Are wrinkles and loose skin starting to give you an aged look? Are you hesitant to undergo invasive surgery, even though you could benefit from the lifting and firming a facelift would offer? You may be a good candidate for a PDO Thread Lift. This treatment, which is performed in our contemporary office at MD Beauty Labs in West Palm Beach, FL, achieves some of the same results with just a single, non-surgical appointment. PDO threads can be used to lift sagging jowls, soften smile lines and forehead furrows, and tighten up crepey skin on the neck and decolletage.
How a PDO Thread Lift Works
PDO threads provide immediate support for a sagging face while also stimulating longer-term healing and renewal. The threads encourage the skin to begin producing more collagen, which plumps and firms the face over time, giving patients a refreshed, lifted appearance. The threads are made of polydioxanone: a material used in surgical sutures that dissolves naturally within six months. They are inserted with a hypodermic needle that slides along under the surface of the skin leaving a trail, or thread, of polydioxanone in its place. Patients notice initial firming as soon as the threads are in place.
Your skin will be cleansed and numbed before treatment, and we may make a few guidelines on the skin that we’ll follow when administering your injection. But PDO threads involve little else in the way of advance preparation. The treatment is much easier and more straightforward than surgical options, which involve incisions, the removal and manipulation of tissue, and a period of recovery. Most patients who have had PDO threads injected get right back to their regular schedules immediately. PDO thread appointments usually take no more than an hour.
What Does the Treatment Feel Like?
Most of our patients are surprised at how easy and painless this treatment is. You’ll be reclined comfortably in our office for the session, and we’ll numb the treatment area in advance. You may feel a prick from the needle, but it’s not any more of a pinch than any other cosmetic injection.
How Soon Will I See Results?
You’ll probably notice a difference right away. As soon as the threads have been injected, they’ll start lifting your skin from the inside. Your results will continue to improve over the next six months as collagen production ramps up and the skin rejuvenates itself and becomes firmer. Patients often enjoy the results of this treatment for two to three years, and you’ll be able to schedule additional treatments if you want to extend the effects.
Am I a Candidate for a PDO Thread Lift?
PDO threads are a great option for patients who want an anti-aging treatment that will lift and firm their face but who are ineligible for or uninterested in a more invasive surgical facelift. PDO threads should not be viewed as a complete replacement for a facelift, which offers more drastic and longer-lasting results, but they offer some of the same benefits as that type of surgical procedure.
In fact, PDO threads are sometimes referred to as a non-surgical facelift or a liquid facelift. In addition to being interested in a non-surgical anti-aging treatment, there are several other signs that you may be a good candidate for a thread lift.
You’re Concerned With More Than Wrinkles
Thread lift candidates usually have sagging, crepey skin that they’re looking to address as well as wrinkles. If your natural features have started to sag and lose their shape, leaving you with a heavy jowl or hollow cheeks, for example, you may be a good candidate for this treatment. PDO threads can be used to lift sagging skin, build volume in the face, and restore definition to your cheeks, jaw, and other features. Different types of threads are available that can accomplish different cosmetic goals, and a customized treatment plan can be designed to meet your individual needs.
Thread lifts differ from other treatments that target specific wrinkles or parts of the face where you need to restore volume. Instead, lifts offer a comprehensive lifting, firming, and contouring of the entire face.
You’re Seeking Other Cosmetic Improvement
This anti-aging treatment is most often used on the face and neck, but it can also tighten up sagging, crepey skin, and wrinkles in other parts of the body as well, such as the upper arms, abdomen, and thighs. Because this treatment can be used to improve definition and contour, some patients also use it to minimize roundness in the face.
You Want Natural Results
Some patients want to take steps to improve the look of their skin, but they also don’t want to look plastic or overdone. If natural results are important to you, PDO Threads are a good option to consider. While this treatment does offer some immediate firming and lifting, it spurs your skin to do the real work of generating collagen and renewing itself. Because that extra collagen production will take place over a period of up to six months, your skin will gradually keep looking better and more youthful, and your results will be completely natural.
You’re In Good Health
The best candidates for this treatment are in good health and have healthy skin. We don’t recommend this treatment for patients who are pregnant or breastfeeding or who have an autoimmune disease or diabetes. It’s also best if the skin in your treatment area is healthy and not inflamed by acne, cold sores, or other irritations.
