Before Your Appointment
The Consultation
Every good PDO threading treatment starts with a consultation. Your practitioner will assess your skin quality and degree of laxity, review your medical history, take photos, and agree a plan with you. That plan covers which areas to treat, which thread types to use, and roughly how many threads you'll need.
Preparing for Treatment
- If your doctor agrees, avoid blood thinners such as aspirin, ibuprofen, fish oil, vitamin E and ginkgo for about 5–7 days to reduce bruising.
- Skip alcohol for 24–48 hours beforehand.
- Postpone treatment if you have a cold sore, skin infection or active acne in the area.
- Avoid booking within about two weeks of a big event, to allow for any bruising.
- Arrive with clean skin and no makeup.
On the Day: Step by Step
- Cleansing and mapping (5–10 min). Your skin is disinfected and the practitioner marks the entry points and the direction of each thread.
- Numbing (10–20 min). Topical numbing cream is applied, often followed by small injections of local anaesthetic at the entry points.
- Thread placement (15–30 min). A fine needle or blunt cannula carrying the thread is passed under the skin. As it's withdrawn, the thread stays in place. You'll feel pressure and some tugging, but most people describe it as uncomfortable rather than painful.
- Lifting and trimming. Cog threads are gently tensioned to lift the tissue, and any excess is trimmed flush with the skin.
- Review and aftercare. You check the result in a mirror, the entry points are cleaned, and you receive written aftercare instructions.
Total time: usually 30 to 60 minutes. You can drive yourself home in most cases.
Recovery Timeline
| When | What's normal |
|---|---|
| First 24–72 hours | Swelling, tenderness, mild bruising, a tight feeling, and possible small puckers or dimples near entry points. |
| Days 3–7 | Swelling and bruising steadily fade. Most people are comfortable in public, with makeup if needed. |
| Weeks 1–2 | Any dimpling usually settles. The lift looks natural and tenderness when chewing or yawning eases. |
| Months 1–3 | Collagen builds and skin becomes progressively firmer and smoother. |
| Month 6 | Threads are fully absorbed. Collagen support remains. |
Aftercare Do's and Don'ts
Do
- Sleep on your back with your head raised for about a week
- Use cold compresses for swelling
- Keep entry points clean
- Eat soft foods for the first few days
Avoid (typically 1–3 weeks)
- Facial massage, rubbing or pressing the area
- Wide mouth opening and heavy chewing
- Strenuous exercise, saunas and hot yoga
- Dental work and facials
Always follow your own practitioner's instructions, as protocols vary.
Possible Side Effects
Most side effects are mild and temporary: bruising, swelling, tenderness, a feeling of tightness, and minor asymmetry. Less common issues include visible dimpling that lasts, a thread you can see or feel, thread extrusion through the skin, infection, and nerve irritation. Contact your practitioner promptly if you notice increasing pain, redness, warmth, discharge or fever. If you can't reach them, call NHS 111 or speak to your GP.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does PDO threading hurt?
With local anaesthetic, most people feel pressure and tugging rather than sharp pain. Soreness for a few days afterwards is common and usually managed with paracetamol (as long as your doctor agrees).
When will I see results?
You'll see the lift from cog threads immediately. Collagen-driven improvements in firmness and texture develop over 2–3 months.
How many sessions will I need?
One session is often enough for lifting. Collagen-focused mono-thread treatments are sometimes repeated after about 3 months. Maintenance is typically every 12–18 months.