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What Is a PDO Thread Lift? A Clinical Guide for Australian & New Zealand Practitioners
- The Athena Team
- Jun 19
- 5 min read
Thread lifting has established itself as one of the most clinically documented minimally invasive procedures in facial rejuvenation. For practitioners across Australia and New Zealand, understanding the mechanism, evidence base, and practical application of PDO threads is the foundation for confident patient selection, informed counselling, and reproducible outcomes.
MINT stands for Minimally Invasive Nonsurgical Thread. This guide draws on published clinical data from studies conducted with MINT PDO Threads — a device with regulatory approvals across Korea, China, Europe, and the United States — to give ANZ practitioners an accurate, evidence-grounded overview of what PDO thread lifting is, how it works, and what the data actually shows.
The Mechanism: How PDO Thread Lifting Works
Barbed PDO threads — the thread type used for facial lifting — are inserted via cannula into the subcutaneous plane. The barbs engage the surrounding fibrous tissue, creating anchoring vectors that physically reposition ptotic soft tissue. MINT PDO Threads use a patented technology where barbs are press-moulded onto the surface of the thread in a 360° helical pattern. This design allows the thread to better anchor onto the three-dimensional structures of the skin for powerful repositioning effects.
Mechanical Lift
Barbed PDO threads — the thread type used for facial lifting — are inserted via cannula into the subcutaneous plane. The barbs engage the surrounding fibrous tissue, creating anchoring vectors that physically reposition ptotic soft tissue. MINT PDO Threads use a patented technology where barbs are press-moulded onto the surface of the thread in a 360° helical pattern. This design allows the thread to better anchor onto the three-dimensional structures of the skin for powerful repositioning effects.
Conventional sutures cut their barbs from the core of the thread, which compromises the thread's structural integrity and leads to faster barb degradation. MINT's barbs are designed separately and then press-moulded onto the core — preserving the integrity of both the barb and the thread over a longer period of time.
Biostimulation
Beyond mechanical lift, clinical study data shows that MINT thread, when it reacts with surrounding soft tissue, can produce additional lifting effects through the increased synthesis of type I collagen and transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1). This biostimulatory response contributes to continued tissue improvement beyond the immediate procedural result.
Moulding Cog vs Cut-Barb Technology
Not all PDO barbed threads are manufactured the same way. MINT uses a moulding cog process — where barbs are formed as part of the thread structure — rather than a cutting process where barbs are carved from the thread body. A comparative study (n=144) directly measuring complication rates between the two approaches found that moulding cog threads produced an 8% overall complication rate, compared to 16% for cutting threads. Notably, complications caused by thread movement — such as undercorrection or asymmetry — did not occur in the MINT (moulding) group, attributed to its stronger anchoring strength.
Complications caused by the movement of thread, such as undercorrection or asymmetry, did not occur in MINT due to its strong anchoring strength formed from the moulding cog.
Regulatory Standing
MINT PDO Threads have obtained regulatory approval across multiple jurisdictions, each requiring clinical evidence of safety and efficacy for facial soft tissue fixation.
May 2014 Korea MFDS Facial Tissue Fixation Thread — first approval, based on clinical studies | Aug 2019 China NMPA Registration granted for facial rejuvenation applications | Sep 2020 US FDA Triple clearance obtained (K130191, K192423, K220549) | Europe CE Certification Approved in 17+ countries globally |
The stated purpose of MINT as a medical device is to pull or fix the facial soft tissue for wrinkle improvement. It is classified as a Facial Tissue Fixation Thread and is approved as an absorbable thread to pull or fix skin tissue for the purpose of wrinkle improvement.
MINT is the first and only PDO thread to hold triple FDA clearances (K130191, K192423, K220549), covering:
skin approximation
nasolabial fold depth reduction
facial suspension
No other PDO thread currently holds FDA clearance across all three of these indications, making MINT the benchmark regulatory standard in the category.
What the Clinical Evidence Shows
MINT's clinical data compilation draws on multiple published studies and a formal expert consensus from Korean board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeons. The following summarises the key findings relevant to ANZ practitioners.
Efficacy
Safety
179 Patients in Safety Analysis | 22.3 Months avg follow-up (±9.8) | 0% Latrogenic Nerve Injury |
A safety analysis across 179 patients (FU=22.3±9.8 months) — the most comprehensive MINT safety dataset — found no serious complications. All adverse events resolved spontaneously without re-treatment.
Treatable Zones & Procedure Overview
MINT PDO Threads can be applied across a broad range of facial and body zones, making the platform highly versatile for practitioners building a comprehensive thread lift program.
Per the manufacturer, treatable areas include:
Eyebrows— reduce hooding, improve asymmetry, create fox eye effect
Undereyes— restore volume, improve hollowing, smooth fine lines
Cheeks— lift and restore facial volume, contour cheekbones
Nose— improve bridge height and definition, lift and slim nasal tip
Nasolabial folds— lighten smile lines, restore volume to sunken areas
Mouth/Lips— plump and define lips, reduce marionette and smokers' lines
Jawline— lift and tighten, reduce jowls, contour facial line
Neck— lift and tighten, improve double chin, reduce lines
Body— improve fine lines, tighten skin, restore volume
Clinical data indicates MINT can be combined with other non-surgical modalities, with studies demonstrating complementary outcomes across several combination protocols.
MINT + HA Filler (Non-Surgical Rhinoplasty)
A study (Oh, Lee) combined MINT UP and MINT TIP with HA filler in non-surgical rhinoplasty in two patients who had undergone multiple prior nose filler procedures. Both maintained a thin, straight nose shape for more than 6 months, with higher patient satisfaction compared to rhinoplasty using fillers alone, and a longer retention period.
MINT + Liposuction
A retrospective study (Bae, Han, Kim, Lee; n=27) evaluated MINT combined with liposuction versus MINT alone. The combination group showed better outcomes: GAIS 1.85 vs 2.54 (lower is better on this scale), patient satisfaction 3.06 vs 2.36, and a longer duration of effectiveness. All postoperative complications in both groups were ecchymosis, which resolved spontaneously.
Other Documented Combinations
Botulinum toxin — clinically documented as a compatible combination treatment
Liposuction — as above, with demonstrated synergistic outcome benefit
Hyaluronic acid filler — documented in both rhinoplasty and facial volumisation contexts
Expert Consensus Recommendations
The MINT Aesthetics Expert Group — organised with four Korean board-certified specialists in plastic and reconstructive surgery — synthesised evidence across published studies into a formal consensus recommendation on the use of MINT for facial rejuvenation.
The MINT Product Range
MINT offers a comprehensive range of thread configurations to support diverse clinical indications across facial zones. The current product lineup is designed to address specific anatomical targets and laxity presentations.
Practitioners trained with MINT gain access to this full range through Athena Biomed, with dedicated clinical support and ongoing training as part of the onboarding program across Australia and New Zealand.
