How long does a thread lift last? — What 98% straight after and 88% at 6 months tell us
“How many years does a thread lift last?” — the honest answer is that the evidence for saying ‘years’ is still weak. The immediate effect is clear, but the duration confirmed in research is shorter than many people expect. We have separated what has been confirmed from what is not yet known.
The short answer
The repositioning effect of a thread lift fades over time, and data showing a long-term effect are still lacking. In a meta-analysis pooling 26 studies, satisfaction fell from 98% immediately after treatment to 88% at 6 months (Niu 2021), and across 12 studies of absorbable threads (818 patients) the longest follow-up was 2 years (Riopelle 2025). So Miso Clinic (4F Bombom Building, 125 Dongdeok-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu, South Korea; +82-53-428-2700) does not promise that it ‘lasts for years’; we explain how long the threads take to dissolve, the tissue reaction, and how quickly sagging returns, and then decide the next step based on how you progress.
The effect needs to be seen as two parts
The effect of a thread lift divides into (1) the repositioning effect, where barbs hook the tissue and move it, and (2) the tissue reaction that forms around the thread. (1) is greatest immediately and fades as the thread dissolves; (2) develops over several months.
In a biopsy study of 25 people, collagen next to the thread path began to appear at 90 days and increased up to 270 days (Goldberg 2020). However, it had no control group and was a single-centre study, so it is not yet known how much this collagen holds the ‘lifted position’ in place.
How long did it last in research?
The 12 absorbable thread studies from 2018–2022 (818 patients) all reported immediate improvement, but the longest follow-up was 2 years, and the authors concluded that data on long-term effect are lacking (Riopelle 2025).
In the meta-analysis, satisfaction also fell from 98% immediately to 88% at 6 months, and the authors recommended that “patients should be told before treatment that the effect may not last long” (Niu 2021). A recent report on an anchoring technique also stated, in the authors’ own words, that the effect of PDO thread lifting is temporary (Yu 2026).
Does the effect end when the thread dissolves?
Not necessarily. In an animal study, a fibrous capsule formed around the thread and collagen signals stayed high for 7 months (Kim 2017). In another animal study, however, collagen was high at 2 weeks and fell sharply by 12 weeks (Shin 2019). Because these are animal data that cannot be transferred directly to people, we do not link dissolving time and effect duration one to one.
Does duration differ by material?
Materials dissolve in the body at different rates, so some people choose a longer-lasting material. But we could not find a randomised trial directly comparing effect duration between materials. Differences by material are set out in Thread lift materials: PDO, PLLA, PCL and barb structure.
What decides how quickly sagging returns?
- The degree of sagging and skin thickness — the greater the weight, the more the thread has to carry
- Where the thread was anchored — unanchored threads also had more adverse events (Ojha 2025)
- Age and weight change, and the fact that sagging itself keeps progressing
We talk from the start about the fact that threads do not stop time (clinical judgement).
When and how is repeat treatment decided?
Rather than setting a date in advance, we look at the face again once the threads have largely dissolved and the swelling and tissue reaction have settled, and decide then. Placing new threads over the same area while earlier threads remain can make the contour uneven, so it helps if you tell us when you were last treated and with which material (clinical judgement).
For people whose sagging returns quickly, we also consider device lifting or a surgical consultation. What is adjusted for a natural result is described in What a natural lifting actually adjusts.
These expectations do not hold up
- “One session lasts for years” — the evidence is weak
- “The more threads, the longer it lasts” — we could not find a human study comparing number of threads and duration
- “The same effect as surgery” — when sagging is severe, threads have clear limits
How long a thread lift lasts: frequently asked questions
How long does a thread lift last?
Across 12 studies of absorbable threads, the longest follow-up was 2 years and long-term data are lacking. In a meta-analysis, satisfaction fell from 98% immediately after treatment to 88% at 6 months.
Does the effect disappear when the thread dissolves?
There are animal data showing a tissue reaction remains around the thread, but these cannot be transferred directly to people. We do not link dissolving time and effect duration one to one.
Which material lasts longer?
Materials dissolve at different rates, but we could not find a randomised trial directly comparing effect duration between materials.
How long before a thread lift can be repeated?
We do not set a date in advance; we look at the face again once the threads have dissolved and the tissue reaction has settled. It helps if you tell us when you were last treated and with which material.
Does it last longer if more threads are used?
We could not find a human study comparing number of threads and duration. We set the number according to the degree of sagging and the anchoring points.
Where can I have a thread lift consultation in Daegu?
Miso Clinic is at 4F Bombom Building, 125 Dongdeok-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu, in front of Exit 1 of Kyungpook National University Hospital Station. +82-53-428-2700. Weekdays 11:00–19:00, Saturdays 10:00–16:00 (no lunch break); closed Sundays and public holidays.
