What to Expect with a Thread Lift: Before, During & After

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The Thread Lift Procedure: Before, During, After

If you have already read our Thread Lift FAQs you may have decided that this amazing, minimally invasive skin tightening procedure is right for you. And now you’re ready to look like a younger version of yourself – lifting and restoring your skin to its original location – without having to go under the knife, and with virtually no downtime!

The next step is to schedule a personalized consultation with thread lift expert Dr. Ruthie Harper in out Austin, TX office to learn exactly what a thread lift can do for your unique skin concerns. In this article, Dr. Harper discusses what to expect before, during and after your thread lift procedure – so you can get the greatest benefit from this revolutionary, non-surgical, anti-aging procedure.

BEFORE YOUR THREAD LIFT

Initial Thread Lift Consultation / Choosing the Area

When you schedule your thread lift consultation in our Austin, TX office, Dr. Harper will carefully examine the condition of your skin, the degree of sagging, and take into consideration your personal health and lifestyle factors – including sun exposure, smoking, heredity, and more.

Together, she will work with you to decide which area, or area(s) of skin you would like to tighten with a thread lift.

Facial Thread Lift Areas:

  • Lower face & jaw line (jowls)
  • Mid-face and cheek area (“marionette lines”)
  • Peri-ocular area (eye and brow area)
  • Neck

Body Thread Lift Areas:

  • Inner thighs
  • Inner arms
  • Butt lift
  • Breast lift
  • Knees

Cost & Financing of a Thread Lift

Because a thread lift is a strictly cosmetic procedure, insurance does not cover this treatment. However, Dr. Harper’s staff will give you an exact cost based on the number of treated areas. They can also discuss convenient financing options with you!

Preparing for Your Thread Lift

There is very little preparation for a thread lift, because it is a minimally invasive procedure. However, there are some precautions that can help ensure that you obtain the best results and the fastest recovery from your thread lift.

General precautions to take prior to a thread lift include:

  • No smoking for a week before
  • No alcohol for 48 hours before
  • No make-up or creams on the day of the procedure
  • No blood-thinning products such as Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), Naproxen (Aleve) or Aspirin
  • Enjoy a light breakfast or meal so you do not become dizzy or weak
  • Pre-arrange for a ride home if you feel you might need this
  • Do not schedule excessively heavy activity for at least 2 weeks

DURING YOUR THREAD LIFT

The Thread Lift Procedure

Before starting the procedure, Dr. Harper will sometimes apply a topical numbing cream or will inject a local anesthetic into the treatment area. A numbing cream may be sufficient for inserting more superficial sutures designed to increase collagen and improve skin quality. A local anesthesia is typically best for lifting threads designed to lift sinking or sagging skin similar to a face lift.

Once the anesthetic has taken affect, Dr. Harper will mark the contours on your face determining where the tightening will take place to give you the best results. The threads are then inserted along these specially designed vectors. Experience with vector determination is a critical part of a physician experienced with thread lifts which ensures the best results following your procedure.

Dr. Harper then inserts the threads into the subdermal layer of the facial tissue, following along these pre-marked contours. No incisions are needed. And, because the threads go underneath the visible layers of the skin, the threads are completely invisible. A second set of threads may be inserted above the first to provide “bi-directional” support in the targeted area.

The threads themselves are made of “Polydioxanone” – abbreviated as PDO – which is a very safe, FDA approved material that has been used in surgical sutures (“stitches”) for decades. PDO is an ideal choice of filament for a thread lift because it safely dissolves over time and is naturally eliminated from the body.

As Dr. Harper pulls on the needle, the suture lifts and “gathers” the skin until it has been repositioned in the right place. The long ends of the thread are then secured and cut off below the skin, so no one can see the ends of the threads.

Thread Lift Results

After your thread lift, lifting and tightening will be immediately and dramatically visible. But this isn’t even the complete result! Over the next several months, new collagen and fibrous tissue will form around the PDO sutures to further support and tighten the skin tissue.

The results will differ for each person, but because skin is simply restored to its original position, and new collagen forms naturally, results typically look very natural – like a younger version of yourself! And because there are no incisions, there will be no scarring.

AFTER YOUR THREAD LIFT

Patients are typically able to drive themselves home after their thread lift procedure and most even return to work the same day. Some patients experience mild bruising and swelling – and possibly some tenderness – that generally lasts for 24-48 hours after treatment, sometimes a bit longer. Gently applying a cold compress, keeping your head elevated, and Tylenol can help make your recovery faster and more comfortable.

Full recovery time can take up to a week. Dr. Harper will advise you on what’s the best recovery plan after your unique procedure.

Precautions After a Thread Lift

For the first two weeks you should avoid excessive movement of the area (such as biting into a large apple or hamburger). Do not rub, stretch or aggressively itch your face. And, if you feel a sneeze or cough coming on, be gentle to support the threads if recently placed.

