Need a little lift?

April 30, 2018 by Shari J. Twigg, MD
Need a little lift?

I am so excited to be able to offer this service to my patients.  Its really exciting and a great service.  NovaThreads are an absorbable PDO (polydioxanone) suture that are placed in the skin to stimulate collagen synthesis as well as repositioning the skin.  It takes about 4-6 months to fully absorb, but the skin structure created will hold for another 12-15 months in most areas.    They can be used on any area of the body, but the most common areas are the face, jaw, and neck.

For collagen stimulation, a mesh or net is created underneath the skin to stimulate new collagen formation.  These are inserted with a needle that is preloaded with a PDO thread.  This Nova “mesh” stimulates collagen production, serves as a scaffold to support tissue, and helps tighten the area.  Using this technique in combination with a Lyfting technique, a scaffold is created to support the tissues and keep them in the V-shape or where necessary to lift the tissues and reposition the skin to recreate the V-shape of youth where its been lost.

The Lyfting techniques also stimulate collagen, slightly reposition the tissue and anchor or grip the area.  This is a great technique for contouring the face, cheek contouring (softening the nasolabial fold), jowl softening, marionette line softening, and the lose skin beneath the chin and neck areas. It can even be used to do a lift on the brows.

These threads can even be used for a lip enhancement for a mild enhancement of the lips that is easy and quick.  Results last about 3 months for the lips.

These techniques are often combined together to create the best look and longevity of a more youthful appearance.  In addition, neurotoxin injections such as Botox and the use of dermal fillers may be used or recommended for optimal appearance.

Although the face, jawline, and neck areas are the most common areas for placement of these threads, they can be used virtually anywhere to tighten, smooth or lift an area.  Examples: knees, butt, stomach, décolleté, thighs, backs of arms, upper lip lines, and hands.

The great thing about these threads are that they continue to stimulate collagen until they are absorbed fully.  This is important for a youthful appearance, because as we age, our collagen is reduced and becomes more disordered, causing lines, wrinkles, and sagging skin.

See below for some before and after photos from NovaThreads.  I hope to see you for a consult or for scheduling a procedure.