Facial Thread Lift
Polydioxanone (PDO) Thread Lift is a new facial rejuvenating treatment that fights skin flaccidity in the face and the neck. It differentiates itself from older thread lift techniques such as Gold Thread Lift also known as ‘Russian thread lift’ or the ‘Brazilian threads lift’ in that PDO thread lift is applied quickly and without the need for incisions or suture in a single 30 minutes session.
This treatment makes use of polydioxanone suture threads, a medical supply which has been used for years in heart and ophthalmological surgery. PDO threads are biocompatible and absorbable. They are inserted in the dermis and their presence induces fibrosis (a collagen buildup around them) which tightens up and smoothes the skin, providing a certain facelift-like effect. PDO threads are absorbed by the body 6 or 7 months after their insertion. The collagen fibres grown around them stay for a longer time, providing further tightening and smoothing effects, so the complete effect of this treatment lasts between a year and a year and a half.
PDO Thread Lift is recommended when the first signs of flaccidity, skin sag or loss of the face’s oval shape show up. It’s recommended for patients whose age means a lower capacity for their skin to regenerate its supporting tissues, too.
The appropriate areas to apply this treatment are the forehead, cheeks, mandibular arch and neck.
The advantages of this new absorbable thread lift system are:
- It won’t give rise to tearings, scars, complications or allergies.
- It doesn’t add volume to the skin.
- Its results can be enhanced with additional sessions.
- It is compatible with other aesthetic treatments in the same areas.
- The treatment can be repeatedly applied in the same areas once the passage of time has made previous treatments lose their effects.
It ought to be pointed out that thread lift therapy won’t substitute traditional lifting surgery procedures, although its preventive and reparative antiflaccidity effects help delay the need of such a surgery.
Treatment
Before the application of the PDO Threads a cleanup of the skin is done to eliminate any impurities. After applying an antiseptic product the doctor uses a dermographic pencil to draw a series of lines that will serve to guide him during the insertion of the threads. They are inserted via very thin needles of specific lengths for each thread. The mere action of retracting the needle tightens the thread without the need of any anchoring.
After the session the patient can resume her daily activities without delay. Aftereffects are at a minimum: edema, redness or some haematoma. They disappear after a few hours or days.
The number of threads to insert varies according to the patient’s basal state, the skin’s degree of flaccidity, the extension of the area to be treated, and the patient’s response to the treatment. Every case must be evaluated on an individual basis.
Results
Thread lift’s effects begin to show up around a month after the session, reaching its full effect three months after the treatment and holding up for approximately 12 to 18 months, depending on each patient’s age, physical condition and healthy habits.