Prior to the procedure you will have a consultation with you provider to first and foremost determine if you are an appropriate candidate at which time your personal goals and pricing will be discussed.
Photographs will be taken for patient records and pre and post-treatment guidelines will be reviewed. You will be marked up to ensure optimal placement of the PDOs for lifting and contouring.
You will be made comfortable with medical grade topical anesthetic or local injection and your skin will be appropriately cleansed and sanitized prior to performing the procedure.
These barbed lifting threads are pre-loaded onto a sterile blunt-tipped cannula are then inserted into a deeper plane, beneath the skin referred to as the ‘SMAS’ (superficial musculoaponeurotic system) layer; a network of fibrous fascia beneath the skin.
Once the cannula has been placed at the appropriate depth and ‘downstream’ distance the sterile cannula is removed and the thread is engaged by gripping the skin over the cogs. These barbs help the thread catch on the underlying tissue, providing a stronger lifting and anchoring effect compared to smooth threads.
These threads serve to enhance facial contour and provide an immediate lifting effect by reapproximating sagging skin and suspending the tissue, particularly in areas like the cheeks, jawline, and neck.
These threads also initiate an intentional inflammatory response that results in a secondary benefit that stimulates fibroblasts to boost collagen and elastin helping to maintain the lifting effect overtime while also improving firmness and and tightness of skin.
This results in a net effect of lifting that is visible immediately following the procedure; followed by skin rejuvenation seen over time with results lasting up to 12-18 months typically, though results can be observed beyond 12-18 months.
The longevity of the effects are contingent on several different factors such as tensile strength, classification of barbs (cogs), number of threads inserted, and patient metabolism — to name a few.