The short answer
A PDO thread lift uses absorbable barbed sutures placed under the skin to reposition tissue that has descended with age. It is minimally invasive, carried out under local anaesthetic, and temporary – the threads absorb over time. It suits mild to moderate laxity, not advanced laxity.
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Absorbable sutures are introduced under the skin through a fine cannula and positioned so that their barbs engage tissue and lift it. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons describes the procedure as minimally invasive and often performed under local anaesthetic. Over the following months the threads break down and are absorbed.
It suits someone with mild to moderate descent along the jaw or mid-face, reasonable skin quality, and no intention of having surgery. Where laxity is advanced, a thread lift will underdeliver, and saying so at consultation is more useful than attempting it anyway.
No, and the two should not be presented as alternatives of equal weight. A facelift is a surgical procedure with a longer recovery and a far longer-lasting result. A thread lift is minimally invasive, addresses less, and is temporary by design.
The ASPS documents bruising, swelling, infection, thread migration, threads that can be seen or felt through the skin, and asymmetry. All are discussed as part of consent before any decision is made. Individual results vary and no cosmetic outcome can be promised.
Expect tightness, swelling and possible bruising for several days, with strenuous exercise paused briefly. Most people plan the following week without significant social commitments.
The full list of clinics is on the clinic locations page.
Costs are not listed here because they are not uniform. The treatment chosen, the area, the amount of product and the number of visits all change the total. That total is given to you at consultation, before treatment is booked.
This is a physician-led practice. The assessment, the treatment plan and the treatment itself are carried out by Anita Dormer, MD, and the review afterwards is with the same clinician rather than whoever happens to be free.
It is temporary. The threads absorb over months and the supporting effect diminishes with them. A claim that thread lift results last indefinitely is not an accurate description of the procedure.
It is performed under local anaesthetic. Tightness and tenderness for several days afterwards are normal and are covered in your aftercare instructions.
No. It is an option for mild to moderate laxity in someone who does not want surgery, not a substitute for a facelift where laxity is advanced.
Thread lifts are offered at the Cashiers and Asheville locations. Availability at other locations is confirmed at consultation.
For the clinical claims on this page, the underlying published sources are listed below. They are general references only.
A consultation with Anita Dormer, MD is where this starts. Expect an assessment first and a recommendation second – individual results vary in every case.
