Thread lifting duration: what does the PDO 6~8 months figure measure?

Thread lifting is a procedure that places threads under the skin to pull and hold sagging tissue in place. The PDO (absorbable medical thread) 6~8 months figure often seen in treatment information refers to how long the thread takes to be absorbed in the body, not to how long the effect lasts.

3-line summary

1. The period over which a thread is absorbed and the period over which facial change is maintained are not the same.

2. In submitted test values, the thread's pulling strength fell to about 81% at 2 weeks and about 66% at 4 weeks.

3. In consultation, check the material, thread structure, insertion plan, and previous treatment history together, rather than the month count alone.

Pulling strength, absorption, and facial change move separately

When the thread surface catches on tissue under the skin, it holds the pulled tissue in that position. However, the fact that the thread remains and the idea that the original pulling strength is maintained are not the same.

In test values submitted to the U.S. regulator, the pulling strength of a PDO thread fell to about 81% at 2 weeks and about 66% at 4 weeks. Materials for another PDO thread list wound-support duration as up to 6 weeks. Physical force therefore declines before the thread is fully absorbed.

Category	What the number describes	What to check in consultation
Pulling strength	How much of the original force the thread retains	Do not treat it as the same number as absorption time.
Absorption time	How long the thread takes to disappear from the body	It does not mean the period over which the effect continues unchanged.
Facial change	How much of the lifted shape and tissue movement remains	Review photos taken under the same conditions together with the current state.

Human data also showed that change began to recede early. In a trial that placed 3 or 6 PDO threads on one side of the face, the cheek and lower-face change seen at day 20 had decreased by day 60. Differences in volume, tissue movement, and satisfaction by thread count were also not confirmed.

A review pooling 12 papers and 818 participants reported immediate post-procedure improvement across several assessment methods. The longest follow-up was 2 years, and data for judging long-term effect remain insufficient.

Why PDO 6~8 months is hard to read as duration of effect

The PDO 6~8 months figure appears in a 2024 review. Tracing that sentence's source leads to a one-page, single-author paper published in 2017. It is not indexed in major academic search services.

The same review based its PLLA month count on an animal study. That experiment observed mice for a maximum of 8 weeks, so it is a different kind of evidence from data showing how many months an effect lasts on a human face.

PDO and PLLA are different materials. Direct comparisons of the three materials, including PCL, are currently animal studies as well. Results from one material cannot be reread as evidence of duration for another.

Thread structure and placement matter as much as the material

Depending on the product, the surface may be smooth, have barbs that catch tissue, or carry cone-shaped structures. Because the way they hold tissue differs, the material name and thread count alone do not make two procedures the same.

An analysis of 111,948 clinical records found seven material combinations, and the combination using PDO and PCL together was the most common. Cases done at the same time as other treatments such as filler or toxin also accounted for 60% or more. These figures show real-world use, not a comparison of which combination lasts longer or is safer.

Thread count is also hard to use as a standalone criterion. In a trial that followed 22 people for 60 days, there was no measured difference between placing 3 threads and placing 6 threads on one side of the face. In consultation, it is more useful to check which site, at what depth, and in which direction the threads are placed, rather than the number alone.

Adverse events were tallied differently by thread type and age

Pooling 26 studies, swelling was reported most often, followed by skin dimpling, threads that could be felt or seen through the skin, and infection. When absorbable and non-absorbable threads were separated, differences appeared in numbness or reduced sensation and thread extrusion.

Item	Confirmed figure	Comparison basis
Swelling	35%	Pooled value from all data
Skin dimpling	10%	Pooled value from all data
Thread palpable or visible	4%	Pooled value from all data
Infection	2%	Pooled value from all data
Numbness or reduced sensation	3.1% vs 11.7%	Absorbable threads vs non-absorbable threads
Thread extrusion	1.6% vs 7.6%	Absorbable threads vs non-absorbable threads
Skin dimpling and infection	Dimpling 16% vs 5.6% Infection 5.9% vs 0.7%	Over 50 vs 50 and under

※ The four items above are values pooled from 26 studies; how many people out of how many for each item is not stated in the published summary.