Most patients should be able to return to work in just a day or two. However, if your job requires strenuous activity, then you must take at least 2 to 3 days off to facilitate healing. Patients should also avoid working out, vigorous exercise, or strenuous activity for 2 to 3 weeks after a thread lift – because it can increase the heart rate, intensifying blood flow to the area, which can cause swelling.

Patients should also avoid flying for 72 hours after a thread lift, due to air pressure fluctuations which can elevate blood pressure and potentially cause internal splitting of the treated area that can slow healing.

Thread Lift Long Term Results

While patients will see immediate improvement in skin tightness after their thread lift, optimal results will begin to appear between 2 and 6 months as more collagen continues to be produced.

The threads will gradually dissolve and naturally be eliminated by the body over six months, but the new collagen fibers will continue to maintain long-term results in most patients for two to three years, and in some patients even longer.

Getting Other Procedures After a Thread Lift

Because thread lifts are minimally invasive, have a short recovery time, and work by naturally stimulating the body’s own collagen fibers, it is very safe to combine a thread lift with other nonsurgical procedures to address additional antiaging concerns.

For example, after healing, IPL laser treatments can remove dark spots, pigmentation and other signs of aging and sun damage – so that your skin tone is clear and even, in addition to being tight! Our helpful staff can even put together complete anti-aging packages, customized just for you, to comprehensively address all of your skin concerns.

Thread Lifts – Austin, TX

Now that you know what to expect before, during and after your thread lift, there’s no reason to wait! Schedule a consultation with Dr. Ruthie Harper, MD in Austin, TX and see how a thread lift can turn back time on loose sagging skin, for an immediately younger looking you!

Thread Lift Consultation – Austin: (512) 343-9355

PDO Thread Lifts FAQs

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PDO Thread Lifts: Frequently Asked Questions

For decades, the only way to get rid of sagging skin on the face, neck, and other areas of the body was painful and expensive surgery. But most people simply do not want to incur the expense, discomfort, weeks of recovery, and the complications that can accompany a surgical face or body lift.

Now, a revolutionary, affordable, minimally invasive procedure called a “PDO thread lift” offers the skin-tightening benefits of a face lift – without surgery and with almost no downtime! Dr. Harper has been performing this phenomenal anti-aging procedure in her Austin, TX office for about 5 years now, with spectacular results.

But, many of our Austin, TX area patients still aren’t familiar with the many benefits of a PDO thread lift. So, in this article, anti-aging expert Dr. Ruthie Harper answers the most Frequently Asked Questions about PDO thread lifts.

What is a PDO thread lift?

During a non-surgical thread lift in our Austin, TX office, Dr. Harper will gently pull sagging skin back into its original youthful position. Then she inserts invisible sutures or “threads” beneath the skin that hold the skin in place – lifting and tightening the face, neck or other body part. Instead of painfully cutting off excess, loose skin, like facelift surgery, a thread lift simply puts skin back in place and holds it there, to restore youthful tone and tightness.

And, in addition to holding the skin in a more youthful position, the inserted threads also activate the body’s “healing response” which increases the production of collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid. This results in thicker, younger, smoother, tighter and more elastic facial skin for benefits that last for years, even after the threads have dissolved.

Why is it a called a “PDO” thread lift?

The threads that are inserted under the skin in a thread lift are typically made of “Polydioxanone” – abbreviated as PDO – which is an FDA approved material that has been used in surgical sutures (“stitches”) for decades. PDO is an ideal choice of material for a thread lift because it safely dissolves over time and is naturally eliminated from the body.

Does a PDO thread lift hurt?

Before starting the thread lift procedure in our Austin, TX office, a numbing cream or anesthetic injection (similar to what is used in the dentist’s office) will be used so that you do not feel any discomfort. The numbing cream is typically used for shorter sutures, while an injection of local anesthesia will generally be used for longer threads.

Patients remain awake and alert, and may feel some pressure, but they do not feel any pain during the insertion process. Afterwards, there may be some tenderness as the anesthetic wears off, which is generally easy to mange with Tylenol or ice packs.

What areas can be tightened with a PDO thread lift?

The most common use of the PDO thread lift is to tighten sagging skin on the neck, cheeks, jaw line (jowls) and eyebrow area. However, PDO thread lifts are also highly effective for lifting and tightening the skin on the breasts, buttocks, knees and arms.

What are the advantages of a PDO thread lift over facelift surgery?

PDO thread lifts offer quick recovery together with excellent results. The primary advantages of a thread lift over facelift surgery are:

• More Affordable • No incisions • No scarring • Local anesthetic • No hospitalization • Immediate results • No dangerous side effects • No long recovery period

Who is a good candidate for a PDO thread lift?

