Thread Lifting (PDO)

Non-surgical thread lifting at EsteticUsti uses polydioxanone (PDO) — a hypoallergenic suture material used in surgery for over 15 years — to mechanically lift and reposition sagging facial soft tissue without incisions, general anaesthesia, or significant recovery time. The threads dissolve completely within 6–8 months (producing CO2 and water), but their lifting and collagen-stimulating effect persists for 1.5–2 years because the body lays down a new collagen scaffold along the thread tracks. The full procedure takes approximately 20 minutes under topical anaesthetic only, and patients return to normal activities immediately.

Polydioxanone (PDO) thread lifting exploits two biological mechanisms simultaneously. First, mechanical repositioning: the thread, introduced via a cannula through a needle-entry point, acts as a physical anchor — supporting and lifting the tissue immediately upon insertion. The thread's surface (smooth or barbed, depending on the technique) grips the tissue planes and holds the repositioned structure against gravity. Second, fibroplasia induction: the body's foreign-body response to the dissolving thread triggers localised collagen synthesis. As the PDO hydrolyses over 6–8 months, fibroblasts lay down type I and III collagen along the thread track — creating a durable scaffolding that maintains lift long after the thread has been fully absorbed. The result is a lasting structural improvement rather than a temporary volumetric effect. At EsteticUsti, both smooth PDO threads (for skin quality and biostimulation without heavy lifting) and barbed PDO threads (for stronger mechanical repositioning of the midface, jowl, and neck) are available. The 'Happy Lift' programme uses HAPPY LIFT Revitalizing threads — a patented design featuring a fishbone-barb structure that anchors more securely into soft tissue — for targeted small-area lifting such as the brow, nasolabial fold, and neck. Happy Lift threads are administered under local anaesthetic. Pre-treatment for Happy Lift includes avoiding caffeine and nicotine, taking vitamin K supplements for one week, and — if there is a history of oral herpes — starting antiviral prophylaxis 48 hours before. A 10-day antibiotic course follows treatment. After all thread procedures, patients should minimise vigorous facial movement for 24 hours, eat soft foods, and sleep with the head elevated. Light activities resume after 25 days; intense exercise after 45 days. Thread lifting can be combined with radiofrequency treatments and amino acid therapy for synergistic results. Contraindications include active infection, blood coagulation disorders, and immunosuppression.