The PDO Thread Lift procedure safely and instantly lifts up loose skin on the face, neck and the body with minimal downtime.
Thread Lift is one the most effective ways to lift the loose skin without surgery. As we age, the effects of gravity become more noticeable on our faces, especially as our facial support structure weakens and we lose facial fat. The areas that are generally affected are the eyebrows, areas around the eyes, the cheeks, the jowls and the neck. The result is a longer, more square-shaped and older-looking face.
Traditionally, most people would look into plastic surgery to get a facelift as there weren’t very effective noninvasive treatments to lift the loose skin. However, now there is an effective nonsurgical option that can lift and contour and suspend the sagging tissues on the face, neck and the body, especially for those that need only minimal to moderate rejuvenation or for those that do not wish to undergo surgical intervention.
Novathreads are hypodermic needles 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 Novathread 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 the Novathreads underneath the skin to lift the loose skin, the skin will heal itself by creating new collagen naturally!
A beautiful and healthy face has a “V-shape”. With the aging of tissues and the action of gravity, this “V-shape” diminishes or inverts. The idea behind the PDO thread lift is to either to create a scaffolding in order to support the tissues and keep them in the “V-shape” or where necessary to delicately lift the tissues and reposition the skin to recreate the “V-shape” where it’s been lost. Although Novathreads can be inserted almost anywhere, even in the body, one area where they are especially effective is the neck and jawline. The lower third of the face is challenging to treat effectively with botulinum toxin or injectable fillers, which are most effective in the upper and middle third of the face, respectively.
Most popular treatment areas are the brows, cheeks (midface), jowls, and the upper neck. However, Thread Lift can be performed virtually anywhere on the body, such as to lift loose skin on the upper arms, stomach, thighs and around the knees.
Type 1 Barb Threads: These sutures are used for the Nu-Lift technique. These threads have tiny barbs on the entire length of the thread to gather tissue to lift the cheeks and sagging skin of where the threads are placed. This technique produces a more dramatic and immediate result. The skin will then build new collagen which will secure the lift and give the lift a longer lasting result.
Type 2 Smooth Threads: These sutures are used for the Nu-Mesh technique. These threads are smaller than the barbed sutures and are smooth (no barbs on the thread). These threads are placed under the skin vertically and horizontally to create a “mesh. This Mesh will serve as the foundation for new collagen production in the skin. The results appear naturally and gradually to improve fine lines and to firm the skin.
Like any procedure using a needle, there is a chance of bruising and swelling. However, in most people, the bruising and swelling is minimal and resolve in less than a week. There is some post-op discomfort which usually resolves quickly in most patients. If the sutures, for some reason, become visible underneath the skin or migrate, it can be easily removed if necessary and new threads can be placed.