Aesthetic medicine · London
PDO thread lift, a subtle lift, not a facelift.
Absorbable PDO, PLLA and PCL threads suspended under the skin to lift the midface, jawline and neck by 3 to 6 mm. Placed by a doctor-only injector, in a Save Face clinic, with an honest read on whether threads or a facelift is the right answer for you.
Why patients choose us
- 01
A doctor-only injector with a facelift eye
A GMC-registered aesthetic doctor or plastic surgeon who understands facial anatomy, vector planning and when a thread lift is the wrong answer.
- 02
The right thread for the tissue
Barbed PDO for a short subtle lift, Silhouette Soft PLLA cones for 12 to 24 months, MINT for jawline definition. Chosen for the face in front of us.
- 03
Independent, and free
We are paid by no clinic, so the recommendation is impartial and costs you nothing.
Indicative pricing
What a thread lift costs in London.
Indicative ranges across our doctor-led London panel. Send us two photographs and we quote firm figures across two or three thread options.
In short
A jawline or midface thread lift in our London network: £950 to £3,500, home the same hour.
| Treatment | Indicative range | Typical duration | Turnaround |
|---|---|---|---|
| PDO mono threads (collagen stimulation, one zone) | £450–£850 | 30 min | Same visit |
| PDO barbed cog threads (single zone: jawline or midface) | £950–£1,600 | 45 min | Same visit |
| Silhouette Soft PLLA (per cone thread) | £180–£280 | 30 min | Same visit |
| MINT PDO lift (lower face and jawline) | £1,400–£2,400 | 60 min | Same visit |
| Full-face thread lift (multi-zone, PLLA or PCL) | £1,800–£3,500 | 60–90 min | Same visit |
| Consultation and vector plan only | £150–£250 | 30 min | Same visit |
Prices vary by injector, by clinic postcode, by thread brand and by the number of threads placed. Cost per Silhouette Soft cone thread runs £180 to £280 and most patients need four to eight per side. We come back with a firm quote within one working day.
The journey
From first photo to eight-week review - in order.
One team from the first message to the second review, including honest photography and a longer-term plan.
- 01
Before
You send us a couple of photos
A short, confidential form with a front and three-quarter view. What is bothering you, and what you have already tried.
- 02
Before
We come back with a recommendation
Within one working day: whether threads fit, or whether volumising filler, HIFU or a surgical opinion is the better call. Indicative price. An honest read either way.
- 03
Before
We arrange the consultation
A face-to-face consultation with a named injector. Vector planning drawn on the face, thread type chosen, cooling-off period before treatment.
- 04
On the day
Arrival at the clinic
Photographs, consent, cleanse and mark. Local anaesthetic to the entry and exit points and along the tunnel.
- 05
On the day
The thread lift itself
30 to 45 minutes per zone. A blunt cannula introduces each thread under the skin, the cog or cone catches, and the tissue is gently pulled to the vector.
- 06
On the day
Home the same hour
Cold compress, aftercare sheet and written red-flag advice. You walk out with a subtle lift visible on the day.
- 07
After
Review at two and eight weeks
Two-week review for bruising, palpability and symmetry. Eight-week review with photographs once collagen stimulation matures.
When it helps
When threads are the right step - and when they are not.
The faces we treat most, plus the signs that mean threads are the wrong tool and we refer for surgery or a different device.
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Mild to moderate midface descent
Early flattening of the cheek and a heavier tear-trough where volumising filler alone will not lift.
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Early jowl formation
A softening jawline in your late thirties to early fifties, where the skin still has good elastic recoil.
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A tired brow
A subtle 2 to 4 mm brow lift using PDO barbed threads placed into the temple.
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Deepening nasolabial fold
Where the fold is a shadow rather than a groove, threads reposition the cheek fat pad rather than filling the line.
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Neck bands and mild submental laxity
Vertical PDO threads soften platysmal bands and give a light lift under the chin.