A PDO thread lift is suitable for almost any adult woman or man in good health, who would like tighter skin and wants to improve the sinking and sagging of skin that happens with time, making us look old and tired. Most thread lift patients in our Austin, TX office are between the ages of 40 and 70.

Thread lifts are most effective on skin with light to moderate sagging – and the long-lasting results are the ideal middle ground between short-lived fillers or Botox and drastic facelift surgery. Unlike “injectables” such as Juvéderm and Botox, thread lifts last for years – and yet it is still a minimally invasive procedure with very little downtime.

Is a PDO thread lift dangerous?

While no procedure is completely without risk, PDO thread lifts are among the safest minimally invasive aesthetic procedures. Typically, there are only minimal side effects such as mild bruising or swelling, or tenderness in the treated area.

When performed by a skilled and experienced physician like Dr. Ruthie Harper in Austin, TX, there is very little risk of complication and these minor side-effects will only last a few days.

How long does a PDO thread lift take?

First, time must be allowed for the numbing cream or local anesthetic to take effect. Then the length of the procedure will depend on the size and number of areas being treated, and the number of filaments (“threads”) that Dr. Harper uses.

A typical thread lift takes about an hour to perform, but Dr. Harper will advise you in advance specifically how much time will be needed for your customized procedure.

How much downtime is there after a PDO thread lift procedure?

The recovery time after a PDO thread lift is typically only a day or two. For the first couple of days most patients experience some mild swelling and slight bruising and tenderness. Ice compresses can help reduce the swelling and minimize any discomfort.

Many patients choose to have a thread lift on Friday, so they are ready to return to work (or Zoom meetings) by Monday. However, complete recovery time can take about a week – and strenuous exercise or activity must be avoided for two to three weeks after the thread lift. Patients should also avoid air travel for 48-72 hours after their thread lift.

How long do PDO thread lift results last?

The longevity of a thread lift depends upon the age of the patient, the condition of their skin at the time of procedure, and the amount of sagging that was corrected. While the PDO threads themselves dissolve over six months, they have already stimulated the body’s natural production of collagen and elastin. So, the new fibrous connective tissue that has grown around the sutures will continue to plump and tighten skin, on average, for two to three years.

Obviously, it is impossible to stop the aging process entirely, so sagging will eventually return over time – at which point it is possible to have Dr. Harper insert additional filaments when they become needed.

What happens if a thread breaks after my procedure?

PDO threads are extremely durable, and are even used in many major surgical procedures such as heart surgery. Even if a single PDO thread should break, no structural support will be lost. Dr. Harper always inserts multiple PDO threads in an area to ensure a strong hold and long-lasting results.

As the threads gradually dissolve (or if they eventually break) the newly generated collagen fibers take over and continue to hold the skin in place.

When will I see results from a PDO thread lift?

One of the best things about a PDO thread lift is that dramatic results are immediately visible, as the inserted sutures are used to pull the skin taught into its original position. Optimal results will continue to improve over the next 2 to 6 months as the body continues to produce new collagen fibers in the treated area. So, even after the threads dissolve over six months, the skin-tightening results will typically be maintained for a number of years!

PDO Thread Lifts – Austin, TX

If you would like to look like a younger, healthier version of yourself – without surgery and with very little downtime – schedule a consultation with Dr. Ruthie Harper, MD in Austin, TX. See how a non-surgical PDO thread lift can turn-back the-clock and help you look as young on the outside as you feel on the inside!

PDO Thread Lift Consultation – Austin, TX: (512) 343-9355

Thread Lifts: The Benefits of a Facelift Without Surgery!

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Perhaps nothing makes a woman or man look older than sagging facial skin, droopy jowls, and that dreaded “turkey neck”. And while wrinkles and lines can be treated with Botox or dermal fillers – up until recently the only way to get rid of loose, lax face and neck skin was painful and expensive facelift surgery – with weeks of recovery and the risk of infection, complications and unnatural looking results.

But while many of our patients at Dr. Ruthie Harper, MD in Austin, TX want to look younger, most can’t or don’t want to incur the expense, downtime, pain and risks of a surgical facelift. To address this need, Dr. Harper has been performing a revolutionary new aesthetic treatment called a “thread lift” for the last five years that offers the skin-tightening benefits of a facelift – without surgery!

How a Thread Lift Works

During a non-surgical thread lift in our Austin, TX office, Dr. Harper pulls the skin back with invisible sutures that lift and tighten the face and neck. Instead of cutting off excess skin, like facelift surgery, a thread lift invisibly stitches up portions of the face or neck to restore youthful tone and tightness.

Even better, in addition to holding the skin in a more youthful position, the thread lift sutures that are placed beneath the skin combat aging in a second way: by stimulating the body’s “healing response” and increasing collagen production. As renewed collagen is generated it results in thicker, younger, smoother, tighter and more elastic facial skin.

