Skin Care Education

PDO Threads

Dissolvable sutures inserted beneath the skin to physically lift sagging tissue and stimulate new collagen production, providing a mechanical lift and ongoing structural improvement as the threads dissolve over several months.

What Are PDO Threads?

PDO stands for polydioxanone, a synthetic material that has been used in surgical sutures for decades. In aesthetic practice, PDO threads are fine sutures inserted beneath the skin using a needle or cannula to lift sagging tissue, improve skin firmness, and stimulate the production of new collagen along the thread. As the threads dissolve over four to six months, the collagen they have stimulated remains, providing ongoing structural support in the treated area.

PDO threads come in several types with different applications. Smooth threads, also called mono threads, are plain sutures without any barbs or cones. They are inserted in a mesh or grid pattern and do not provide mechanical lift, but stimulate collagen production along their length, improving skin quality, firmness, and texture in the treated area. Barbed threads, also called cog threads, have tiny projections along their length that catch in the tissue and allow the thread to physically lift and reposition sagging skin. Screw or twisted threads are designed to add volume and improve skin quality in specific areas such as sunken cheeks or the under-eye region.

Thread lift procedures using barbed PDO threads are the most commonly associated with the term thread lift in aesthetic practice. They provide an immediate mechanical lift to descended tissue in areas such as the midface, jowls, brow, and neck, combined with longer-term collagen stimulation as the threads dissolve. The result is both an immediate repositioning of tissue and a gradual improvement in skin quality that persists beyond the dissolution of the thread itself.

What to Expect

Before the procedure, local anaesthetic is injected into the treatment area to numb it. The threads are then inserted using a needle or cannula, with barbed threads anchored and tensioned to lift the tissue into the desired position. The procedure takes between 30 and 60 minutes depending on the number of threads and areas treated.

After treatment, swelling and bruising are common and typically resolve within one to two weeks. The treated area may feel tight and tender for several days, and some people notice small dimples or irregularities on the skin surface immediately after where the threads are tensioned, which usually smooth out over the following days to weeks. The skin may also feel lumpy along the thread tracks initially, which settles as the tissue adapts.

The immediate result is a visible lift that is apparent once the initial swelling resolves, typically at two to four weeks. This is combined with a gradual improvement in skin quality over the following months as the threads stimulate collagen. The full result is usually appreciated at three months, with the improvement persisting for twelve to eighteen months as the threads dissolve and the newly stimulated collagen provides ongoing support.

Who It’s For and Results

PDO threads are suited to those with mild to moderate sagging in the midface, jowls, brow, or neck who want a more immediate mechanical lift than energy-based skin tightening can provide, but who are not ready for or do not want surgery. They are particularly relevant for those in the late thirties to early fifties when tissue descent is noticeable but not so significant that a surgical approach is necessary.

Smooth threads without barbs are suited to a broader range of candidates including those who want general skin quality and firmness improvement without a lifting effect, as a complement to other treatments or as a standalone skin quality treatment in younger clients.

PDO thread lifts produce a more immediate visible result than energy-based tightening treatments, but the degree of lift is less dramatic than surgery. They are best understood as providing a meaningful improvement in tissue position and skin quality rather than a surgical-level correction. For significant tissue descent or excess skin, a surgical assessment remains the more appropriate route.

Frequently Asked Questions: PDO Threads

The threads themselves dissolve over four to six months. However, the collagen stimulated by the threads continues to provide structural support beyond the dissolution of the thread material. Most people experience meaningful improvement for twelve to eighteen months after treatment. As with all non-surgical treatments, the natural ageing process continues, and the results gradually diminish over time. Repeat treatments or combination with other approaches are typically recommended to maintain the improvement over the longer term.

With local anaesthetic applied before the procedure, most people find the treatment tolerable. The injection of local anaesthetic itself produces a brief stinging sensation, and some discomfort during thread placement is normal even with numbing. After treatment, the area typically feels tender and tight for several days. The level of discomfort varies with the number of threads placed and the areas treated. Over-the-counter pain relief is usually sufficient to manage post-procedure discomfort.

PDO threads carry a higher risk profile than most injectable treatments. Common side effects include bruising, swelling, dimpling, and thread visibility or palpability beneath the skin surface. More significant complications can include infection, thread breakage or migration, prolonged dimpling, and asymmetry between the two sides. Choosing a provider with specific training and experience in thread placement, who understands the anatomy of the face and the correct technique for different thread types, significantly reduces these risks. As with any procedure, a thorough consultation and full disclosure of the risk profile before proceeding is essential.

A surgical facelift physically repositions the underlying facial structures and removes excess skin, producing a dramatic and long-lasting structural improvement. A PDO thread lift provides a more modest lift by mechanically repositioning tissue with threads, combined with collagen stimulation as the threads dissolve. The degree of lift achievable with threads is significantly less than surgery and the results last eighteen months rather than years. For those with significant sagging who want a comprehensive structural correction, surgery produces a more complete result. For those with mild to moderate descent who want meaningful improvement without surgery, PDO threads offer a viable intermediate option.