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A refresh between fillers
A tissue-repositioning step that pairs well with volumising filler and neuromodulator, not a replacement for either.
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When threads are not the answer
Heavy jowls, deep folds, submental fat or true skin excess need a deep-plane facelift or mid-face lift, not threads.
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Red flag: previous filler complication
A history of vascular occlusion, granuloma or migrated filler needs a specialist opinion before any threading.
Thread options
Threads are a family of materials - and surgery sits beside them.
The options we choose from on any given face, plus the non-invasive tightening devices and surgical answers that live alongside threads.
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PDO barbed cog threads
Polydioxanone with 360-degree molded cogs. A subtle 3 to 6 mm lift, results 6 to 12 months as the thread dissolves. The workhorse for jawline and midface.
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Silhouette Soft (PLLA cones)
Poly-L-lactic acid with bidirectional cones that anchor the tissue. Lift lasts 12 to 18 months, collagen stimulation runs longer.
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MINT PDO
Molded barbs on a heavier PDO thread designed for lower-face and jawline vectors. Stronger initial hold, similar 9 to 12 month duration.
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Aptos threads
A PLLA and caprolactone blend with bidirectional barbs. Longer scaffold life, 12 to 24 months, suited to fuller redraping.
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Silhouette InstaLift
The US-market PLLA cone thread, used interchangeably with Silhouette Soft in UK clinics with the right training.
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PDO mono threads
Fine smooth threads placed in a mesh pattern for pure collagen stimulation. No lift, but skin quality improves over three to six months.
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HIFU, Ultherapy, Sofwave, Thermage
Non-invasive tightening options that heat the SMAS or dermis. No incisions, no threads. Better for early laxity without descent.
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Deep-plane or mid-face lift
The surgical answer for heavier jowls, deep folds and true excess skin. Longer downtime, permanent redraping, larger cost.
Our vetted London network
A small panel of doctor-only injectors, we picked them.
Doctors and surgeons who thread every week, in clinics we know. Not listed publicly - introductions are made privately, once we understand your face. Familiar names in this space include Cadogan Clinic, EF MEDISPA, Cranley Clinic, Dr Wassim Taktouk, Young LDN and Sarah Cheney.
Selection criteria
How we choose every injector in our network.
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GMC-registered aesthetic doctors, plastic surgeons or oculoplastic surgeons only
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JCCP or Save Face registered clinics with cannula-based technique as standard
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Vascular occlusion and hyaluronidase protocols in the room, not down the corridor
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Honest referral to Ultherapy, deep-plane facelift or mid-face lift when threads will not deliver
Safety and recovery
What to expect afterwards - honestly.
Most thread complications trace back to inexperienced injectors, wrong-plane placement and budget clinics. The list below is what a well-consented patient walks in already knowing.
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Local anaesthetic, no sedation
Threads are placed under local anaesthetic at the entry and exit points, plus along each tunnel. You drive yourself home.
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Bruising and swelling for 1 to 2 weeks
The commonest side effect. Arnica, cold compresses and paracetamol help. Plan around any events for a fortnight.
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Asymmetry and thread palpability
Small differences settle over four weeks. A palpable thread under the skin usually softens as the collar of collagen forms around it.
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Dimpling and skin puckering
Small dimples at insertion sites settle in days. Persistent puckering means a thread is sitting too superficial and can be released.
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Extrusion or migration - rare
A cog or cone that works its way to the surface is trimmed at the clinic. Migration is uncommon with correct plane and depth.
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Infection - under 2 percent
Redness, warmth or discharge at an entry point needs same-day review and antibiotics. Sterile technique keeps this rare.
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Nerve injury - rare
Transient sensory change over the temple or cheek can occur; motor nerve injury is rare with a blunt cannula in the correct plane.
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Granuloma and late nodules
A firm nodule at a thread site months later is uncommon. Managed with steroid injection, and rarely with removal.
