Thread Lift (APTOS & PDO)

A thread lift uses absorbable surgical threads inserted under the skin to lift and reposition sagging tissue and stimulate collagen along their path. At Medeste Clinic — where lifting threads are one of Dr Menzel's focus areas — both finer PDO threads for skin firming and stronger barbed APTOS and PCL threads for a non-surgical lift of the cheeks, brow and jaw are offered. It suits patients wanting more lift than injectables give but without surgery.

A thread lift is a minimally invasive alternative to surgical lifting that uses fine, absorbable threads placed beneath the skin. Smooth or twisted PDO threads are used mainly to firm and revitalise an area by stimulating collagen along their length, while barbed or cog threads — such as APTOS and longer-lasting PCL threads — have tiny hooks that grip the tissue so the practitioner can gently lift and reposition it, softening jowls, lifting the cheeks or elevating the brow and giving a subtle, non-surgical refresh. At Medeste Clinic the procedure is performed by a plastic surgeon under local anaesthetic and typically takes thirty to sixty minutes. Through tiny entry points the threads are introduced with a fine needle or cannula and anchored; the immediate lift is then refined by hand. Some swelling, tenderness, bruising and a feeling of tightness or slight puckering are normal for several days to two weeks as the tissues settle. The threads themselves dissolve over the following months, but the collagen they stimulate along their path is associated with a longer-lasting firmness, so results commonly hold for around a year to eighteen months depending on the thread type and the patient. A thread lift suits adults with mild-to-moderate sagging who want more lift than injectables provide but are not ready for surgery; it can be combined with toxin and filler. The physician assesses suitability, explains the realistic degree of lift and reviews contraindications at consultation.