FTC Thread Lift — Face Contouring

FTC (Face & Body Thread Contour) therapy is a minimally invasive lifting and rejuvenation method that implants fine polydioxanone (PDO) threads into the target tissue layer using an acupuncture-fine needle. At Kožní Keclíková, only FTC Therapy-certified physicians perform this treatment. PDO is a medical-grade polymer already used in dissolvable sutures — 100% biocompatible and fully absorbed within approximately nine months. As the thread dissolves, it triggers a sustained collagen and elastin response, so the lifting and firming effect from the collagen scaffold may persist for up to two years. The face contour menu covers the forehead, glabella, eye area, nasolabial folds, mouth corners, jaw, cheeks, and neck, either as individual zones or as a comprehensive full-face package.

FTC Therapy is a thread-lifting method developed specifically to bridge the gap between traditional acupuncture-inspired stimulation and Western soft-tissue lifting surgery. At Kožní Keclíková (Medincentrum), the treatment is performed exclusively by physicians who hold additional FTC Therapy certification — a requirement of the FTC system — ensuring that both the implantation technique and patient selection are carried out to the manufacturer's clinical protocol. The PDO threads used are 100% polydioxanone, the same absorbable polymer used in cardiovascular and orthopaedic sutures for decades. Each thread is delivered into the dermis or subdermal layer through the lumen of a fine needle that is then withdrawn, leaving the thread in place. Because the needle is very fine — comparable to an acupuncture needle — the procedure causes minimal tissue trauma compared with thicker cannula-based thread systems, and there is no risk of the fibrosis associated with permanent or thicker non-absorbable implants. Once implanted, the threads act through two mechanisms. Mechanically, they create an immediate vector of tension that slightly elevates and compresses ptotic tissue — visible as a mild lift from the first session. Biologically, the PDO polymer triggers a localised wound-healing response: fibroblasts migrate to the thread, deposit new collagen and elastin around it, and continue producing this extracellular matrix after the polymer has been absorbed. The resulting collagen scaffold may persist for up to two years, which is considerably longer than the nine months it takes for the thread itself to dissolve. At the Medincentrum clinic, face contouring treats the forehead and glabella for horizontal and vertical expression lines, the periorbital area for crow's feet and under-eye ptosis, the nasolabial folds and mouth corners for the shadow lines that create a tired appearance, and the jawline and cheeks for mid-face volumetric loss and contour softening. A neck programme addresses submental laxity and fine neck lines. Local or topical anaesthetic cream is available for each zone; a full-face package combines all zones with local anaesthetic for a single comprehensive session. An advanced full-face package adds screw-type PDO threads to both cheeks, which provide additional volumetric lifting for a V-shaped facial contour. Side effects are confined to temporary swelling and bruising at implantation sites, which typically resolve within a few days to two weeks. Patients may notice a mild pulling sensation or briefly palpate threads under the skin — both are transient. The treatment is not suitable during pregnancy, for patients on anticoagulants without physician clearance, or at sites of active infection.