What makes thread lifting materials different from a technical perspective?

by Haroon Ahmad, MD 2025-03-24 00:00

PhysicianCosmetic

🔍 Key Finding

Thread lifting materials vary significantly beyond traditional PDO threads, with efficacy depending on material composition, thickness, tension, and structural design rather than simply their duration of effect.

🔬 Methodology Overview

A comprehensive review examining various thread lifting materials including silicone threads, gold threads, PDO, PLLA, PCL, and mesh scaffold types, with analysis of their technical characteristics, advantages, limitations, and clinical applications.

📊 Evidence

Silicone threads utilize elasticity but may cause tissue tearing and increased inflammation
Gold threads (99.99% pure gold, 0.06-0.07mm thickness) improve skin quality but remain visible in radiographs
PCL threads showed 20% wrinkle reduction and significant increases in neocollagenesis at 8 weeks in animal studies
PCL threads degrade over 1-1.5 years vs. PDO (6-8 months) and PLLA (12 months)
Absorbable threads showed lower risk of paresthesia and thread extrusion compared to non-absorbable threads

💡 Clinical Impact

Provides practitioners with comprehensive comparative information on thread lifting materials, enabling them to select the most appropriate thread type based on specific patient needs, anatomical considerations, and desired outcomes.

🤔 Limitations

The review acknowledges possibly not including all types of permanent threads used in clinical practice
Long-term satisfaction rates with thread lifting procedures significantly decreased compared to immediate post-procedure (88% vs 98%)
Limited discussion of complications beyond brief mention of swelling (35%), skin dimpling (10%), and paresthesia (6%)

When selecting thread lifting materials, consider factors beyond just longevity, including thread thickness, tension, cog design, and patient-specific anatomical characteristics; high-quality absorbable cog threads may offer better outcomes than non-absorbable threads due to tissue regeneration effects during absorption.

Hong GW, Kim SB, Park SY, Wan J, Yi KH. Thread Lifting Materials: A Review of Its Difference in Terms of Technical and Mechanical Perspective. Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2024;17:999-1006.