No, the lift doesn't vanish the day the threads dissolve, but there isn't strong evidence that it lasts for years either. Cleveland Clinic describes thread lift results as temporary, lasting about 1 to 3 years, and the longest studies have followed people for only 2 years.

If you're weighing whether a thread lift is worth it, the real question is how long the shape holds, not how long the thread stays in your skin. In this article, we'll cover the difference between dissolving time and results time, what the research actually shows, why results vary from person to person, which reactions are normal afterward and which need a call, and how to judge when another session makes sense.

The short version

• How long the thread takes to dissolve and how long the lift holds are two separate things. How long it holds depends on how much sagging you have and the condition of your skin.

• Expected range: Cleveland Clinic says 1 to 3 years, and studies have followed people for 2 years at most.

• Across 818 people, every study saw improvement right after treatment, but data covering several years is still thin.

• A fever, a headache that won't go away, or swelling that lasts more than 48 hours can signal infection. See a doctor right away.

Do Thread Lift Results End When the Threads Dissolve?

They don't end at the same moment, but the lift also isn't as firm once the thread is gone. Absorbable threads are made from materials the body breaks down slowly, so over time the thread itself disappears. While it dissolves, the tissue around it reacts, and that tissue response is thought to help hold part of the new shape.

Think of the thread as temporary scaffolding. When the scaffolding comes down, what's left is the support your skin built around it, which isn't as strong as the scaffolding was.

How long that tissue response lasts in people hasn't been measured well. In an experiment that placed PDO and other absorbable threads under rat skin, collagen peaked at 2 weeks and had dropped sharply by 12 weeks. At 12 weeks the thread was still there, wrapped in a thin fibrous capsule. Because it's an animal study, it can't be translated directly into how long results last on a human face.

PDO (polydioxanone): an absorbable material used in surgical sutures and in many lifting threads.

How Long Did Thread Lift Results Last in Studies?

Nearly every study found improvement right after treatment, but there's little evidence on how many years it lasts. A 2018 systematic review looked at 12 studies and concluded that, apart from 2 studies sponsored by manufacturers, lasting lift was very limited. A 2025 review of 12 studies and 818 people also found clear early improvement but said long-term data is lacking.

There's also a randomized trial with blinded evaluators that compared 2 threads at 7 months. It split 151 people with deep smile lines into 2 groups: one got a newly developed absorbable thread, the other a PDO thread already in use. At 7 months, the share of people whose wrinkle grade improved by at least 1 step was 71.6% and 62.7%.

Both groups cleared the halfway mark, but that also means the rest hadn't improved by even one grade at 7 months. Results vary from person to person, and no study yet tells you how long yours will last.

Why Do Results Last Longer for Some People?

How much your face has sagged is the first thing that separates results. Cleveland Clinic describes good candidates as people in their late 30s to early 50s who are just starting to see signs of aging and who aren't expecting a dramatic change. It's hard for a few threads to hold up skin that has sagged a lot for very long.

It also matters whether the problem is sagging or volume loss. A thread lift pulls tissue that has dropped back up. Areas that look hollow because volume has faded will still cast a shadow even after they're lifted. If you have both, it's worth talking about other approaches alongside threads.

At Beautystone, the doctor looks at your overall facial proportions and any difference in height between the left and right sides before choosing threads, then decides where to place them based on the direction of the sag. Two people can have the same sagging cheeks, but if one side sits lower, putting the same number of threads on each side may not fit.

Side Effects After a Thread Lift and When to Call

Swelling and bruising are common and usually settle on their own. Cleveland Clinic says swelling and bruising can last up to about 5 days and that most people go back to normal activities right away. A review of 59 studies covering 14,222 people found that asymmetry, swelling, and bruising were the most common problems and that most resolved without treatment.

Usually passes on its own

• Swelling and bruising where the threads went in (around 5 days)

• A temporary left-right difference before the swelling goes down

Contact the clinic right away

• Fever, a headache that won't go away, or swelling lasting more than 48 hours, which can signal infection

• Dimpling or a lumpy, uneven surface that stays

• A thread end you can see through the skin or feel poking out

• Numbness or tingling in the face that doesn't fade

The review grouped contour irregularities, injury to blood vessels or salivary glands, infection, and inflammatory reactions as problems that don't usually clear up on their own. If you notice a thread end, don't pull or cut it yourself. Take a photo and get seen instead of waiting. Cleveland Clinic also recommends holding off on strenuous exercise for about 2 weeks.

How to Tell When It Might Be Time for Another Session

Comparing photos taken under the same conditions is more reliable than counting months. Take front-facing and 45-degree photos in the same lighting and from the same angle once the swelling settles, then again at 3 months and 6 months. Laid side by side, they show where the sag is starting to return, whether your jawline has softened again, and whether the shadows around your mouth look like they did before treatment.

At the consultation, try asking, "For my kind of sagging, how many threads would you use, and in which layer?" The answer tells you a lot about how long the plan is likely to hold. It also helps to know the brand and material of any threads you've had before, since repeat sessions depend on whether old threads are still in place.

The Bottom Line: Your Skin Matters More Than the Thread

The time a thread takes to dissolve and the time your lift holds aren't the same. Long-term research is still limited, so instead of trusting a promise about years, check whether the plan matches how much sagging you actually have.

Beautystone is a clinic in Seoul's Hapjeong area. You can reach us through the consult button on this page. When you first get in touch, let us know which area bothers you, when you had any previous thread lift and what type of thread was used, and whether you have photos from before treatment.