It used to be that if you wanted to erase the lines and creases that become etched into your skin as you get older, you had to get a facelift. This surgical procedure is invasive, painful, costs a lot, and requires a long recovery period.

The team at Dr. Raul G. Molina, Jr., DDS, PA in Miami, Florida offers a minimally invasive procedure called a PDO thread lift for their patients who want the results a facelift gives but who don’t want to go under the knife. The thread lift helps eliminate moderate wrinkles, creases, and sags without scalpels or extensive downtime. Here’s what you need to know.

A brief history of facelifting

Exactly when the first facelift was performed has been lost to history, since during the early 1900s, cosmetic procedures were considered a frivolous practice, and doctors didn’t exactly advertise those kinds of services. In fact, the American medical community attempted to ban cosmetic surgery of any type during the 1920s. However, after World War I, there was an increased need for facial reconstructive surgery, which led surgeons to experiment with different ways to “lift” the face, creating a more youthful appearance.

Over the last few decades, though, the trend has been toward more minimally invasive procedures to de-age the face, such as neurotoxins and injectable fillers that handle dynamic wrinkles and lost volume, respectively. That meant the “thread lift,” a rejuvenation procedure that doesn’t require large incisions or long recovery times, was coming of age.

The “thread lift” that first came out in the late ’90s, which used surgical thread to lift sagging skin, was heralded as a “kinder, gentler facelift.” But it came with scary side effects, such as scarring, infection, and obvious lumps under the skin, making it undesirable. Thanks to medical advances, this rejuvenation technique has “threaded” its way to both doctors’ and some dentists’ offices.

The PDO threads

Current thread lifts use biodegradable sutures, the kind that’ve been used for decades in cardiovascular surgery. The FDA approved them in 2015 for use in aesthetic treatments, and they’re safe for use in treatments for the lips, eyelids, forehead, facial profile, around the eyes, and the nasolabial folds.

The new sutures are manufactured from polydioxanone (PDO), which don’t require anchoring like earlier threads, and are completely absorbed by the skin in six months without creating scar tissue. The breakdown products are naturally flushed from your system.

The PDO thread procedure

Dr. Molina and his team insert the PDO threads into the deep layers of your skin, causing the fatty tissues to contract. When the threads are pulled, the face “lifts,” tightening the skin, smoothing out lines and wrinkles, and reducing fat. The procedure is performed under local anaesthesia and takes just an hour or two to complete. Downtime is minimal.

PDO threads also stimulate the production of collagen, the structural protein that keeps your skin firm and plump, filling in areas of lost volume. And the procedure creates new blood vessels, improving the circulation in your face and promoting skin cell renewal.

You can expect to see an immediate lift in your features following treatment, with continued improvements over the next few months as collagen production revs up. The sutures stimulate your skin as well, leading to further tightening and volume replacement.

Your results can last anywhere from 12-24 months and are ideal for people who don’t want to commit to a surgical facelift,but want to know how it would look on them. PDO thread lifts can’t ever replace a full facelift for longevity, but when used in combination with neurotoxins like Botox® that prevent the muscle contractions that cause wrinkles, and dermal fillers that volumize your skin to smooth and tone, they can give you the younger face you’re looking for at just a fraction of the cost of a traditional procedure.

If you’re looking to see a younger “you” in the mirror, it’s time to consider a PDO thread lift, and Dr. Molina can help. Give the office a call at (305) 614-0211 to schedule a consultation, or book online with us today.