The basics
Thread lifts in brief
A thread lift raises the face and neck with absorbable barbed sutures that sit beneath the skin (ASPS). Recovery is comparatively easy. In exchange, the lift is small, only a few millimeters, and it generally holds for one to three years, where a facelift can hold up to a decade (ASPS).
Mechanism
What the threads do under the skin
The barbs grip tissue and keep it raised. The FDA clearances for MINT threads and Silhouette InstaLift describe this as face or mid-face suspension surgery “to temporarily fixate the cheek sub dermis in an elevated position” (FDA 510(k) K220549; FDA 510(k) K200140). The ASPS adds that the threads stimulate collagen production in the skin (ASPS).
What threads are made of. MINT threads are made from PDO (polydioxanone) (FDA 510(k) K220549), and Silhouette InstaLift sutures from poly(glycolide/L-lactide) (FDA 510(k) K200140). Other threads in use are made of poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) or polycaprolactone (PCL) (Hong et al. 2024 review).
How long a thread remains in the body. Figures vary by source and by product:
- PDO: the ASPS says NovaThreads (PDO) remain in place about four to six months (ASPS). One 2024 review gives PDO absorption as 6 to 8 months (Hong et al.). In a rat study described in the FDA 510(k) summary for MINT, absorption took 180 to 220 days (FDA 510(k) K192423).
- PLLA: around 12 months (Hong et al.).
- PCL: around 1 to 1.5 years (Hong et al.).
How long a thread stays in the body is a separate question from how long the lift lasts (covered below).
Smooth versus barbed. Compared with barbed sutures, smooth ones give less lift and are used to stimulate collagen, the ASPS says (ASPS).
Is the collagen effect proven?
The evidence is limited. One study followed 10 patients with ultrasound at 30, 60, 90 and 120 days after PDO thread placement and saw collagen forming around the threads (Lots 2023). A mouse study of PCL threads, cited in a 2024 review, found increased new collagen at 8 weeks (Hong et al.). The authors of a 2025 randomized trial wrote that longer follow-up is needed to tell whether collagen stimulation contributes to lasting results (Germani et al. 2025 trial).
Two systematic reviews found weak overall support. In Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, a 2018 review reported that the preceding decade had added little or no substantial evidence about efficacy or safety (Gülbitti et al. 2018 review). A 2021 review in Aesthetic Plastic Surgery concluded that no new evidence supported the procedure, and said patients should be told about adverse events, the duration of the effect and the limited efficacy data (Atiyeh et al. 2021 review).
Duration
How long the lift holds
The ASPS puts typical results at one to three years (ASPS). Several published studies found less:
- In 160 consecutive patients treated with barbed PDO threads, the improvement had noticeably declined at 6 months and was absent at 1 year (Bertossi et al. 2019).
- Of the 12 studies in a 2018 systematic review, all but two showed very limited durability at best. Thread manufacturers sponsored both positive studies (Gülbitti et al.).
- A 2025 randomized trial enrolled 22 patients and compared 3 PDO threads with 6 on each side of the face. Initial gains in volume and tissue position were fading by 60 days, and more threads did not change the outcome significantly (Germani et al.).
Satisfaction slips with time too. Pooled satisfaction in a 2021 meta-analysis was 98% immediately after the procedure and 88% later on. Its authors recommend warning patients in advance that the effect may not last (Niu et al. 2021 meta-analysis).
What to expect
Recovery
Thread lifts can be done under local anesthesia. The ASPS reports that most patients return to work immediately and rarely need strong pain medication (ASPS). Mild soreness and swelling may last a few days after a Silhouette InstaLift. For at least a week, the ASPS advises against rubbing your face vigorously when you wash it or apply moisturizer (ASPS).
Swelling is the most frequent side effect: 35% pooled across 26 studies in a meta-analysis (Niu et al.). Ask for aftercare instructions in writing, including which activities to skip and for how long.
Is this right for you?
Who is a good candidate
The ASPS describes the typical candidate as someone in their late thirties to early fifties whose skin laxity is mild to moderate rather than severe (ASPS). It adds that threads can be an alternative for older patients whose medical conditions rule out a facelift (ASPS). The authors of the 160-patient study would restrict the procedure to patients who are unable to have more invasive facial surgery (Bertossi et al.).
Risk also changes with age. The 2021 meta-analysis found skin dimpling in 16% of patients older than 50 versus 5.6% of younger ones, and infection in 5.9% versus 0.7% (Niu et al.).
Threads may not deliver what you want if:
- Your skin laxity is severe (ASPS)
- You expect results to last like a facelift, which the ASPS says can last up to a decade (ASPS)
If your laxity is severe, a board-certified plastic surgeon can tell you whether surgery would meet your goals better.
Pricing
What thread lifts cost in Austin
This site has no Austin price range for thread lifts. Cost shifts with the thread brand, the thread count and the areas treated. Get a written quote that names the brand, states how many threads and gives the total.
Choosing a provider
Choosing a provider in Austin
Lifting threads are Class II medical devices (surgical sutures) under FDA regulation, and their cleared indications are worded in surgical terms, for example “face suspension surgery” and “soft tissue approximation” (FDA 510(k) K220549). A PDO thread is not automatically cleared for lifting. The PDO Max sutures clearance excludes lifting and supporting tissues from their intended use (FDA 510(k) K210871).
Credentials to confirm. Medical cosmetic procedures in Texas fall under the Texas Medical Board (TDLR). The physician may perform the procedure or delegate it to a physician assistant or an advanced practice registered nurse. Registering that delegation with the Texas Medical Board is the physician’s job (22 TAC §169.5). Other requirements follow:
- The delegating physician needs training in the procedure, or familiarity with it and the ability to perform it, and must confirm that the person doing it is trained (22 TAC §169.26).
- The delegation needs a written order (22 TAC §169.27).
- Every public area and treatment room must display the delegating physician’s name and Texas license number (22 TAC §169.28).
- A written protocol must be signed and dated by whoever performs the procedure (22 TAC §169.26).
- Medical-type procedures involving needles are outside an esthetics or cosmetology license (TDLR).
Also ask about board certification. The American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) has member boards, and those relevant to facial procedures include the American Board of Plastic Surgery, the American Board of Dermatology and the American Board of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (ABMS). The ASPS observes: “There is no ABMS-recognized certifying board with ‘cosmetic surgery’ in its name” (ASPS). To see a Texas physician’s or PA’s license status and any board disciplinary actions, use the Texas Medical Board’s Look Up a License page.
Questions for your consultation:
- Which thread brand will you use, and has the FDA cleared it for lifting?
- How many thread lifts has the person who will do mine completed?
- Which physician is delegating, and what board certification do they hold?
- What complications have your patients experienced, and what do you do about an extruded thread or asymmetry?
- Do you have before-and-after photos of your own patients, as opposed to stock or manufacturer images?
- Given my degree of skin laxity, what result is realistic, and how long should it last?
Treatment Areas