Satisfaction was 98% immediately after the procedure and 88% at a later time point. Satisfaction should likewise not be read as the same kind of number as absorption time.

If heat and redness worsen, or fever, thread extrusion, or an enlarging depression appears, contact the medical institution that performed the procedure right away. Recovery care by thread type is covered in the lifting aftercare guide, and general adverse-event response is covered in treatment safety information.

Even with the same PDO, the cleared use may differ

In Korea, lifting threads are regulated as a different item from surgical sutures used to close wounds. Even with the same PDO material, a different use requires a separate clearance. A lifting thread therefore cannot be judged on the explanation that “it is a thread used in surgery, so it is safe.”

In the United States as well, allowed use differs by product. One cone product was cleared for sale to temporarily lift and hold subcutaneous tissue of the cheek. By contrast, one PDO mono product was cleared for suturing tissue and is labeled as not for lifting or supporting tissue.

Jawline, neck, and forehead procedures and collagen stimulation were not included in the allowed uses in the confirmed U.S. documents. Check the site and purpose for which the actual product is cleared, rather than the material name alone.

What to ask before thread count and month count

When comparing quotes, confirm that you are comparing the same type and the same treatment plan, rather than matching numbers alone.

• □ Material: Which of PDO, PLLA, or PCL is used, and why was it chosen?
• □ Structure: Is it a smooth thread, a barbed thread, or a thread with cone structures?
• □ Depth and arrangement: Into which layer, how many threads, and in which direction?
• □ Recovery: How are swelling, bruising, and pain managed, and which symptoms require immediate contact?
• □ Retreatment: Is the timing based on a set month count or on the change that remains now?
• □ Combination: How are sequence and interval set with filler, toxin, and energy-based procedures?
• □ History: How are previous thread lifting, filler, and surgery factored into the plan?
• □ Cost: How does cost change with material, structure, and thread count?

Items to align when comparing quotes from several clinics are covered in Dermatology price comparison: 6 items to check on a written quote.

Frequently asked questions

Q1. How long does thread lifting last?

PDO 6~8 months is the absorption period. Duration of effect is not set as the same number, and in human data the early change seen at day 20 had decreased by day 60. Retreatment timing is based on the change that remains now and on previous treatment history.

Q2. Does using more threads produce a larger effect?

In a human trial, there was no measured difference between 3 threads and 6 threads. That result applies to the thread counts and the 60-day observation window of that trial. Check insertion site, depth, and direction together with thread count.

Q3. Do absorbable threads have fewer adverse events?

In pooled study results, numbness or reduced sensation and thread extrusion were tallied lower with absorbable threads. That does not mean that other items such as swelling and dimpling showed the same difference.

Q4. Can filler or toxin be done together after thread lifting?

In large-scale clinical records, 60% or more were done at the same time as other treatments. This figure shows how often combination occurs. Share the names and dates of treatments already received, and set sequence and interval by site. Detailed criteria are covered in the lifting, laser, and skin-booster sequence guide.

Q5. Which symptoms after treatment mean I should contact the clinic?

If worsening heat or redness, fever, a thread visible outside the skin, or an enlarging depression appears, contact the medical institution that performed the procedure right away. General recovery care and contact criteria are covered in the lifting aftercare guide and treatment safety information.

Results, duration, and suitability vary with individual skin condition, age, and lifestyle, and the same outcome cannot be guaranteed.

Procedures may cause temporary redness or swelling, and contraindications may apply, so please confirm these during your consultation.

This article is general information and does not replace individual medical care. Please confirm diagnosis and treatment suited to your condition during a consultation.

