Eyebrow PDO thread from five and half years ago poking out from above my eyebrow

Question

49 years old. I am no longer living near the original practice plus the original treatment did not seem to make any difference. I know it was PDO thread. I went to a general GP2 weeks ago but they do not have any aesthetics knowledge and she said at that time it was not infected but I am a bit panicky as it's above the eye after all. I find it strange that after over 5 years it has not dissolved. Any help would be appreciated.

Nelson Lee Novick, MD · Answer

I'm really sorry that you are having this difficulty. Clearly, in the absence of photos, the best advice would be to consult with a board certified aesthetic physician. Very likely, the thread will have to be surgically removed and this should be done by a specialist.  For other readers of this answer a word of caution on threadlifting is in order. Although thread lifts are becoming increasingly popular, they are certainly nothing new. I gave up using threads over twenty years ago bc they did not live up to the claims made for them and were expensive to boot. Much more recently, with the introduction of dissolving threads, the procedure has become increasingly popular once again.  But a serious word of caution is in order. A very recent study of threadlifting found the following disturbing findings:  31.2% of those treated experienced infection; 23% dissatisfaction with their resulting facial contours; 19.7% had persistent funny skin sensations; 3.3% had facial nerve injury; 16.4% experienced dimpling and skin irregularities;  13.1% had subcutaneous skin abnormal skin thickening; 4.9% had thread extrusion (such as you describe); and 16.4% required revision surgery that included debridement and thread removal through a incision along the preauricular--in front of ears-- hairline. So, bottom line, think carefully before agreeing to threadlifting.

Dmitriy Schwarzburg, MD · Answer

If the thread is sticking out after more than a few months, what you have is not a PDO thread. PDO threads dissolve after about 2-3 months time, so you probably got a different type of thread. I would suggest seeing the doctor that gave you the treatment to see what they can do about it. They may be able to cut it off and you should be okay.

Vincent McGinniss, DO, FACS, FAOCO · Answer

Hi! PDO threads should dissolve around 6 months. They stimulate collagen production, which helps the results last longer, around one year although some claim 2 years. I’m glad to hear that your thread is not infected, but I feel that it should be removed since it is extruding out of the skin. This could be done in the office, preferably by someone that has experience with a variety of threads like a board certified plastic surgeon or dermatologist for example. Look on the websites of local doctors in your area and see if they promote threads in their practice. Doctors with a lot of before and after photos of threads on their websites are a nice way to find out if they do a lot of these procedures. All my best!

Eyebrow PDO thread from five and half years ago poking out from above my eyebrow

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Eyebrow PDO thread from five and half years ago poking out from above my eyebrow

Answers (3)

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Everything you need to know about Thread Lift

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.