PDO Thread Lift in San Antonio
As a cosmetic surgeon who is dedicated to bringing her San Antonio patients the latest options in cosmetic enhancement, Dr. Elizabeth Hernandez now offers the PDO Thread Lift. This non-invasive alternative to facelift surgery can produce impressive results that not only look lifted, but firmer, fuller, and smoother – more youthful. Even better, PDO Thread Lift is an option that Dr. Hernandez can use to lift other areas of the body, as well as the face and neck.
What Is The EuroThread Lift?
The PDO Thread lift is a non-surgical procedure performed in-office which tightens, smooths, and contours the face, neck, and body areas through the strategic placement of dissolvable PDO treads. PDO Thread lifts are surgical sutures (the “threads”), inserted in strategic locations into the deep dermis and underlying supporting tissues beneath the skin’s surface to stimulate the production of collagen to improve the skin’s elasticity. There are different styles of threads, some smooth and some barbed, designed for different purposes. Youthful-looking firmness and suppleness is restored to areas where volume loss and sagging have occurred, while simultaneously stimulating the body’s natural production of collagen and elastin in the targeted treatment areas. The original “thread lift” first gained FDA approval in the late ’90s, but was unsuccessful due to inferior technology. After decades of technological advancement, the latest technology uses resorbable sutures, composed of biodegradable polymers, that have been used in cardiovascular surgery for decades.
How Does The PDO Thread Lift Procedure Work?
PDO threads are dissolvable threads that are placed under the skin to achieve lifting of the cheeks, jowls, neck bands, and various areas of the body. These threads are comprised of polydioxanone (PDO), the same material that has been used for surgical procedures for 30 years. The threads are inserted, and when the needle is withdrawn, the thread remains under the skin.
EuroThreads stimulate the formation of collagen, which gives the skin elasticity and diminishes the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. This improves the skin’s quality and texture over time, while also lifting and adding volume to areas that have laxity. The suture material gradually breaks down over a period of 6-8 months; however, the results typically continue to last for up to a year and a half.
Here at Eterna Cosmetic Surgery, we can use PDO threads to:
- Slightly lift the tail of your brows for a refreshed look
- Firm the skin under your eyes and in the crow’s feet area
- Add slight volume and definition to the edges of your lips
- Contour your nose to lift the tip of the nose, or add definition to the bridge of your nose
- Correct mild drooping of your cheeks or jowls or restore definition along your jawline
- Smooth mild to deep wrinkles on the neck and décolletage
- More contoured and lifted arms and breasts
- Improve the texture of the skin all around the arms, thighs, and above the knees
- Diminish the look of stretch marks and scars
PDO threads can also be placed in other parts of the body (for example, the abdomen) to improve skin texture and elasticity, or to improve stretch marks or scars.
Who Is a Good Candidate?
PDO Thread lift treatment is FDA-approved, safe, and effective for adults of all skin types and genders. As with any skin rejuvenation procedure, you should be in good overall health, a non-smoker, and have realistic expectations of results.
Benefits of a PDO Thread Lift
- Immediately visible improvement, plus results continue to improve over time as the body tissues respond to the threads by producing new collagen
- Can be used to rejuvenate skin and improve contouring on many areas of the body
- Can be used even in delicate areas such as the lips and around the eyes
- No scarring
- Minimal downtime
What Happens During a PDO Thread Lift Procedure?
This is an outpatient procedure performed here at Eterna Cosmetic Surgery. Dr. Hernandez uses local anesthesia, with the addition of ProNox (a patient-controlled inhalable sedative), if desired. Procedures typically take anywhere from 15 minutes to about an hour.
Dr. Hernandez uses smooth threads for placement in areas such as the lips, under the eyes, and in the deep creases of the neck or décolletage to promote collagen production.
The barbed threads are used for lifting tissue such as the breasts, arms, inner thighs, anterior thighs (to lift the skin above the knees), in the forehead to lift the brows, and in the sides of the face to lift the cheeks, decrease jowls and define the jawline. Their barbs are directional, so Dr. Hernandez places the threads in such a way to help lift and hold the tissue in place (the barbs prevent the tissues from sliding back down). Excess skin is lifted and evenly dispersed along the length of the thread. As it reacts to the threads by producing more collagen, it regains lost elasticity.
What Is The Recovery Like?
You should expect some post-procedure soreness, swelling, and maybe some bruising, but the downtime required for recovery is minimal.
Get Even Better Results
Combining PDO Thread Lift with BodyTite can improve results for patients who could benefit from more significant lifting, but do not wish to undergo a surgical procedure. Dr. Hernandez says this combination can be valuable for lifting the breasts, arms, inner thighs, and anterior thighs (to lift the skin around the knees).
For example, BodyTite of the breasts (the Eterna Breast Lift) will lift the nipple/areola complex an average of 1 to 2 centimeters, which is great for a woman that needs this amount of lift. But for a woman who needs 3 cm of lift, adding PDO Thread Lift to the BodyTite/Morpheus8 treatment will provide the desired result. For women who have good quality skin and mild skin laxity, PDO Threads alone may be enough to provide desired breast lift.
PDO Threads also combine nicely with Botox and fillers to rejuvenate the face and neck, but patients must wait 2 weeks after having the injections. This gives time for Botox to take full effect, for fillers to set, and for most of the swelling to diminish.
You can learn more about PDO threads and how this nonsurgical option might benefit you by scheduling a personal consultation with Dr. Hernandez.
