PDO Thread Lift

PDO (polydioxanone) thread lift at Lemmon Avenue Plastic Surgery for non-surgical face lifting and skin tightening. Barbed absorbable sutures are inserted under the skin to mechanically lift sagging tissue while stimulating collagen production along the thread tracts. Suited for mild to moderate facial laxity in the brow, midface, jowls, and neck. Results are associated with lasting twelve to eighteen months. Minimal downtime — mild swelling and bruising for three to five days.

The PDO (polydioxanone) thread lift offered at Lemmon Avenue Plastic Surgery provides a minimally invasive mechanical lift and collagen stimulation for patients with mild to moderate facial laxity who are not yet ready for surgical facelift or who want to extend time between surgical procedures. Polydioxanone is a bioabsorbable polymer used in surgical sutures for decades with a well-established safety record; in the thread lift context, it is formed into barbed or smooth monofilament strands that are inserted through a cannula or needle into the subcutaneous tissue layer beneath the skin. Barbed threads have bidirectional or unidirectional barbs along their length that catch and grip the tissue, allowing the inserting physician to mechanically reposition the tissue upward along the thread's orientation before the entry needle is removed — the barbs anchor the repositioned tissue in the lifted position. Smooth threads do not provide lift but are laid in a grid pattern to stimulate collagen deposition along the thread tracts as the body's fibroblasts respond to the foreign material over weeks, improving skin texture and density in the treated zone. The two mechanisms — immediate mechanical lift from barbed threads and gradual collagen neogenesis along all thread types — combine to produce a lifting and tightening effect that develops over one to three months as collagen matures. Common treatment zones include the brow and forehead for lateral brow lifting, the midface and nasolabial fold area for cheek repositioning, the jowl line for lower face definition, and the neck for platysmal laxity and submental contour. PDO threads are absorbed over six to nine months, but the collagen stimulation they induce persists longer; overall results are associated with lasting twelve to eighteen months. The procedure is performed under local anesthesia and takes forty-five to sixty minutes. Post-procedure mild swelling, bruising, and a sensation of tissue tightness typically resolve within three to five days.