Facial thread lifts became popular thanks to an appealing promise: a quick lifting effect without surgery and with little downtime. Before deciding, it is important to understand what the evidence says about how long the effect lasts and what risks are involved.
What are they?
These are sutures inserted beneath facial and neck skin using fine needles. Small barbs engage the tissue; tension on the threads creates a lifting effect. Polydioxanone is the most widely used material today, hence the term PDO threads, and it is said to stimulate collagen production.
Thread lifts have been used for more than twenty years, with substantial changes to the materials and anchoring methods.
How long do the effects last?
A study published in Aesthetic Surgery Journal, one of the most important aesthetic surgery journals, followed 160 patients treated with polydioxanone threads by experienced surgeons, measuring the results objectively. One of its authors is Dr. Giovanni Botti, with whom I trained in Italy.
The study found that the effect was visible from day one and usually looked better at one month, partly because of tissue inflammation caused by the threads. By six months, the effect had decreased markedly; by one year, it had disappeared completely.
What complications can occur?
Even in expert hands, the study reported complications in about one in three patients. The most common were:
Threads that can be felt or seen through the skin and need to be removed.
Redness and swelling along the threads, which may also require removal and can leave scars.
Infection, which requires removing the threads immediately.
Facial stiffness, when the thread becomes too tense and pulls the tissue unnaturally.
If you decide to have a thread lift, choose a specialist physician with a thorough understanding of facial anatomy.
So, do they work?
They have a role. They can be an alternative for people who cannot undergo surgery with anesthesia because of conditions such as heart or lung disease. The study's authors suggest they may be most useful as an addition to surgery.
If you are healthy and want lasting facial rejuvenation, bear in mind that a thread lift's effects fade within a year, while facelift results last for many years. I discuss this in “Facial rejuvenation: surgery or nonsurgical treatment?”
References
- Bertossi D, Botti G, Gualdi A, Fundarò P, Nocini R, Pirayesh A, van der Lei B. Effectiveness, Longevity, and Complications of Facelift by Barbed Suture Insertion. Aesthet Surg J. 2019;39(3):241-247.
- Wu WTL. Commentary on: Effectiveness, Longevity, and Complications of Facelift by Barbed Suture Insertion. Aesthet Surg J. 2019;39(3):248-253.