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Vascular event - very rare, treat fast
If any thread compresses a vessel, immediate release, warm compresses and vascular protocol. Choose a clinic that keeps this kit in the room.
Reading your treatment notes
Your thread-lift record in four parts. Read the last one first.
Whichever threads were used, the record the clinic sends you keeps to the same shape.
- 01 Header
Zones treated and thread type
Which zones (jawline, midface, brow, neck), which threads (PDO barbed, Silhouette Soft PLLA, MINT), and how many of each.
- 02 Technique
Entry points, vectors and depth
The map on the face, the direction of pull, the plane (subdermal or subcutaneous), and any anchor points used.
- 03 Findings
Immediate lift and symmetry
Photographs before and after, an honest note on symmetry, and any bruising or dimpling to expect over the next fortnight.
- 04 Impression
Duration and next step
Read this first: how long the lift is expected to last, when to review, and whether volumising filler or Botox is planned.
Frequently asked
Everything we get asked about thread lifts.
Quick answers on cost, longevity, facelift comparison and combining with filler and Botox.
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What is a PDO thread lift?
A thread lift places absorbable sutures (polydioxanone, poly-L-lactic acid or polycaprolactone) under the skin through a blunt cannula. Barbed or coned threads catch the tissue and are pulled along a vector to give a subtle 3 to 6 mm lift of the midface, jawline, brow or neck. It is a walk-in, walk-out procedure done under local anaesthetic.
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How long do the results last?
Pure PDO threads last 6 to 12 months as the thread dissolves. Silhouette Soft PLLA cones and Aptos PLLA and PCL threads last 12 to 24 months. Collagen stimulation continues for several months after the thread has gone, so skin quality often outlives the mechanical lift.
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How much does a thread lift cost in London?
A single zone such as jawline or midface is £950 to £1,600 with PDO barbed threads. A full-face lift is £1,800 to £3,500 depending on thread type. Silhouette Soft PLLA cone threads are priced per cone at £180 to £280. Consultation with vector planning is £150 to £250 and is redeemable against treatment.
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Is a thread lift the same as a facelift?
No. A thread lift is a subtle repositioning of soft tissue, not a surgical replacement for a facelift. If you have heavy jowls, deep folds, submental fat or true skin excess, a deep-plane facelift or a mid-face lift will deliver a result threads cannot. We will tell you honestly which side of that line you sit on.
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What are the risks?
Bruising and swelling for one to two weeks are normal. Asymmetry, thread palpability, small dimples, extrusion, migration and infection under two percent are recognised risks. Nerve injury and granuloma are rare. Most complications trace back to inexperienced injectors, wrong-plane placement or budget clinics, which is why we only refer to doctor-led clinics.
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How should I combine a thread lift with other treatments?
Threads reposition tissue; volumising filler restores lost fat pad volume; botulinum toxin relaxes the pull of overactive muscles. The three work well together, staged over four to six weeks. Non-invasive tightening (Ultherapy, HIFU, Sofwave, Thermage or Morpheus8) is a good pairing where skin quality also needs work.
Ready when you are
Send us two photos. We come back in a working day.
A confidential recommendation on whether threads, filler, HIFU or a surgical opinion is the right next step for your face - with a firm quote across two or three options.
Related treatments
Looking for something else?
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Anti-wrinkle Botox
Botulinum toxin to relax the muscles that pull the face down.
Learn more -
Lip fillers
Hyaluronic acid volumisation of the lips and perioral area.
Learn more -
Deep-plane facelift
The surgical answer for heavier jowls and true skin excess.
Learn more -
Mid-face lift
A shorter-scar surgical lift for the cheek and midface.
Learn more -
Morpheus8 RF microneedling
Radiofrequency microneedling for skin quality and mild tightening.
Learn more -
Ultherapy facial HIFU
Non-invasive SMAS tightening as an alternative to threads.
Learn more