What is a Tight Thread Lift
Tight Thread lift with PDO threads is a safe, innovative method to reduce face laxity and lift the lax tissues without a surgical procedure. PDO Lifting Threads are 100% bio-absorbable. They form a supportive lattice lifting and supporting safely the facial and body tissues. Tight Thread lift cannot replace a surgical facelift but it can be an excellent alternative for individuals with mild skin laxity or ever for individuals with severe skin laxity who don’t want to undergo a surgical operation.
PDO is used widely in surgery for the production of sutures and, being completely absorbable, is frequently applied in the stitching of internal tissues. PDO threads are widely used in aesthetic surgery the last 5 years. They are produced in South Korea, strictly following the European Safety Specifications (CE), after many years of research.
Duration of the procedure and its results
The treatment lasts from 30 to 45 minutes. You will feel a slight irritation in the thread entrance points immediately after the procedure. The threads are not visible and usually we can return to our everyday activities right away. You can see some results right after thread placement (20-30% of the final outcome). These results improve on a daily basis for the next 2-3 weeks. The final outcome can be seen in three months. Biodegrading of the threads is completed in 6 to 8 months and by then they should be completely absorbed. During all this time the body creates a lattice of elastic collagen threads surrounding the inserted PDO threads. Results of the treatment last twelve to sixteen months.
Types of threads`
There are 7 different kinds of threads, according to their form and the material used. Each kind has different properties and is used to produce different results, according to the needs of your skin and of the treated area. For example, there are threads that promote natural collagen production, threads for a better lifting effect, threads that give better results with wrinkles etc. Your surgeon will choose the best combination. The treatment varies according to the specific needs of each patient.
Advantages of the new absorbable thread vs the old non absorbable threads
Full absorption of the threads ensures that long term skin reactions, like the ones resulting from old technology non-absorbable threads, will not occur. The fact that the threads are completely absorbable, leaving nothing in the treated area except collagen, ensures that these threads can be used as often as we want whenever we want to improve our skin. It is the only method of targeted collagen creation with obvious lifting effects.
The combination with other injectable treatments
Thread application can be used in combination with the usual injectable face treatments (Botox or hyaluronic based wrinkle fillers). Combined techniques have complementary effects provided that the different treatments are not applied in the same area. Botox can be applied in an area treated with threads after 10 days and hyaluronic acid treatment can be applied after a month. Threads offer a good solution when there is jaw line laxity and “drooping” ,compared to Botox and hyaluronic acid treatments that give poor results. The same applies to neck laxity, where Botox and hyaluronic acid treatments do not help. When the thread treatment is applied to the forehead or the “crow’s feet” (common areas for Botox treatment) not only it boosts the Botox results but it prolongs their effect. All the collagen producing treatments like laser, IPL or peeling can be used in combination to achieve better results.
Instructions before and after the treatment
You should avoid consuming alcohol and aspirin (Salospir, Aspirin) and all the other anticoagulants (Sintrom, Plavix, Iscover) three days before and three days after the procedure. The patients are advised to avoid heavy chewing at least 24 hours after treatment. You can apply face cream gently. The patient should avoid pressing his/her face or remove makeup vigorously. It is advised to avoid exercising for 7 days, but if you take part in violent sports and there is a possibility of face injury, you should abstain from this activity for six weeks.
Unwanted effects
Immediately after the treatment, you will feel a slight irritation in the entrance points of the threads. During the application, some bruising might occur because your face is an area with a very dense vascular structure. Bruising wears off in a few days.