PDO Thread Lifting and Facial Contouring
The fastest-growing treatment at Joules is the PDO Thread Lift treatment – and for good reason. We get many questions on how it works, who should get it, downtime, and benefits. So we’re going to break this down simply and medically.
Let’s face it, we all have things we want to correct but we are fearful they may look overly done or not look the way we expected. But not with threads! With thread lifts we can do soft lifts or more dramatic correcting for lifting and contouring. Even with the more “dramatic” results, you still look like the best version of yourself.
Let’s first discuss lifting threads simply: Face & Body
Go in the mirror. Pull your skin subtly taught in any one direction. With a subtle pull in that area is essentially what result you will obtain from threads. Very easy to know what result you’re getting and how natural that looks.
Now go a step further. If you pull more firmly on your skin, that is essentially what result you will receive when you add more than one thread in that area.
Think about it, the more strength you have (from the threads) the more lifting/tightening you will receive. We are creating a stronger foundation. Some are happy with 1 thread (total of 2) for one area. Where others need more.
Below image: Our patient did threads in her cheeks. Looking at the image the left side ( of picture) is done (immediately after) You can see how this lift is natural yet raised her cheek pads, giving her stronger cheekbones, softened her smile lines, lifted her lip slightly and even corrected some minor jowls. 3 threads were placed. Because more were placed, there was more ability to correct other areas.
How Does It Work?
Explained more medically below.
So now you have an idea of what they can do for you. How does this work? It’s simple. This does not involve cutting or incisions. This is a non-invasive treatment. It’s simply a poke where a PDO thread (suture) is placed in the desired area. The thread(s) stay in place for about 4-6 months and dissolves. During this period, the threads continue to produce collagen. Many start seeing collagen produce in as little as few weeks for more youthful skin. Not only will you see immediate results, it continues to get better. By the time the threads have fully dissolved, you have created enough collagen that is supporting the lift with your natural collagen. It’s that simple.
Why Joules Medspa Has Been The Go-To Place For This Treatment:
We have several patients traveling hours or out of state to get their thread lifts done at Joules. The 2 biggest factors is our technique used and the quality of PDO threads we use. We use the highest quality PDO threads. One of our threads can be equivalent to two threads in other brands. They provide more strength. We have top of the line numbing, making the treatment very comfortable. Many say filler was more uncomfortable than a thread treatment. We also offer great pricing. If you research the national average or even the local average, you will find our pricing is great. Especially considering the training & education, the end result and the experience you receive.
Who Should Consider a Thread Lift?
Whether you want a more natural definition to your face or you need a lift, threads may be the best option.
As we age, our facial support structure weakens, and we lose facial fat. The affected areas generally include the cheeks, the eyebrows, and other areas around the eyes, jowls and the neck. Younger patients are wanting more structure, lifting a fuller face, where filler may not be the best option or they simply want stronger features. Where in more mature skin, we are lifting and tightening jowls, and giving the face an overall lift.
See the image . This patient is in her early twenties. One side done. (Immediately after) This softened her smile lines, gave her a V formation by her chin area, softened under the eyes and lifted her cheeks up. Natural and corrected result.
Younger Patients
Younger patients may experience cheek and brow ptosis (sagging caused by weakened muscles.) For these people especially, a thread lift may be the best alternative.
We see many younger patients that want more contouring. Sharper jawline & edges, higher cheekbones, softening their smile lines, the eyebrow lift aka ponytail lift and some are candidates for under the eyes.
Patient 35 who did her cheeks and jawline. She wanted contouring and definition to her face. These were taken 2 days apart. The left side is before. The right side is after. We did a soft lift. One thread in the cheeks and one in the jawline. For more enhanced results, we recommend adding another thread to each area.
Mature Skin
More mature skin choose a thread lift verse a more aggressive facelift procedure to provide additional support. As we age, we lose that V formation. Jowls start appearing, cheek pads fall, smile lines deepen… gravity has taken over. Using lifting threads in these areas will give you that youthful and natural look.
image of more mature skin using thread lifting and smoothing threads. These were taken 2 weeks apart. Once collagen has more time produce, her skin will become even softer.
Smoothing threads work great in conjunction with lifting threads or done alone. Smoothing threads soften fine lines and texture. Giving your skin a boost of collagen and supple skin.
Patient received smoothing threads to soften fine lines and texture.
Areas are unlimited between thread treatments. There are lifting threads, smoothing threads, acne scars, under-eye threads, threads for the nose, knees, a butt or breast lift, and the list goes on. We will do a dedicated blog post for body threads.
Image for under eyes: A consult is needed. If you are hollow, we may suggest just filler or a combination of filler and then use threads to pull skin firmly for long-lasting results.
Commonly Asked Questions
How Long Do They Last:
12-18 months. We would suggest if you want to keep the collagen support, to come back in around 10-12 months for a maintenance treatment. This will keep collagen promotion and you could enjoy your results for an additional 2 years.
Average Cost vs. Joules Medspa Cost:
Thread lifts can cost from $1,500 to $4,500. These costs vary based on the extent of the procedure and the areas treated. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons reported that the national average physician fee for thread lifts are $2,443.
With us at Joules, our price starts at just $599 for under eyes and $699+ for other facial areas. The average patient (depending on the health of skin & desired goal) will pay between $699-$1400. Skin Club Members enjoy additional savings.
How Long Until I See Results:
As you can see from the above pictures, some results are seen immediately with the final results of your PDO thread lift will be seen within one to two months of your treatment. Smoothing threads, how long it takes you personally depends a lot on your age. Your age is one of the leading factors in how quickly your body produces new, healthy collagen.
Downtime:
Some experience bruising while some do not. Some tenderness for about 1-2 weeks is normal. There is very minimal recovery/downtime with threads.
What To Avoid Post Treatment:
Avoid exercising for seven days after your treatment. You can still walk at a moderate pace. However, you must avoid performing vigorous cardiovascular exercise or resistance training.
No dental procedures for at least 7-14 days.
PDO Threads Explained Medically:
Threads are preloaded with a synthetic PDO absorbable suture. PDO (polydioxanone) sutures are surgical sutures that are used to perform cardiac surgery. All sutures are FDA-approved and PDO sutures are one of the safest materials that can be used in the body. Your skin will fully absorb the threads within 4 to 6 months without leaving any scar tissue.
While the sutures are underneath the skin, however, your skin gently reacts to the skin creating a “selective inflammatory response” to produce collagen to create a longer-lasting result: This principle is behind a lot of aesthetic procedures (such as fractioned lasers, skin tightening treatments, and microneedling). Our skin is excellent at repairing itself, and by inserting our PDO threads underneath the skin to lift the loose skin, the skin will heal itself by creating new collagen naturally!
Head over to our gallery on Instagram to see more results, videos, and education. Still, have questions? Feel free to set up a free consultation.
All treatments were done by Grace.
