PDO threads are minimally invasive treatments where your Cascadia Aesthetics doctor inserts small threads with a tiny cannula or needle into different layers of your skin. These threads stimulate collagen production, tighten the skin and diminish signs of aging.
“PDO” stands for polydioxanone. It’s a dissolvable suture material, common in cardiothoracic surgery due to its low reactivity in patients. We use both smoothing threads and suspension/lifting threads.
Please feel free to contact us with any questions!
PDO Smoothing vs. Lifting Threads
Smoothing threads are dissolvable sutures threaded underneath the skin to stimulate collagen production and improve skin texture and firmness.
This is a great treatment to help with many areas of the face:
- Acne scars and neck lines
- Around the cheeks and jawline to reduce jowls
- Fine lines and wrinkles
- Diminished marionette lines and nasolabial folds
- Around the lips as an “invisible lip liner”
Lifting or suspension threads are known as a “nonsurgical facelift.” As we age, our skin naturally loses elasticity and starts to show signs of aging and sagging.
Many people aren’t ready for a surgical facelift because it’s very invasive, so a thread lift is a great alternative! A thread lift uses fine absorbable threads to lift sagging tissue, providing immediate lifting and tightening results.
Multistage Benefits With PDO Threads
PDO threads have a powerful dual effect. The first is to reposition skin, giving a lifted effect. The second is to stimulate your body’s own collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid production. You can see a rejuvenated appearance immediately following treatment. However, the results improve in the following days and weeks as the PDO stimulates neocollagenesis, which in turn produces collagen.
Your skin’s overall texture improves! It becomes thicker, tighter and firmer, while other skin issues like open pores, fine lines and wrinkles grow smoother too.
We use V Soft Lift threads, which are both double-cleared for the U.S. and European markets and FDA cleared and CE medical device certified.
How long do threads last?
Your body begins the skin-firming process by absorbing the threads. The PDO threads dissolve and stimulate collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid production in the process. The process can take 3 to 6 months to fully absorb. Your body makes its own collagen, which can last up to 2 years.
Thread lifts deliver immediate lifting and then secondary lifting when your body produces new collagen as your skin dissolves the threads. The results of a PDO thread lift can last anywhere from 12 to 24 months. The results eventually diminish because your skin continues to age naturally, breaking down the collagen and elastin that kept it firm and tight.
What is recovery like?
- Thread lifts involve no incisions and very little (if any) recovery. You can drive yourself home after the procedure and return to work or your normal activities that same day.
- You may experience a little soreness, redness, tightness, bruising and/or swelling following the first week or so after treatment.
- The area may be sore to the touch and sore with some facial expressions or movements. We recommend you avoid vigorously washing or rubbing your face for at least one week after treatment.
- You might notice dimpling or bunching in the area where we performed the procedure immediately following your PDO threading. However, this is perfectly normal and should resolve in time.
- We recommend not undergoing any laser and dental work or other procedures involving heat or skin stretching for 4 weeks. You should do even something as simple as flossing with smaller mouth-opening movements.
- You can expect to appreciate the threads’ full effect within 3 to 4 months.
Surgical facelift or PDO lifting threads?
A nonsurgical thread lift is quick and relatively pain free, involves no scarring and has minimal downtime and no hospital stay. The risks are minimal compared to surgery.
Although the results of a PDO thread lift are significant and noticeable, they aren’t quite as drastic as the results from a surgical facelift. However, many people agree that the results of a PDO thread lift look more natural because of the stimulation of natural collagen to maintain them.
Other Aesthetics Services
