If you're bothered by low-hanging jowls but aren't ready for surgery, a polydioxanone (PDO) thread lift might be the solution you need.
Sagging skin can therefore develop, creating a jowl-like appearance. Thankfully, there are many treatment options available which can tighten and lift sagging jowls non-surgically. One solution is the thread lift, which stimulates collagen production and tightens the skin with no downtime or scarring.
In truth, each drooped cheek/jowl will require multiple cogged threads. A thread lift is great for a mild/moderate droop but the number of threads to get that lift will range from 4 to 8 per side.
How long does a thread lift last? Results from a thread lift are temporary, lasting from one to three years. Over time, the threads dissolve, and your body absorbs them. If you like your results, you can have another thread lift procedure.
Both may be used to stimulate the production of collagen. So, when looking at the areas you want to address, you may discover one option is the obvious choice. If you want plumper lips, you'll go with a filler. If you want to tighten sagging cheeks or skin under your chin, you'll go with threads.
The complications includes minor pain, swelling, rippling, dimpling, bruising, bleeding at the entry or exit sites, edema, asymmetry, dysesthesia, skin irregularities, and inflammatory reactions.
In general, a thread lift on the face will cost you between $1,200 and $1,800. A thread lift will cost between $800 and $1,000 for the neck and jawline just. A thread lift will cost you between $2,000 and $2,500 if you want to treat your entire face, neck, and jawline.
Ultherapy is the number one treatment for jowls and is FDA approved meaning it is clinically proven to lift the face. Ultherapy uses micro-focused ultrasound to create micro-wounds into the deep tissues (SMAS) of skin.
PDO thread lifting is best for people who want to get rid of deeper wrinkles but Ultherapy treatment is better at treating fine lines. With that, Ultratherapy is also a good option if you're looking for something that's less invasive than traditional surgery.
PDO, or polydioxanone threads, dissolve after only six to nine months. Contrastingly, PLLA, or Poly L. Lactic Acid threads, dissolve after 12 to 18 months. PCL, or polycaprolactone threads, are the most durable of the three.
How Often Should You Have Treatment? The results of this treatment can last for six to 12 months at a time, so how long the results of your treatment lasts will determine how often you should have treatment. Many patients opt to have regularly scheduled PDO thread lifts once or twice a year.
PDO threads are inserted into the skin using a small needle, while thread lifts typically involve the use of special threads that are anchored to the skin's underlying tissues. PDO threads are made of absorbable sutures, while thread lifts can be made of a variety of biocompatible materials.
A study published by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) confirms PDO thread lifts do work, stating thread lifts indisputably lift and shape facial soft tissues. Another study published by the NIH indicates this therapy yields around a 90 percent success rate.
Fortunately, because the threads placed under the skin during a thread lift are so small, the patient will not feel any of this happening. Most people cannot feel their sutures at all once the skin has healed around them.
On average, patients require between 2 – 4 threads on each side of the face for a mid-face thread lift. An additional 2 – 4 threads may be needed for the lower face and/or neck.
Although Botox can lift jowls, its effectiveness really does depend on the extent of the sagging. If you have large drooping jowls then Botox is unlikely to give you the results that you desire. In such cases, you really would be better off considering a surgical procedure.
Can Botox help lift sagging jowls? We are all aware of the wrinkle-reducing effects of Botox, but its benefits go much further than that. When administered strategically in the jaw and neck, it can affect the lower face by reducing the appearance of minor sagging skin and jowls.
"This does not work well in areas where there is excessive fat or severe skin laxity," says. If you have excessive laxity in the area, you may need to consider a more invasive procedure, like a traditional face-lift.
In general, you can expect to spend anywhere from $1,200 – $1,800 for a thread lift on just the face. For thread procedure focusing on just the neck and jawline, about $800 – $1,000. And if you want to address your entire face, neck and jawline, as is a typical thread procedure, it will cost you about $2,000 to $2,500.
For many people, a thread lift is ideal for their needs. Some pros for opting for a thread lift include: Since there is no incision, people experience less scarring and easier recovery with a thread lift as compared to a Facelift. A thread lift is quicker than a facelift often taking around one hour.
Thread lift side effects
"There's always a risk of bruising and infection, but it's very low. It's lower than the risk you would have with surgery," Matarasso explains. Some patients may end up with skin irregularities, like bumps or asymmetry, if one side of the face ends up looking fuller than the other, he adds.