The latest non-surgical treatment is causing a stir in the aesthetics space, PDO ‘threads’ or ‘threadlifts’ – offer a less invasive option for those wanting a ‘lift’ in their skin.
Touted as a non-surgical solution for those considering everything from a face lift to rhinoplasty, the medical aesthetics market is on the rise, and minimally invasive procedures such as PDO thread lifts are the future of aesthetic regenerative medicine.
In the United States alone, the aesthetic PDO threads market size is expected to grow to $1.70B by 2028, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.36 per cent.
So we caught up with PDO Max, Inc. President and Founder, Giovanna McCarthy to find out everything you need to know about PDO threads – and the benefits of adding these products to your client offering.
Why are PDO threads becoming a popular option?
As Giovanna explains, with an aging global population, people are looking for affordable and non-surgical options.
“People also want to look like themselves without seeing the fine lines and sagging skin,” she said.
“Threads are the answer because they do two things: they reposition the tissue to where it used to be 10-15 plus years-ago and they stimulate collagen. We start to lose collagen in our mid-twenties and it progresses significantly as we enter mid-life.”
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, collagen levels decline about 30 per cent in women during the first five years of menopause. After that, women lose approximately two per cent each year thereafter.
Creating a successful business in PDO threads
It was in 2014 after spending time in Italy alongside top plastic surgeons that Giovanna recognized that threads are an innovative procedure that would fill a void in the U.S. aesthetic market.
She then began conducting substantive research and review of literature to determine the best thread and barb designs, searching high and low to partner with an ISO certified manufacturing plant in South Korea to create her thread designs. The company now offers FDA cleared threads inside cannulas in various sizes, designs, and types of threads, with products for both medical professionals and aestheticians.
It was from here that PDO Max was created in 2017, as a women founded company, and two-years-later, the company became one of a few companies with fully FDA cleared PDO thread-in-cannula devices.
PDO Max is based in Syracuse, New York with approximately 40 employees that represent research and development, clinical development, training, customer service, marketing, sales representatives, and warehouse distribution.
The company has grown a whopping 400 per cent since it began selling PDO threads in 2020, and with PDO threads as an established procedure in the aesthetic “tool kit” PDO Max is now training approximately 30 practitioners each month who are keen to add threads to their procedure repertoire.
Giovanna is a Licensed Cosmetologist who has been in the skin care business for over 30 years, who has tapped into the market for this innovative aesthetics procedure.
“We are seeing growth in sales not only because people are seeing the results with our PDO threads but because we are constantly listening to our customers’ needs and developing new ways to improve the designs and provide a tool that hasn’t been offered yet,” Giovanna said.
Seeing the popularity and results of PDO threads, PDO Max launched a topical liquid version of PDO at the end of 2022.
“I knew the regenerative power of threads and I knew there was another way to administer the treatment topically that focused more on hydrating and plumping the skin without the bruising,” she said.
As Giovanna explains, PDO Max’s focus is making practitioners confident in performing PDO thread procedures and understanding the regenerative and rejuvenating qualities of PDO.
“We do this by offering one-on-one training where we guide your hands to show you the best techniques to get the most optimal results for patients. We cover the history, science, indications, contraindications, risks, and possible complications.”
New innovations in technology for aestheticians
Innovation in PDO Max’s threads lies in the design and thickness of their PDO threads. The laser-cut barbed threads are omni directional, meaning that the barbs are equal and surround the thread in all directions 360 degrees for superior grip.
The science behind stronger grip in laser-cut threads is two-fold: the barbs are cut in all directions for a broader area of coverage and when the threads are placed in a cannula, they lay flat which gives the diameter of the thread more thickness and takes up the entire space within the cannula.
The combination of grip and suture size is important when selecting a PDO thread provider. As Giovanna explains, the threads her company stocks contour and move around in the tissue easier, causing less tissue trauma because it is flexible and easier to place.
“Offering a variety of U.S.P. suture sizes is important to have as well because that is tied to tensile strength and maximizing the lift and longevity of the procedure,” she said.
PDO Max’s proprietary innovation is PDO AfterGlo™, the first and only hydrating skin booster made of polydioxanone (PDO) in powder form and Hyaluronic Acid (HA). PDO threads, which are composed of the same biodegradable polymer as this new serum, are known to aid in the production of collagen, increase skin elasticity, and reapproximate tissue. PDO AfterGlo™ provides medspas with an innovative new treatment to improve the overall quality of the skin.
“It’s the perfect add-on to any laser or micro-needling procedure because of how it offers that immediate boost of hydration and glow to the skin,” she said.
“We like to call it “filter in a bottle” because of how it gives that smooth finished look to the skin. It is also a treatment that offers recurring revenue for a medspa, as it can be done monthly on a patient as part of an ongoing facial treatment plan.
For more information
Here is more information about PDO Threads and PDO AfterGlo™, to get 1:1 training or sign-up to the Practitioner Portal.