A thread lift, sometimes referred to as a lunchtime lift, is a cosmetic procedure that offers a minimally invasive alternative to facelift surgery. It works by using absorbable barbed sutures to stimulate collagen production in the skin, resulting in a tighter, more youthful aesthetic appearance to the face and neck. Thread lifters claim to tighten the skin by inserting medical-grade thread material into the face and then “pulling the skin up by tightening the thread”. This non-surgical procedure is designed to combat the signs of aging in the face and neck areas by lifting and tightening the skin, making it look younger, smoother and healthier.
Soluble PDO (polydioxanone) threads are inserted securely under the skin and then tightened and pulled back, resuspending areas that are flaccid. This gives the skin a raised, strengthened and rejuvenated appearance. Thread lifters can be used to treat any part of the face, including the forehead, cheeks, double chin, eyebrows, jawline and neck. The treatment is ideal for patients aged 30 to 50 who experience mild to moderate signs of sagging skin. Patients who are not suitable for surgery due to medical conditions may undergo a thread lift because the procedure involves local anesthesia rather than general anesthesia.
It is a fast, effective and painless treatment that offers immediate results. The threads used are known as PDO (polydioxanone) threads. These threads are a suture-like material that is carefully placed into the skin to lift the face, reduce the appearance of wrinkles and tighten the skin. When only a rejuvenation of the neck was desired in terms of texture improvement, monofilament or screw PDO threads were used, as these threads improve microcirculation and collagenosis and, therefore, skin texture and mild wrinkles are corrected. When a reduction in volume due to a double chin was desired, monofilament PDO yarns were used in a cross-hatching technique to aid in lipolysis, along with skin tightening, thereby attempting to restore the optimal cervicomental angle.
To improve sagging and severe wrinkles, more stretching was desired in the horizontal plane, and therefore, to re-cover the skin, barbed bi-directional tapered threads or PDO two-way PLLA were used. Your plastic surgeon may recommend that you undergo additional therapies or cosmetic procedures such as Botox or Juvederm to increase the effects of the thread lift. The procedure for thread lifting may be slightly different depending on the area you are targeting and the preferences of your provider. However, patients can expect to continue to see results for up to three years after their treatment. One doctor estimated that a thread lift usually costs 40 percent of what a traditional facelift would cost. Barbed sutures are placed close to the hairline to gently pull the skin back and lift the cheeks and double chin.
This unique combination of mechanical lifting and cell regeneration is what makes the PDO thread lift so powerful, giving people immediate noticeable results and lasting regeneration. Because thread lifts are low-risk and have such a short recovery time, they can be combined with other non-surgical procedures to create more complete and noticeable results. An experienced thread lift doctor will know exactly where to place the threads and how many are required. Results should be evident immediately after you put the threads in place but you may notice more in the days and weeks after insertion as swelling and bruising begin to subside.
