PDO Thread Lifting: Does the Effect Disappear Right Away When It Dissolves? [Thread Lifting Removal? / Thread Lifting Without Sedation?]

Hello. This is Soon Plus Plastic Surgery.

Many people are considering thread lifting to refine uneven facial lines or improve a double chin.

While many people know about the effects of thread lifting, how is it made? Does the effect also decrease when the threads dissolve? Can it be removed?

We will take some time to gather and organize these often-asked questions one by one.

Threads generally use a medical thread called a PDO thread.

A PDO thread is one of the threads used for suturing, and it is used for lifting after creating barbs on the thread.

Because PDO threads are absorbable threads, they are also called dissolvable threads. Dissolvable threads are used to stitch the inside of the skin or muscles, and lifting is performed using threads made of the same PDO material. Since the thread is smooth, barbs are created on it.

As shown in the photo above, barbs are made like spikes, and the shape of the barbs differs by thread lifting product company.

Some are molded, and some are cut, but basically all materials are made of PDO. However, each company uses different shapes and manufacturing methods, so the advantages and characteristics of each thread can differ slightly.

Among PDO thread lifting products, Mint thread lifting is preferred by many people. It has been used for a long time and is a thread lifting product approved by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety as a thread for facial tissue fixation.

Even if you undergo thread lifting today, the threads do not suddenly disappear a month later. They gradually weaken and are absorbed after about one year.

Since the lifting effect comes from the barbs on the threads, once the threads are completely dissolved, the barbs disappear as well, so it can be said that the effect also gradually fades. Also, as time passes, the threads break down in the body and disappear.

If you are not satisfied with the thread lifting effect, can it be removed before the threads dissolve? Because thread lifting has many barbs by design, removal can be difficult. Simply put, when thread lifting is performed, the barbs on the thread hook into the tissue to create the lifting effect, so if you want to reduce the effect, the barbs hooked into the tissue are released.

However, for about 2 to 3 weeks after thread lifting, swelling occurs and people worry that the condition will remain that way, but the swelling gradually goes down and after about 3 to 4 weeks, the lifting effect becomes visible. Because of this, it is also rare to release the threads out of such concern.

For those who are uncomfortable with general anesthesia or want a quick recovery, thread lifting without sedation is also performed. If thread lifting is done after local anesthesia in the area where the threads are inserted and along the direction the threads pass, thread lifting can be received without sedation and without major pain or discomfort.

Is communication with the medical staff possible during a non-sedated procedure? Because each medical team has a different style, some perform the procedure while talking with the patient, while others focus on the procedure for concentration. However, during the procedure, the patient’s discomfort, questions, and so on can be discussed while the procedure is being performed, so that the desired outcome can be achieved as much as possible.

The difficulty level of Mint thread lifting itself can be said to be not very high, but if the medical staff has little experience with thread lifting, they may go through a lot of trial and error.

The depth when the thread goes in, and the depth and resistance when passing through the bone, vary depending on the patient’s facial contours and skin thickness, so the key is to determine the depth and resistance well. Therefore, if there is not enough experience, thread lifting can be difficult, but if there is abundant experience with thread lifting, medical staff can perform a highly complete thread lifting procedure by applying their own know-how.

There are various lifting procedures besides thread lifting, including incision-based lifting procedures such as face lift and mini lift, as well as laser lifting procedures such as Ulthera and Shurink.

Because each patient has different concerns and different needs, we hope you can improve your concerns by receiving help from the most suitable lifting procedure for you through a more careful consultation with a plastic surgeon specializing in lifting.

Thank you.