PDO Thread Lifts

Faces By Lina at Glen Dental

PDO Thread Lifts are a form of non-surgical face lift. If your face has loosening or sagging skin and you want a tighter, fresher more youthful look, you should seriously consider this treatment.
It’s a facelift without surgery, there are no cuts and no incisions, just injections.
We’ve been amazed at how effective it is. Our patients love the results and many of our own staff have wanted the treatment. In fact, we think this is the best non-surgical facelift available and predict this will become our number one treatment.

What are PDO Threads?

PDO stands for polydioxanone and is a material that has been used in the medical world for decades. PDO Threads are a suture like material that is used to sagging skin around the face and neck area. PDO threads are an absorbable suture which can stay in the skin for up to 6 months, however the lifting effect is long lasting as they encourage the body to produce new collagen which may last for up to 2 years.

What is a PDO Thread Lifts?

PDO Thread lifts use polydioxanone threads which have anchor points which hold the tissue and provide lifting when tensioned. The threads then dissolve, promoting the generation of collagen to maintain the lifting effect and improving skin tone.

How does PDO Thread Lifts Work?

Using a really fine needle or cannula, the PDO threads are injected into the skin, and sometimes the muscle, to tighten the skin.

The PDO threads have a powerful dual effect. The first is to give an immediate lifting effect. The second is to simulate your body’s own collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid.

• Collagen is a protein responsible for the tension and firmness of your skin.
• Elastin is responsible for skin firmness and elasticity.
• Hyaluronic Acid causes your skin to rehydrate. Stimulating your own skin’s own production of hyaluronic acid results in improved skin moisture and less-prominent wrinkles.

Depending on the aesthetic harmony of your face, the PDO Thread Lift can be used to:

• Give the entire mid and lower face a natural but noticeable lift
• Lift the corners of the mouth and volumises the lips
• Soften the nose-to-mouth lines (nasolabial folds)
• Firm the jaw line and jowl area
• Correct and improve facial symmetry
• Lift the neck and define the jaw line

Free facial analysis consultations at Glen Dental

We offer a free consultation for facial aesthetics, so, if you are considering this treatment with Dr. Lina Kotecha and would like to find out more, please call us on 0116 2593386 today to book.

1. Background of PDO Threads

   Polydioxanone (PDO) has been used in tissue engineering and surgery for over 30 years. The material has an excellent safety profile with no reports of allergic reactions or long term complications and is used on a daily basis in hospitals for would closure and in plastic surgery, ophthalmology, gynaecology and general surgery.
   Cosmetic application in the form of threads for facial lifting and neo-collagenesis was first developed in Korea and the products have soon spread across Europe and the rest of the world and gained popularity in the aesthetic market.

2. How do the threads work?
   • Thread anchor points hold the tissue and provide lifting when tensioned.
   • Mechanical stimulation of the cells in the skin following insertion into the dermis or subcutaneous tissue.
   • Via the biomedical properties of the Polydioxanone(PDO) which as the threads dissolve, promote the generation collagen to maintain the lifting effect and improve the skin tone.
3. What is the process?

   Local anaesthetic is applied to the face and Dr. Lina Kotecha inserts the PDO thread under the skin using a fine needle or cannula.

   After inserting the thread, the she applies slight pressure on the treated area to reshape the surface of the skin and achieve the immediate lift.

4. Which areas can be treated?

   PDO Threads can be used to treat various parts of the face:

   • Contour
   • Lower jaw and jowls
   • Around the mouth to reduce peri oral lines
   • Cheeks
   • Neck
5. Is this treatment for me?

   The PDO thread lift is suited to men and women between the ages of 40 and 70.

   The procedure is most effective on skin that has minimal sagging and offers the best results for cheeks, jowls, brows and the neck area. If you are looking for results that are more effective and long lasting than Botox and other fillers, then a thread lift is the ideal choice.

   If you are put off by traditional surgery or don’t want general anaesthetic, then a thread lift is great as it is minimally invasive and can be carried out under local anaesthetic.

6. How long do the results last?

   The visible benefits of PDO Thread Lifts can last up to 12 months.

7. What must be done before PDO Thread Lift treatment?

   No special preparation is required prior to PDO Thread Lift treatment. However, we recommend that you discuss your expectations and ask any questions to Dr Lina Kotecha at your initial consultation and before you have any treatment. Inform Dr Lina Kotecha of any treatment you have already received and of any medicines you are currently taking.

8. What happens immediately after PDO Thread Lift treatment?

   After PDO Thread Lift treatment, as with any cosmetic treatment, some slight swelling, redness or bruising may sometimes be observed, but these disappear within days. There is sometimes some wrinkling of the skin (required for optimisation of the treatment) which disappears very quickly.

9. Is the treatment painful?

   No, the treatment is performed under local anaesthetic of certain points of the area to be treated, so avoiding pain during insertion of the suture.

10. What are the possible side effects?
    • Discomfort-some discomfort maybe experienced during the treatment. Pain and tenderness may occur at the injection points or along the track of the thread for a few days after treatment
    • Bruising/swelling/infection-bruising or swelling of the treated area may occur. Skin infection is a possibility anytime a skin procedure is performed. Slight asymmetry, redness or visible threads may require additional treatment. The results may relax over time and additional treatment may be required
    • Scarring & Pigmentation-PDO threads are inserted through small puncture wounds, which may take a few days to heal, but small scars, although unusual may occur. Temporary dimpling sometimes occurs at the puncture site and usually resolves within a few days. Healing maybe delayed by smoking, which is strongly discouraged. Changes in pigmentation are usually temporary, but on rare occasions, maybe permeant. Appropriate sun protection is very important (SPF 30 or greater).
    • Damage to deeper structures. Deeper structures such as nerve, blood vessels and muscles maybe damaged during the course of the treatment. The potential for this to occur varies according to the location on the body the treatment is being performed. Injury to deeper structures maybe temporary or permanent.
    • Allergic reactions. In rare cases, local allergies to suture material, or topical preparations have been reported. Allergic reactions may require additional treatment.
11. Cautions/Contraindications

    The PDO thread lift is not suitable for pregnant/breastfeeding women or anyone who suffers from severe allergies.

    Full list of side effects, cautions and contraindications will be discussed at your face to face consultation.

    Please note: Any injectable procedure will only be undertaken after your face to face consultation with Dr. Lina Kotecha, during which a full assessment will be carried out and full list of cautions and contraindications discussed.

12. After care
    • Mineral make up may be applied gently after 24hours
    • Sleep face up, elevated on pillows (3-5 nights)
    • Wash, shave and dry face gently without rubbing (5Days)
    • Avoid over exposure to direct sunlight and do not use tanning beds (2 weeks)
    • Avoid sports, in particular high impact sports e.g. running (2 weeks)
    • Do not use saunas or Turkish baths (3 weeks)
    • Void dental surgery (3 weeks)
    • Avoid facial massages and facial aesthetic treatments (4 weeks)
13. Treatment Price

    From £500