Sources

• Yi KH et al., Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol 2024 (PMID 38737945) — Scope verified: full text and original reference. The source cited in the footnote of the absorption-duration sentence is a one-page, single-author paper in a journal's inaugural issue in 2017, and it is not indexed in PubMed or Europe PMC. The PLLA duration given in the review is based on an animal study that evaluated 30 hairless mice at 1 week, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks. Limitation: a narrative review that did not pre-specify search and selection procedures.
• FDA 510(k) K251414 — Scope verified: original PDF. Residual strength of about 81% at 2 weeks and about 66% at 4 weeks for the 4-0 size; allowed use of Miracu PDO MONO and the statement excluding lift and support purposes. Limitation: test values for a single product size.
• Niu Z et al., Aesthetic Plast Surg 2021 (PMID 33821308) — Scope verified: abstract. Pooled incidence from a 26-study meta-analysis; absorbable-thread and age stratification; satisfaction of 98% and 88%. Limitation: the abstract does not give the total number of participants or per-item denominators, and the evidence grade is III.
• Germani M et al., Aesthet Surg J Open Forum 2025 (PMID 40236886) — Scope verified: abstract. 22 people; 3 vs 6 threads on one side; 3D measurements at day 20 and day 60; no between-group difference and a decrease at day 60. Limitation: small sample, and follow-up ended at 60 days.
• Riopelle AM et al., Dermatol Surg 2025 (PMID 39662017) — Scope verified: abstract. Systematic review of 12 papers and 818 people; immediate post-procedure improvement; longest follow-up 2 years; conclusion that long-term efficacy data are insufficient. Limitation: the full text was not reviewed.
• FDA 510(k) K212380 · K243897 — Scope verified: original 510(k) Summary PDF. Chemical name of PDO, poly(p-dioxanone), and molecular formula (C4H6O3)n; wound-support wording of up to 6 weeks; measurement time points 0, 14, 28, and 42 days. PLLA is made from lactide obtained from lactic acid, so its starting material differs from PDO. Limitation: a regulatory review document, not a study that measured a lifting effect.
• FDA 510(k) K142061 · K163676 — Scope verified: original Indications for Use and 510(k) Summary PDFs. Use limited to fixation of midface cheek subcutaneous tissue; temporarily added in the 2017 document; threads of the same material with bidirectional cone configurations of 4, 6, and 8; a clinical evaluation of 20 people at 1 week, 8 weeks, and 12 weeks. Limitation: the clinical scale is 20 people and 12 weeks.
• Korean Law Information Center, Regulation on Medical Device Items and Classification by Item, Attached Table 1 — Scope verified: original attached-table PDF. Definition and class 4 of B02040.01 facial tissue fixation thread; comparator item B02020.20. Even with the same PDO material, lifting threads and surgical sutures are classified as separate items. Limitation: individual product clearance numbers were not confirmed.
• Tamura T et al., Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open 2025 (PMID 41346928) — Scope verified: full text. In 111,948 clinical records from more than 100 hospitals from 2020 to 2024, seven material combinations were found, the PDO·PCL combination was the most common, and concurrent use of 60% or more was confirmed. The denominator for the adverse-event figures introduced in the paper is a separate observational study of 342 people. Limitation: an analysis of use trends in a single corporate group.
• Soen M et al., Iran J Basic Med Sci 2025 (PMID 39850124) — Scope verified: abstract. In 30 female rats exposed to UVB for 4 weeks, collagen in the skin increased with PDO, PLLA, and PCL, and values were higher in the PCL group. An animal study comparing collagen amount and related gene activity.
• Cho SW et al., J Cosmet Dermatol 2021 (PMID 33421303) — Scope verified: abstract. 30 hairless mice evaluated by biopsy at 1 week, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks. Limitation: the longest observation time point is 8 weeks.

Related reading

• Lifting aftercare: what differs by thread type
• How to sequence lifting, laser, and skin boosters
• Comparing nonsurgical lifting options
• Why skin elasticity declines and how to choose a procedure
• Dermatology price comparison: 6 items to check on a written quote
• Cellinique treatment information
• Treatment safety and adverse-event information