The Advantages of a Thread Lift Over Facelift Surgery

The advantages of a thread lift over facelift surgery are many! To begin with, a thread lift is a very low risk procedure because it is minimally-invasive. The patient does not need to be “knocked out” with dangerous general anesthetic or “sewn up” afterwards.  There is virtually no scarring, no severe bruising, no bleeding and no risk of other complications after having a thread lift.

But for many of our Austin, TX patients, the biggest advantage of a thread lift is the greatly reduced recovery period.  Facelift surgery patients must arrange for someone to drive them home from the hospital, and will need around the clock assistance for at least three days after facelift surgery. And, in addition to pain following the facelift surgery in which skin is literally cutoff, most facelift patients need to take two or three weeks off of work to recover.

On the other hand, thread lift patients only experience a little bit of soreness, with some very minor redness and swelling, and most can return to work the same or next day – without anyone even knowing they have had anything done! This makes a thread lift an ideal procedure for working women, as well as those who have families or children at home to care for.

And, for many patients, the biggest advantage of a thread lift is how affordable it is compared to facelift surgery. While a $10,000+ plastic surgery is out of reach for most people, a thread lift (at approximately $1500 per area) is an affordable alternative for many of our Austin, TX patients!

Additionally, thread lifts are more natural looking than surgical facelifts, that can leave skin looking “stretched”. The thread lift lifts the skin by a few millimeters in most cases – so you still look like “you”… but a younger version of yourself! The procedure takes about an hour, does not require dangerous anesthesia and allows you return to work immediately.

Where Thread Lifts Can Tighten Skin

The most common area of the face where our Austin, TX patients request a thread lift is the cheeks, jowls, jawline, chin and “turkey neck” area. To accomplish skin tightening in these areas sutures are placed under the skin near the hairline to gently and invisibly pull back and lift the skin.

However, thread lifts can also be used on the face instead of a surgical brow lift – or to pull back skin and reduce the “marionette lines” around the mouth.  And, Dr. Harper also uses PDO threads on the body for non-surgical breast lifts, butt lifts, knee lifts, and even arms lifts.

Additionally, threads can be used just under the skin almost anywhere on the face to create younger, thicker, plumper healthier skin by reinvigorating renewed collagen production. By building new skin cells, PDO webbing threads can reduce crows’ feet, vertical lip lines, and other creases and wrinkles almost anywhere on the face.

Good Candidates for a Non-Surgical Thread Lift

Everyone’s skin ages at a different rate. Heredity, weight loss or gain, and even lifestyle factors like sun-exposure, smoking, tanning, and air pollution all contribute to skin losing its elasticity.

Dr. Harper has performed thread lifts on women and men from their late thirties to their seventies over the last 5 years. However, most thread patients at our Austin, TX office are in their 40s, 50s or 60s. She has the experience to provide you with the best results and will consult with you regarding whether a thread lift is the right procedure to meet your needs.

Because thread lifts are performed using only local anesthesia, they are safe for most men and women who are in reasonably good health. Even people who have underlying conditions that may exclude them from elective surgery – including high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and heart disease – can typically safely undergo a thread lift procedure. (Always consult with your personal physician first, and be sure to discuss any underlying health conditions with Dr. Harper at the time of your initial thread lift consultation).

Thread lifts can last from a year to three years, with Dr. Harper seeing results typically lasting 18 months and often longer. And because of their affordable cost, after a few years the procedure can be repeated and still be thousands of dollars less expensive than a surgical facelift.

The Safety Record of Non-Surgical Thread Lifts

Thread lifts have been FDA approved in the United States for more than 15 years. The sutures or “threads” are made of an absorbable material called PDO (polydiaxanone) that is one of the safest materials that can be used in the human body. PDO is the same material that is used in cardiac surgery – and has been utilized in medical procedures for more than 20 years, with an outstanding safety record.

Dr. Harper has been performing PDO thread lifts for more than five years in her Austin, TX office with great results and no complications. The sutures simply dissolve over time, so there is nothing left in the body – while it leaves behind the newly rebuilt natural collagen cells. So, even after the thread dissolves, the rejuvenated skin remains thicker, tighter, younger, smoother and healthier.

Thread Lifts | Austin, TX

Dr. Harper loves performing non-surgical thread lifts because they provide an additional tool to deal with aging – lifting and restoring skin to its original location without having to use fillers and without having to go under the knife.

Patients can get a thread lift done in our Austin, TX office in just one hour with no surgery, no anesthesia and virtually no downtime!

If you would like to look like a younger, healthier version of yourself, schedule a consultation with Dr. Ruthie Harper, MD in Austin, TX to see how a non-surgical thread lift can turn-back the-clock and help you look as young on the outside as you feel on the inside!

Non-Surgical Thread Lifts – Austin TX: 512 343-9355