Between the rise of body-profile photography and the leggings trend, a firm, well-rounded hip line has never been more in demand. But there are parts of the body that diet and exercise alone simply can’t fix — and the hips are a prime example. Haru Clinic’s Director, Dr. Jeong Seong-mun, recently spoke to this exact problem, explaining why an elastic thread lift combined with body filler is emerging as a compelling alternative for patients who’ve hit a wall with workouts alone.
Why the Hips Are So Hard to Train Away
Unlike the face, the hip and buttock area carries a large volume of heavy soft tissue and is under constant, powerful gravitational load from simply standing and walking upright. Over time — whether from aging or significant weight fluctuation — the ligaments that support the lower buttock naturally loosen, causing the tissue to droop.
Then there’s the “hip dip”: the inward curve where the pelvis meets the thigh bone, a structural gap in the skeletal frame itself. Because it’s anatomical rather than muscular, no amount of squats or lunges can fill it in. This is precisely the kind of body-contour concern where exercise reaches its limit, and where thread lifting has stepped in as an alternative.
Elasticum: Built for a Part of the Body That Never Stops Moving
Body thread lifting, and specifically hip lifting with elastic thread, is gaining recognition for its ability to structurally support sagging tissue in a way ordinary threads can’t.
The thread most commonly used for body lifting, Elasticum, differs from standard suture material in one key way: real elasticity. The lower buttock is a high-motion, high-load area — it flexes with every step — so a thread with fixation strength alone risks snapping or losing its hold prematurely.
Elasticum, by contrast, applies strong tension to lift sagging lower-hip tissue while also functioning much like a natural ligament, stretching and contracting with the body’s movement rather than fighting against it.
Pairing Thread Lift with Body Filler for a More Complete Result
For patients seeking a more refined body line, Dr. Jeong points to combination treatment — Elasticum thread lift alongside body filler — as a more effective option than thread lifting on its own. In this approach, Elasticum acts as an elastic structural support, much like a ligament, for the collapsed lower hip tissue, while filler fills in the volume deficit at the hip dip itself. Together, the two create a noticeably more complete and natural-looking body contour.
Managing Expectations: What Recovery Actually Feels Like
Dr. Jeong is candid that a good outcome depends on both patients and clinicians understanding the procedure’s safety profile and aftercare beforehand. Because hip lifting is performed near the muscle layer, patients can expect some temporary stiffness or a sense of tightness when sitting or walking for about a week afterward. This isn’t a complication — it’s a normal part of the recovery process as tissue resettles and the elastic thread anchors into place.
“For a safe and successful hip lift, it’s essential to walk patients through these recovery symptoms clearly before the procedure — what we think of as a ‘pre-complaint prevention’ protocol built on thorough consultation,” Dr. Jeong explained. “Every patient’s skin thickness, degree of sagging, and overall body proportions are different, so choosing a skilled provider who can analyze these factors from multiple angles is what ultimately reduces side effects and improves satisfaction.”
The Haru Clinic Approach
Dr. Jeong’s perspective reflects a broader principle at the heart of Haru Clinic’s body contouring philosophy: technique matters, but so does honest communication before a single stitch is placed. By combining a deep understanding of each patient’s unique anatomy with proven materials like Elasticum and thoughtful use of complementary treatments like filler, Dr. Jeong aims to deliver hip lifting results that are not only visually satisfying but safely and comfortably achieved.
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