning a pregnancy or breastfeeding, and avoid strong sun exposure beforehand
Bring photos of your nose in profile and from the front, and note what you would like to change
What determines the fee
The fee depends on the area treated, such as the bridge alone or the bridge with tip support, and on the number and type of threads and consumables used. It also depends on whether threads are combined with filler, and on what the assessment finds about your nasal anatomy. A written quote is given at consultation after examination, and the consultation decides whether a non-surgical approach is advised at all.
“A nose thread lift gives the same change as rhinoplasty.”
Threads add some definition and support but cannot alter cartilage, bone or nostril shape.
“Because the threads are absorbable, a nose thread lift carries little risk.”
The nasal vasculature leaves little margin, so technique and plane matter and complications can occur even with absorbable material.
What is a Hiko nose thread lift?
Hiko is a name used in Singapore and Korea for a nose thread lift in which fine absorbable polydioxanone (PDO) threads are placed along the bridge and, where the anatomy is suitable, along the columella. It names a style of nose thread lift rather than a different material, so the name alone tells you little about what is being done. The threads act as a scaffold along the line they occupy and resorb over the following months, leaving a collagen response along the track. They add structure and definition; they do not add much volume.
Whatever the name on the menu, the useful questions are the same. Which threads are used, and where do they sit? Is the bridge assessed separately from the tip, and is filler planned alongside? Who performs the procedure, and what happens if a thread end becomes visible? At this practice, Dr Sin Yong assesses the bridge and the tip separately and places threads in a plane above the periosteum. He then decides whether threads alone, threads with a firm biostimulator filler such as calcium hydroxylapatite or polycaprolactone, or a surgical referral suits the nose. Threads cannot change cartilage, bone or the shape of the nostrils.
Nose thread vs nose filler vs rhinoplasty: how do they compare?
These are three different routes for a nose that is low or lacks definition, and they are not interchangeable. Threads add structure along a line, filler adds material to build projection, and rhinoplasty is the operation for changing bone and cartilage. The table compares what each works on, whether it can be reversed and the nose-specific caution to weigh. Which route applies depends on whether the concern is projection, definition or structure, and for some noses the honest answer is a referral rather than either non-surgical option. The article on nose filler, nose thread and rhinoplasty covers the comparison in more depth.
Absorbable threads along the bridge and, where suitable, columella
The material resorbs; a visible thread end can often be removed
Visible thread, extrusion, infection, especially at the thin-skinned tip
Nose filler: hyaluronic acid
Adds volume above the periosteum
Can be dissolved with hyaluronidase
Vascular blockage; blanching needs urgent review
Nose filler: CaHA or PCL
A firmer biostimulator that holds projection on the bridge
Cannot be dissolved with hyaluronidase
The same vascular caution, with no dissolving agent
Rhinoplasty (referred on)
Reshapes bone and cartilage surgically
It is an operation with a formal recovery
Referred to a plastic surgery specialist for structural change
What are the risks specific to the nose?
The nose has thin skin and a vascular supply that leaves little margin, so its risks differ from those of other areas. With threads, the risks are infection, particularly at the thin-skinned tip, a thread that becomes visible or palpable, a thread end that works its way towards the surface, and contour irregularity. Few noses are symmetrical to begin with, and swelling, thread position or product placement can make asymmetry more noticeable. That is why the bridge and tip are assessed separately before anything is planned, and why healing and symmetry are checked at review.
With filler, the serious risk is blockage of a blood vessel, which can damage the skin of the nose and, rarely, affect vision. Hyaluronic acid can be dissolved with hyaluronidase, which should be to hand wherever it is injected. Calcium hydroxylapatite and polycaprolactone cannot be dissolved, which is part of why plane and technique matter more than the product. Blanching, a dusky or mottled patch, increasing pain, spreading redness or any change in vision needs same-day contact with the clinic. Previous rhinoplasty, a nasal implant or earlier filler alters the planes and blood supply, and can be a reason to advise against treatment. No outcome can be promised.
