What PDO Threads Are

PDO stands for polydioxanone, a material that has been used in surgical stitches for decades and dissolves safely in the body. In a thread lift, fine PDO threads are placed beneath the skin through a thin needle or cannula.

Some threads are smooth and mainly stimulate collagen. Others carry small barbs, or cogs, that grip the tissue so it can be lifted and repositioned. The threads themselves dissolve over roughly six months, but the collagen they trigger continues to support the tissue after they have gone.

What They Can Do

Threads work best for mild to moderate sagging: early jowls, a softening jawline, a flattening mid-face, a drooping brow tail, or fullness beneath the chin. They can lift, sharpen and refresh a face without incisions or a general anaesthetic.

What They Cannot Do

1. They are not a facelift

   Threads reposition tissue. They do not remove excess skin. For heavy laxity, the lift is limited and short-lived, and a surgical opinion is the honest recommendation.

2. They do not replace volume

   If a face has lost volume, lifting it with threads alone can make it look tight rather than refreshed. Many of the best results combine threads with filler.

3. They are not permanent

   Most patients see results that last from around a year to eighteen months, depending on age, skin quality and lifestyle. It is a treatment you maintain, not a one-off.

A thread lift lifts what is there. It cannot add back what has gone.

The Realistic Timeline

The procedure itself usually takes under an hour, with local anaesthetic. There is an immediate lift, which is often slightly over-corrected on purpose.

The first week is the week to plan around. Expect swelling, some bruising, and tenderness when you open your mouth wide or sleep on your side. Small puckers or dimples near the entry points are common early on and usually settle. Most people feel comfortable returning to work within a few days.

The result settles over two to three weeks. The collagen effect then builds gradually over the following months, which is why many patients look better at three months than at three weeks.

The Risks Worth Knowing

Complications are usually minor and temporary: bruising, asymmetry, a thread you can see or feel, or dimpling. Less commonly, a thread can move or work its way towards the surface and need removing. Infection is rare with sterile technique.

Questions to Ask Before You Book

A practitioner who answers these clearly, and who tells you honestly when threads are not right for you, is the one to trust. At Bluorchid, thread lifts are planned as part of a facial profiling consultation, alongside the other options, so you see where threads fit rather than being sold them. For how threads work alongside other treatments on the lower face, see Why Your Jawline Changes With Age.

Common Questions