Thread Lifts
PDO thread lifts have a reputation. Most people have heard a story — threads that migrated, results that looked unnatural, a procedure that simply did not deliver. Those stories are real. Thread lifting is one of the most technique-sensitive procedures in aesthetics, and when it is performed without sufficient experience or anatomical understanding, it shows. In skilled hands, with FDA-cleared threads and nearly a decade of refinement, the results are a different thing entirely.
Dr. Sue Min Mak has been performing PDO thread lifts since 2016. She has trained with leading thread lift specialists in the United States and in Korea, where technique is most advanced. She takes her time with every patient — this is not a quick procedure in her hands, and patients feel that. Patients return.
Patients travel specifically for this procedure. Not because it is trending, but because a well-executed PDO thread lift is the most effective minimally invasive lifting option available — and in experienced hands, the results reflect that.
“Think of this as a natural, regenerative procedure.
We actually like the threads to dissolve — no foreign product long term. Only you, with the collagen framework we have strategically designed.”
Lifting Threads.
Lifting threads physically anchor and reposition tissue that has descended over time. The jowls that have settled. The cheeks that have dropped. The midface that has lost its structure. The threads create a scaffold, lifting the fat pads back toward where they once sat.
As the threads dissolve over several months, the body responds by laying down collagen along the thread pathways. The framework that remains is your own tissue, supported by your own collagen. This is why results continue to improve for months after treatment and why longevity extends well beyond the life of the thread itself. It is also why the threads dissolving is not a flaw — it is the point.
Areas treated with lifting threads include the jowls and jawline, the cheeks and midface, and the neck. They are also used to maintain and refine the results of surgical facelifts over time, addressing what surgery did not reach and supporting the result as the face continues to change.
Smooth threads work differently. Rather than lifting, they stimulate. Placed in a precise mesh pattern beneath the skin, they trigger the body’s own collagen and elastin production — improving skin quality, texture, firmness, and hydration from within. The improvement is gradual and continues for months as the body responds.
As collagen production increases, patients notice a gradual tightening and improvement in skin quality that goes beyond what topical treatments can achieve. This makes smooth threads as much a regenerative procedure as an aesthetic one. They are often used alongside lifting threads to address both descent and skin quality in the same session, or as a standalone treatment for patients focused on skin health and longevity.
Smooth Threads.
What we treat.
Most patients come with concerns about the lower face — jowling, the softening of the jawline, the heaviness that appears when the cheeks begin to descend. These are among the areas where PDO thread lifting produces the most meaningful results, particularly when anatomy is well-suited to the procedure.
Lifting threads address the jowls and jawline, the cheeks and midface, and the neck. Smooth threads improve skin quality throughout the face and are particularly effective for patients who want regenerative improvement without a physical lift.
For patients who have had a surgical facelift, threads offer an excellent way to maintain the result and address changes that occur over time. The two approaches are not in competition. They work together, each serving a different moment.
Whether threads are the right approach is determined in consultation— anatomy is everything, and an honest assessment always comes first.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Yes, when performed by an experienced thread lift specialist using FDA-cleared threads. The safety and quality of the result depend on the skill, experience, and anatomical understanding of the person performing the procedure. Dr. Mak has been performing PDO thread lifts since 2016 with training in the US and Korea.
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The concerns are legitimate. Thread lifting is technique-sensitive, and poor results happen when the procedure is performed without sufficient experience. The answer is not to avoid threads — it is to be very selective about who performs them. Look at the work. Understand the training. Ask how long they have been doing this and where they have trained. Those answers matter more than any reassurance.
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Yes — when performed well and in the right candidate. Thread lifting is anatomy-dependent. Not every patient is a good candidate, and part of skilled practice is knowing who will benefit most. This is exactly why a thorough consultation is always the first step.
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Results vary by patient, age, skin quality, and how well the body produces collagen. For lifting threads, results in ideal candidates last years — most patients find they want a maintenance visit somewhere between 18 months and several years. Older patients or those with accelerated aging tend to refresh closer to 18 months. Smooth threads follow a different schedule — maintenance every 6 to 12 months supports ongoing collagen production.
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Recovery is minimal. Most patients return to work the next day. Some mild swelling and bruising is normal and typically resolves within a few days. Strenuous exercise is avoided for two to three weeks.
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A surgical facelift and PDO thread lifts are not in competition. They serve different patients at different moments. For someone not ready for surgery, or who will never choose it, thread lifts are the most effective non-surgical lifting option available. For someone post-facelift, threads are excellent for maintaining the result and refining over time.
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No. PDO threads dissolve completely over several months. This is intentional. The goal is to stimulate your own collagen and create a framework your tissue maintains long after the threads are gone. No foreign product remains. Only you — with the collagen your body has built around the structure we created.
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Yes, and the best results often come from targeting multiple areas and concerns using multiple modalities. Neuromodulator treatment, lifting threads, smooth threads, filler, and regenerative treatments each address something different. When combined thoughtfully, the results are more comprehensive, more natural, and longer lasting.
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Patients travel from across Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and New England for this procedure.
Yes — during your consultation. Our patients are private, and we honor that. Results are shared in person, not publicly.