WHAT ARE PDO THREADS?
Polydioxanone (or PDO) Threads is a material for office-based skin tightening and neocollagenesis that results in the lifting of the soft tissues of the face and body. PDO Threads are used for biomedical applications, particularly in cardiothoracic surgery. PDO Threads are fully absorbed by hydrolysis within 4 to 6 months and don’t create any scar tissue. The PDO Threads stimulate collagen synthesis and the skin structure created will hold for another 12 to 15 months.
HOW DO PDO THREADS WORK?
PDO Threads as delivered thru NovaThreads come in smooth, twisted, or “barbs.” The threads are inserted in the superficial subcutaneous plane and when the needle is withdrawn the thread remains under the skin. For the smooth and twist fibers, there is no “catching” of the dermis but simply the placement of a dissolvable suture material thread that then undergoes breakdown over a period of 4-6 months, depending on the thickness of the thread and the relative metabolism of the patient’s skin. The smooth fibers are typically placed in a crosshatching pattern to create a “mesh” of threads which will result in improvement of the skin quality and texture over time. This procedure is generally repeated after 4-6 weeks for improved results and to sustain results achieved from previous treatments. The twist fibers are generally placed in areas that would benefit from a slight amount of volume such as medial to the nasolabial folds, the marionette lines, or in the vermillion borders of the upper and lower lips. The barbed threads are utilized to create a lift of the skin by approaching the area of sagging from distal to proximal and withdrawing the hypodermic needle after it has traveled in a precise superficial subcutaneous plane. As the hypodermic needle is removed, gentle massage in the direction of the desired lift is performed to achieve the result. Typically multiple barbed sutures are utilized for one area in favorable vectors to create a natural result.
ARE THERE ANY COMPLICATIONS TO CONSIDER FOR A PDO THREAD TREATMENT?
Complications are very manageable and are minor with bruising being the most frequent complication to occur. Irregularity, asymmetry, and visibility of the threads are potential complications seen primarily with the lifting sutures. These issues are generally managed conservatively and are short-lived. Placement of NovaThreads in the correct tissue plane avoids injuries to deeper structures. There is no risk of skin tissue necrosis, blindness, or other devastating complications that can be seen with other injectables.
HOW LONG WILL RESULTS LAST?
As for the results, they speak for themselves and in many cases, are noticeable within a week or two. The PDO threads stimulate collagen synthesis and the skin structure created will hold for another 12 to 15 months.
