Who may be considered
Best candidates generally have mild-to-moderate laxity, healthy tissue and realistic expectations about a subtle, temporary result. Skin quality, facial weight, prior surgery, filler and asymmetry affect candidacy.
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Minimally invasive lift
PDO Threads
Support with careful selection. A clear, evidence-aware guide to candidacy, treatment, recovery, limitations and next steps.
Evidence reviewed July 30, 2026
SettingIn-office treatment
PricingConsultation required
Provider reviewIndividualized
Confidence, refined
Natural-looking results begin with an individualized plan
Your anatomy, expression and goals guide every recommendation—so the result still feels unmistakably like you.
The short answer
What is PDO Threads?
PDO thread treatment places absorbable polydioxanone sutures beneath the skin to provide mechanical support and a wound-healing response. Cosmetic thread lifting uses device-specific techniques; the degree and duration of lift are limited compared with surgery.
Concerns it may address
- Mild lower-face or jawline laxity
- Early jowling in carefully selected adults
- Patients seeking a limited, temporary change without facelift surgery
- Collagen-support goals when expectations are realistic
Candidacy
Who may—or may not—be a candidate
When treatment may not be appropriate
Treatment may be unsuitable with active infection, uncontrolled bleeding risk, poor wound healing, certain autoimmune or connective-tissue disorders, pregnancy or breastfeeding, unrealistic expectations, or laxity that requires surgery.
At a glance
Treatment facts
These are practical planning ranges, not promises. Your consultation determines the exact plan.
- Treatment time
- Often 45–90 minutes
- Comfort / anesthesia
- Local anesthetic is commonly used
- Typical downtime
- Swelling, bruising, tenderness and puckering may last days to weeks
- When changes may appear
- Some support may be visible immediately; swelling must resolve
- How long results may last
- Often about 6–18 months, but highly variable
- Treatments commonly considered
- Usually one procedure; maintenance is individualized
Your visit
What happens during treatment
Evaluate
The provider assesses tissue quality, vectors, asymmetry and whether threads can realistically meet the goal.
Plan & treat
After antiseptic preparation and local anesthetic, threads are placed through small entry points in planned tissue planes.
Review & follow up
Support is adjusted conservatively. You receive restrictions designed to reduce displacement and instructions for warning signs.
Informed choice
Important risks, limitations and alternatives
Risks & limitations
Pain, swelling, bruising, dimpling, asymmetry, palpable or visible threads, extrusion, infection, nerve or vessel injury, scarring and an unsatisfactory result can occur. Threads may complicate later procedures. A facelift provides a different degree of correction.
Alternatives to discuss
- No treatment or collagen-support skincare
- Filler or biostimulator when volume or tissue support—not lifting—is the concern
- Energy-based tightening for selected mild laxity
- Surgical facelift or neck lift for more substantial or durable correction
Clinical judgment
Why provider experience matters
Vector planning and tissue-plane control determine both effect and complication risk. A skilled provider can identify when threads are unlikely to deliver value and when surgery or another modality is more appropriate.
Identity Aesthetics approach
- Diagnosis and anatomy before a product or device
- Conservative planning with candid limitations
- Licensed-provider supervision and complication readiness
- In-office and telehealth boundaries stated clearly
Access & cost
In-office versus telehealth
Consultation and treatment are in-office only.
Pricing: Consultation required. Pricing depends on anatomy, treatment area, thread type and number; a fixed package is not appropriate for every face.
Our patients
A thread lift, photographed on the day
One of our PDO thread lift patients, photographed before treatment and on the day of treatment, with the pen marks and redness left in rather than waiting for them to fade. Published with written permission.
Common questions
PDO Threads FAQ
Are PDO threads the same as a facelift?
No. Threads may provide limited temporary support in selected patients; surgery repositions and removes tissue more substantially.
Will I see the threads?
Temporary puckering or palpability can occur. Visible, exposed or persistently painful threads should be evaluated.
Can I combine threads with filler?
Sometimes, but sequencing matters. The provider determines whether combining or staging procedures is safer.
Sources & medical review
Medical-content evidence review: July 30, 2026. Content is written for patient education and structured from current primary regulatory, labeling and professional sources. It has not been individualized to your medical history. Product labeling and guidance can change; a licensed Identity Aesthetics provider confirms current suitability, informed consent and treatment details before care.
Your next step
Make an informed plan
Bring your goals, questions, medication list and prior treatment history. We will help you decide whether PDO Threads—or an alternative—makes sense.