NON SURGICAL LIFTING WITH THREADS–PDO Lifting Threads
PDO Lifting Threads are 100% bio-absorbable polypropylene threads equipped with special hooks and form a supportive mesh that lifts and supports facial and body tissues in a completely safe manner. They do not replace surgical lifting but are a very good alternative for those people who have mild sagging or even significant sagging but do not wish to undergo surgery
They do not replace surgical lifting but are a very good alternative for those people who have mild sagging or even significant sagging but do not wish to undergo surgery
First, the doctor makes a plan with the places where he will place the threads. Then local anesthesia is applied to the area and the threads are placed subcutaneously (under the skin). After placing them, the doctor removes the guide needles that carry the threads and thus the application is completed. There is no limit to the number of threads that can be used, nor to the areas of the face or body that will be applied (there are patients who wish to apply to the entire face from the start or simultaneous application to the face and buttocks, chest, etc. )
Polypropylene is a material used to make sutures in surgery and is often used in suturing vessels. PDO threads have been widely used in aesthetic medicine around the world for the past 2 years and are produced in South Korea after years of research, strictly following European safety standards (CE).
"The non-surgical lifting with threads is the latest development in the field of dermatosurgery. It gives us the possibility with completely bioabsorbable threads which are made of polypropylene and which are completely absorbed in 6 months to lift and tighten the face. The big plus of the treatment is that we can now have an impressive result in areas where other treatments such as Botox and Hyaluronic did not have much effect. I am referring to the neck area and the contour of the jaw. On the jawline. In faces that have a tumor at a young age such as cheekbones and cheeks as they grow older they have a downward trend and now with threads we have the possibility to lift these faces and to tighten and eliminate wrinkles from the neck. The treatment is easy, it is done with local anesthesia, in a painless way, it lasts about 45 minutes, the patient immediately returns to his activities without any discomfort or suffering. Of course, the threads can be inserted into any other area of the face. We have used threads on both the crow's feet and the forehead for a brow lift, and our patients tell us that where we have combined threads with classic treatments such as Botox, the results of Botox last longer. We can also put threads on any part of the body. We can put it on the chest for lifting, on the buttocks and in any part of the body we want to achieve lifting or tightening. It is an innovative method that is applied in very few centers and which essentially offers us an easy and painless alternative to the surgical scalpel."
How long does the treatment last and when do we see its results? How long do these last?
The treatment is performed with local anesthesia (by application of xylocaine-emla cream or stem anesthesia with injectable xylocaine) and lasts from 30-45 minutes. Immediately after treatment there is mild irritation at the thread entry points. The threads are not visible and we can return to our activities immediately. The results are visible immediately after the placement of the threads (we immediately see the 20-30% of the final result) and improve significantly in the next 2-3 weeks, while the maximum result is observed at 6 months. The biodegradation of the threads takes place within 6 months, when they are completely absorbed. But during this time, the body has created a mesh of collagen and elastic fibers around the threads we placed (foreign body reaction) and for this reason the results of the treatment last twelve to sixteen months.
In which areas of the face and body can the thread be applied?
Practically everywhere! On the face, forehead and mid-frow wrinkles are applied as well as brow lift application (these applications are particularly useful for people who do not want botox treatment). In the "crow's feet" eye, but also in the fine wrinkles under the eye. Impressive are the results on the cheeks (cheeks), on the jaw line where lifting is achieved and on the neck where significant tightening is achieved.
On the body, it is applied to the chest and buttocks for lifting, to the arms, to the hands and to the thighs and abdomen for tightening.
What are the possible side effects or complications when applying the threads?
Immediately after treatment there is mild irritation at the thread entry points. During the application, because the face is an area with particularly increased vascularity, some swelling may occur, which will subside in a few days. In these cases we apply cooling with ice immediately after application and in the following days we apply cream with arnica
Can threads be combined with other classic injectable facial treatments to get even more improved results?
The application of threads can be combined with classic injectable facial treatments (Botox or Hyaluronic implants to fill wrinkles) and this works in addition. In other words, the threads offer a solution to the relaxation and sagging of the skin in the jaw line, an area where Botox or Hyaluronic have very poor results. The same applies to relaxation in the neck area, where again Botox and Hyaluronic help little. In addition, when the threads are applied to areas such as the forehead or "crow's feet" (classic botox application areas) the effects of botox are enhanced and prolonged over time
What other facial treatments are recommended to be combined with threading?
The therapeutic protocol for the application of threads recommends their combination with autologous mesotherapy with PRP (platelet-rich plasma). This is done by drawing blood from the patient himself. After separating (by centrifugation) the plasma and platelets, we activate them and place them with micro-pumps (injections) on the patient's skin as mesotherapy. In this way we take advantage of the growth factors we have in our platelets! Autologous mesotherapy can be preceded 15-30 days before the placement of threads, but there are also treatment protocols in which the two treatments are done at the same time. The combination of these two treatments offers the best result.
Advantages of absorbable sutures over prior non-absorbable technology
The complete absorption of the threads ensures that granulomas and other skin tissue reactions will not occur as seen with older non-absorbable thread technology.
Is there any special preparation needed before threading? Instructions for the patient to follow after application?
It is recommended to avoid taking alcohol and aspirin (Salospir, Aspirin) and other anticoagulants (Sintrom, Plavix, Iscover) 3 days before and 3 days after the operation. Patients are advised to avoid vigorous chewing for at least 24 hours afterwards. During the first 3 days it is good to use 2 pillows when sleeping. Face cream can be applied with gentle movements. The patient should avoid pressing the face in the first days, as well as removing make-up with strong movements. It is recommended to avoid exercise for 7 days, while in case of engaging in violent sports that have a high probability of facial injury, the period of recommended abstinence increases to 6 weeks
Does the specific treatment require any recovery time from the patient?
No, the patient can return to his daily activities immediately after the treatment.