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Can You Smile After Having A PDO Thread Lift?

PDO thread lifts are one of the most recent and innovative facial rejuvenation treatments. The procedure involves injecting dissolvable polydioxanone (PDO) threads deep within the dermis and leaving them to stay and integrate with the skin, triggering a “selective inflammatory response” to increase collagen production. It’s not unusual for a patient to expect mild post-treatment complications, especially on facial muscles.

So can you smile after PDO threads have been inserted into your skin? The short answer is yes, but don’t overdo it just yet. Several days immediately after the procedure, you might find it uncomfortable doing exertive facial movements and doing rigorous activities. But worry not, because, in the long run, you’re investing in a better smile and clearer skin after your thread lift treatment.

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How Long Should You Wait to Smile Wide Open After PDO Thread Lifts?

A thread lift, like a lip filler, is a minimally invasive facial aesthetic procedure. Generally, patients who have undergone PDO thread lift report a relatively speedy recovery. However, immediately after your treatment, you may experience limited facial movement in the treatment area.

After the treatment, you might experience discomfort when using your facial muscles while your facial tissue absorbs the threads. To lessen the normal post-treatment pain and swelling, you might have to avoid exerting too much pressure by smiling, laughing, or talking excessively for 2 weeks.

After coping with the swelling and a few days of rest, your natural smile should slowly loosen the dermal threads. In time, these recovery symptoms will disappear along with the threads. After about 3 to 4 weeks, visible results can be seen as the thread inhibits the formation of collagen fibers, which is one of the essential elements of skin rejuvenation. Thread lift treatment also effectively, lifts facial tissue, repairs sagging skin, and eventually removes wrinkles and smile lines.

Patients injected with facial lifting threads generally reported quick recovery. Many returned to their normal routine days after their treatment. With the right aftercare, one can minimize the post-procedure complications and maximize the results of this facial aesthetics procedure. Below are some aftercare tips to help you regain your smile after the treatment:

  • Resting for the first 48 hours
  • Applying cold compress for swelling
  • Taking prescribed painkillers as needed
  • Elevating the head to reduce blood flow and bleeding

What Else Should You Expect After PDO Thread Lifts?

To reduce signs of aging such as fine lines, loose skin, and wrinkles, thread lifting employs methods less invasive than a surgical facelift, brow lift, plastic surgery, and breast augmentation. It is also as painless as sedation dentistry. The technique involves a hypodermic needle (Nova Thread) which is loaded with the PDO suture to be inserted within the dermis.

However, as is the case with any cosmetic treatment (especially injectables) one should not be surprised about certain complications that come alongside the brief recovery process. Along with limited facial movement, here are the most common complications you should expect after your treatment:

Discomfort Upon Pressure and Movement

As mentioned, as the skin grows accustomed to the injected threads, patients can experience mild pain and discomfort in the treatment area when facial muscles are used. In some cases, most of which used a barbed thread, the sutures can be felt by the patients after the procedure.

Applying too much pressure on the skin after the treatment can rupture the sutures, worsening thread lift complications and slowing the healing process. Thus, for a speedy recovery and optimal results, it’s best for you during the first 2 to 4 weeks after the thread lift treatment to avoid the following:

  • Excessive facial movements
  • Touching the face unnecessarily
  • Applying pressure to the treated area
  • Scratching the threaded area
  • Applying makeup and other cosmetic products
  • Massaging and rubbing the treated area
  • Sleeping on prone or side-lying positions
  • Shaving the face
  • Eating solid foods that require aggressive chewing
  • Undergoing routine or oral treatments (e.g., dental crowns, restorative dentistry, cosmetic dentistry, etc.)

Mild Swelling and Bruising

As is the case with minimally invasive skin treatments such as a dermal filler, it’s normal to expect mild bruising and swelling in the treatment area for thread lifts for a few weeks after the procedure.

While the suture is expected to be dissolved eventually in the skin, it’s still important to take sensitive care of the treated area so as not to further rupture blood vessels and induce bruising. In cases of swelling, experts recommend putting a cold compress on the swollen area.

Aside from external pressure, bruising and swelling during recovery can also be aggravated by changes in blood pressure. To minimize the chances of complications, it’s best to lay off alcohol, smoking, and caffeine, which when consumed, increases your blood pressure and exacerbates capillary bleeding leading to bruising in injection sites.

What Can PDO Threads Do For Your Skin?

woman received PDO Thread Lift treatment in a beauty clinic

A facial thread lift is a highly rewarding and low-risk investment for skin rejuvenation despite the usual temporary effects patients must endure before the results appear. A 2019 study has proven the low chances of complications in thread lift procedures, which is also associated with patient satisfaction levels for said treatment.

After weeks of post-treatment waiting game, patients are often satisfied with their skin’s improvement through the many benefits of thread lifts to facial skin health.

1. It Lifts Sagging Skin

Saggy skin is the most common sign of aging that many patients seek to address. Sagging is caused by the weakening of the skin’s firmness as we age, resulting in the facial tissue’s greater vulnerability to gravity and the appearance of wrinkles. Barbed threads are used for the main purpose of skin lifting and sag reduction as it provides greater focus on skin tightening.

PDO thread lifting principally aims to treat skin laxity and yield a youthful appearance for your skin. Thus, it can also be used for the treatment of saggy skin after your fat reduction treatment.

2. It Reduces Wrinkles

PDO thread lifts are effective in reducing wrinkles. The most commonly used suture for this purpose is the mono or smooth thread which triggers collagen production and tightens skin. These smooth threads are relatively gentle skin tightening when compared to barbed threads.

Nasolabial folds, also popularly known as “smile lines” or “laugh lines” are creases in your inner cheeks that extend from your nose to the corners of your lips. These smile lines are forms of wrinkles that become more prominent as you become older. Thus, while smiling can be difficult immediately after the treatment, it’s safe to say that thread lifting is an excellent investment in the long term for your smile.

3. It Treats Acne Scars

Aside from skin tightening and skin rejuvenation, acne scar reduction is also one of the many benefits an absorbable thread lift can offer your skin. A 2019 study on a small sample has shown the potential effectiveness of thread lifts on acne scar treatment in patients administered with the lifting procedure. Collagen fiber synthesis triggered by barbed thread lifts can reverse scarring through skin rejuvenation.

The innovations in dissolvable PDO thread lifts have certainly created a safer and more efficient non-invasive treatment in the field of cosmetic medicine. It’s a versatile treatment that employs a convenient procedure, which, according to a 2017 study, can achieve greater results in skin rejuvenation and lifting when combined with filler treatments, Botox, and PRP injections.

Get Long-Term Results and Expert Treatment from Dr. V’s PDO Thread Lift

before and after image of a middle-aged woman after PDO Thread Lift treatment at Dr. V Medical Aesthetics beauty clinic.

From Las Vegas to New York, patients have seen satisfying results from PDO thread lift treatments. In Pensacola, Florida, Dr. V Aesthetics consistently delivers trustworthy skin rejuvenation treatments. You can rest assured that our team of professionals here at Dr. V Aesthetics takes meticulous care of our patients in their journey for younger skin and a better smile. To know more about us, click here.

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