How Long Will My Results From PDO/PCL Threads Last?

Not so very long ago, your options for defying aging were facelift or bust. But things have changed as the science of medical aesthetics has advanced. With options like cosmetic injectables, you can smooth wrinkles and fill in missing volume. The problem? Those results may only last a few months, and they don’t do anything about the gravity issue. 

Enter: thread lifts. By placing specialized threads made of polydioxanone (PDO) and polycaprolactone (PCL), we get a way to lift and anchor your skin while stimulating collagen production. Norman J. Pastorek, MD, and Janice Pastorek, BSN, RN, can perform your PDO or PCL thread lift right here at one of our offices on Manhattan’s Upper East Side in New York City and in Madison, Connecticut. 

If you’re interested in this minimally invasive facelift alternative, you probably have a few questions. One we hear particularly often is: How long will the results from my thread lift last? Let’s find out. 

Understanding thread lifts

To give you the clearest idea of the longevity of a PCL or PDO thread lift, it’s helpful to understand the treatment itself. That’s because it works in two different ways. Consequently, the results appear and fade in stages.

Of course, the threads themselves give your skin an immediate lifting and anchoring effect. Our team can place the threads strategically to address drooping brows, sagging jowls, and loose neck skin. 

Those threads don’t stay under your skin forever, though. Instead, they’re made from the same types of material as absorbable surgical sutures. As a result, your body usually absorbs the thread within a few months. 

That doesn’t mean your results fade at that point, though. The insertion of the thread stimulates your skin’s production of collagen, the protein that serves as its support structure. So as the thread is being absorbed, it is replaced by new collagen proteins. That new collagen usually helps people maintain their results for at least a year, and oftentimes up to three years. 

Years of benefit with minimal downtime

The thread lift gives you a way to get years of anti-aging benefits without the extensive recovery period required after a facelift. Because the treatment doesn’t require any incisions, you don’t need to worry about a lengthy healing process. 

Instead, most people just have 24–48 hours of bruising or swelling. You should plan to take it easy for the first few days after your thread lift. Past that, though, you can return to your normal daily life. And you should be able to enjoy the results of your thread lift for years to come.

If you want to learn more about whether this facelift alternative could be right for your cosmetic goals, schedule a consultation with our team. Call either of our offices or book your appointment online today to get started.