Frequently Asked Questions
A nose thread lift places fine absorbable polydioxanone (PDO) threads along the nasal dorsum to add definition without surgery. The threads act as a mechanical scaffold along the dorsum and provoke a collagen response along their track as the material resorbs over the following months.
A nose thread lift and nose filler do different things. Filler adds material to build projection; threads add structure along a line and recruit collagen. Which is appropriate depends on the existing nasal anatomy and on whether projection, definition or both are needed. In some cases neither is appropriate and rhinoplasty is the honest answer.
Polydioxanone is absorbable, so the thread material itself resorbs. The collagen laid down along the thread track during that period is what persists. How long that change lasts varies with individual tissue response.
The nasal region carries a vascular supply with limited margin, which makes plane and technique critical for both threads and filler. Suitability is assessed in person, and some patients are better served by surgical referral. Medical history and prior nasal procedures are taken into account.
Cost depends on the number of threads appropriate for the anatomy, whether threads alone or a combined approach is planned, and how the work is staged. A figure quoted before assessment would not reflect the individual case. Pricing is discussed at consultation.
No. A thread lift works within the existing nasal framework. Where the underlying bony or cartilaginous structure is what needs changing, surgery is the appropriate route, and that assessment is made honestly at consultation.
Local anaesthetic is used, so most people feel pressure and a brief sting rather than sharp pain while the threads are placed. Tenderness and a feeling of tightness along the bridge are common for a while afterwards. How much discomfort you feel varies, and it is discussed at consultation.
It varies. The PDO thread resorbs over the following months, and what remains is the collagen response along its track; how long that change is visible depends on your tissue, your nasal anatomy and how the plan is staged. Some patients choose to repeat or combine treatment over time, which is discussed at review.
Previous surgery or an implant changes the tissue planes and blood supply of the nose, so this needs careful individual assessment and is sometimes a reason not to proceed. Bring details of what was done and when. In some cases the safer course is to return to the operating specialist rather than add threads.
Yes, where the anatomy calls for both. Threads add structure along a line, while a firm biostimulator filler such as calcium hydroxylapatite or polycaprolactone adds projection. Whether to combine them, and whether to do so in one visit or in stages, depends on the assessment.
HIKO is a name used in Singapore and Korea for a nose thread lift using absorbable PDO threads placed along the bridge and, where suitable, the columella. It describes a style of nose thread lift rather than a different material. The useful questions are the same whatever the name: which threads are used, where they are placed, whether filler is planned alongside, and who performs the procedure.
Sometimes. A thread end that becomes visible or works its way towards the surface can often be removed, and this is one of the reasons for a review appointment. Otherwise, because polydioxanone is absorbable, the threads resorb on their own over the following months, leaving the collagen response along their tracks. Any sign of infection, increasing redness or a change in skin colour should be reported promptly.
The cost of a nose thread lift in Singapore depends on the area treated, the number and type of threads, whether filler is combined, and what the assessment finds about your nasal anatomy. Dr Sin Yong gives a written quote at consultation after examining you, because the assessment decides whether a non-surgical approach is advised at all. No figure is quoted beforehand.
It is worth considering for a low or poorly defined bridge in someone who wants more definition without surgery and accepts that threads add structure rather than much volume. It is a poor fit for a broad or bulbous tip, a drooping nose, thick skin or a goal of reshaping, where filler or rhinoplasty referral is the more suitable route.
Threads add definition rather than volume and cannot change cartilage, bone or nostril shape. Swelling, bruising and tenderness are expected; a visible thread, infection, contour irregularity or, uncommonly, a vascular problem are possible, and the tip is higher risk. Results are modest and may need review or further work, and the nose is not a low-risk area.
Medically reviewed by Dr Sin Yong, MBBS (NUS), MRCS (Edinburgh) · Last updated 7 October 2026 · Editorial policy
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