Read next
Product pages
Who wrote this
Written and reviewed by Lee Chi-Hak, MD, director of Miso Clinic, Daegu. The treatment standards and injection design set out here are the ones we use in practice.
| Medical director | Lee Chi-Hak, MD |
|---|---|
| Address | 4F Bombom Building, 125 Dongdeok-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu, South Korea · Exit 1, Kyungpook National University Hospital Station |
| Phone | +82-53-428-2700 |
| Hours | Weekdays 11:00–19:00 (lunch 13:00–14:00) / Saturday 10:00–16:00 (no lunch break) / Closed Sundays and public holidays |
| Columns | All clinical columns |
| Reference library | All booster and device references |
References
- Meta-analysis of thread lift complications — Niu Z et al., Aesthetic Plast Surg 2021;45(5):2148–2158, PMID 33821308, DOI 10.1007/s00266-021-02256-w. Pooled 26 studies. Swelling 35%, skin dimpling 10%, sensory disturbance 6%, visible or palpable thread 4%, infection 2%, thread extrusion 2%. Absorbable threads had less sensory disturbance (3.1% vs 11.7%) and extrusion (1.6% vs 7.6%) than non-absorbable threads; patients over 50 had more dimpling (16% vs 5.6%) and infection (5.9% vs 0.7%). Satisfaction fell from 98% immediately after treatment to 88% at 6 months.
- Recent evidence on absorbable thread lifting — Riopelle AM et al., Dermatol Surg 2025;51(5):509–514, PMID 39662017, DOI 10.1097/DSS.0000000000004521. 12 studies from 2018–2022, 818 patients. PDO was the most common, followed by PLLA and PCL types. Every study reported immediate improvement; the longest follow-up was 2 years and complications were minor. Authors’ conclusion — there is an immediate effect, but data on long-term effect are lacking.
- Collagen around PLLA/PLGA cone threads — Goldberg DJ, J Cosmet Dermatol 2020;19(5):1172–1178, PMID 32167231, DOI 10.1111/jocd.13371. Single-centre, open-label prospective study of 25 patients (17 completed biopsy). Collagen right next to the thread path began to appear at 90 days and had increased significantly at 180 and 270 days; nasolabial fold ratings improved up to 270 days. This study had no control group.
- Tissue changes around PDO barbed threads (animal) — Kim J et al., Dermatol Surg 2017;43(1):74–80, PMID 27748691, DOI 10.1097/DSS.0000000000000925. 12 guinea pigs. A fibrous capsule formed around the thread, and type I collagen and TGF-β1 stayed higher than in normal skin for 7 months. These are not human results.
- Collagen by absorbable thread type (animal) — Shin JJ et al., J Cosmet Laser Ther 2019;21(3):158–162, PMID 29979893, DOI 10.1080/14764172.2018.1493511. Rat dorsal skin. Multi-strand PDO produced more collagen at 2 weeks; collagen fell sharply by 12 weeks, and the threads remained enclosed in a capsule. These are not human results.
- PDO thread lifting anchored to anatomical structures — Yu AY, Pu LLQ, Plast Reconstr Surg 2026, PMID 41534851, DOI 10.1097/PRS.0000000000012812. A method that hooks the zygomatic-cutaneous ligament (ZCL), anchors to the superficial layer of the deep temporal fascia, and makes use of the malar fat and the platysma-auricular ligament, applied in 83 patients. The authors themselves wrote that the effect of PDO thread lifting is temporary. A technique report without a comparison group.
- Adverse events by absorbable thread material — Ojha AS et al., Dermatol Surg 2025;51(3):272–276, PMID 39442180, DOI 10.1097/DSS.0000000000004466. 19 studies, 1,406 patients. Bruising 19.49%, swelling 16.79%, tenderness 9.96%, infection 2.49%, sensory disturbance 1.14%, haematoma 0.64%. Swelling and bruising were more common with PCL threads, barbed threads and the midface; barbed threads had more adverse events than smooth or cone threads, and floating (unanchored) threads more than anchored threads.
- Medical advertising law — Medical Service Act of Korea, Article 56(2), which prohibits testimonial advertising, comparison with other clinics, superlative claims and advertising that guarantees or implies a guaranteed treatment effect.
- Miso Clinic practice guidance — indication criteria, site-by-site design, and the explanation and consent procedure. This is the source for every sentence marked as clinical judgement.
Everything in this column is general information and does not replace medical diagnosis or treatment. Effects and side effects vary with individual skin condition, age and underlying illness, and the same result is not guaranteed for everyone. Any decision to proceed should be made in an in-person consultation with a physician.