A Comprehensive Anti-Aging Strategy
If you’re starting to notice the first signs of aging and want to take action, you don’t have to rely on just one treatment. Threads combine well with other cosmetic treatments–especially dermal fillers–to address all of a patient’s esthetic concerns. Dermal fillers are injectable gels that can be used to build volume in certain parts of the face that need special attention. Fillers often offer more immediate results. They also combine with and support the broader improvements PDO threads can make in a face.
Botulinum toxin injections, which ease the appearance of lines caused by repetitive facial movements and expressions, can also be effectively used in conjunction with threads. Botulinum injections go to work on very specific, targeted lines and wrinkles. When used with PDO threads, botulinum injections are particularly effective on lines in the upper face and around the eyes.
FAQ About PDO Threads
When it comes to cosmetic treatments, PDO threads are a newer option and are not as well known as some other services that are available. But threading treatments are quickly growing in popularity because of their effectiveness and their ability to non-surgically mimic some of the results of a traditional facelift. Here are some questions we commonly get from patients who are considering PDO threads:
Will My Threads Be Visible?
Your threads will not be visible. Depending on how thin your skin is, you might be able to feel them if you press on them in lax areas of the face, but they won’t be visible at all: not even in shadow form. The threads will dissolve naturally within six months, leaving the skin to continue producing collagen and naturally rebuilding itself.
How Many Threads Are Used?
The exact number of threads used depends a lot on what the patient’s cosmetic concerns are. But most threading treatments take place on the face and neck, and it’s not unusual for a patient to receive three or four threads on each side of the face. Treatments in other parts of the body may require additional threads, depending on the scope of the area.
What Kind of Threads Are Available?
PDO threads come in different shapes and thicknesses, and we’ll determine the best one for you based on what you’re hoping to accomplish through your treatment. Some threads have tiny barbed nodules on them that are designed to hook into the skin and lift it. Barbed threads are commonly used when the patient wishes to focus on lifting sagging skin. For patients who are seeking more contour and volume in the face, we can inject smoother, finer threads in a cross-hatch pattern under the skin. Once in place, the overlapping threads act as a ladder upon which collagen can develop and grow.
Will I Need to Take Special Precautions After My Appointment?
You’ll be able to get right back to your regular activities, including exercise, immediately after your treatment. We ask only that you avoid massaging the treatment area or overstretching it during the two weeks following your appointment. And although PDO threads combine nicely with other cosmetic treatments, we advise patients not to schedule things like chemical peels within a week of your threading appointment.
Are Threads Safe?
The threads are made out of a completely safe material that is used in surgical sutures and often relied upon in cardiovascular surgery. This treatment was approved by the FDA in late 2018.
How Can I Maintain My Results?
The best thing you can do to maintain your results after treatment is to follow a skincare regimen that involves high-quality moisturizers and creams that include antioxidants, which help support collagen levels. Protecting your skin from the sun and drinking plenty of water are also lifestyle steps that can support your skin and keep it healthy. If your threading results eventually begin to fade, you can also schedule a follow-up treatment.
To Learn More
If you’d like to learn more about PDO threads and find out if they are a good option for you, schedule a consultation with our practice. During this appointment, we’ll review your medical history and talk with you about the cosmetic concerns you have. We’ll evaluate your skin and determine if this treatment will be effective for you. If you’re interested in possibly pursuing other cosmetic services as well, we can talk with you about those and develop a customized treatment plan.
Our Medical Director is Dr. Daniela Dadurian, an expert in cosmetic dermatology and anti-aging. Dr. Dadurian received her medical degree from the University of Miami School of Medicine and is board-certified in anti-aging and regenerative medicine as well as laser surgery. She has been practicing cosmetic dermatology and functional and integrative medicine for more than two decades.
Don’t Wait Any Longer
If you’re tired of looking older than you are, and you’re ready to put sagging skin and wrinkles behind you, it may be time to explore this innovative new treatment. PDO threads can lift sagging features, smooth over your skin and its wrinkles, and restore youthful contours and definition to your face and neck. Best of all, this is an easy, one-time, non-surgical treatment. Call MD Beauty Labs in West Palm Beach, FL today and schedule a thread lift consultation!