Before Your Treatment
Preparing for Your Thread Lift
A little preparation makes a real difference to your comfort, your recovery and your final result. Please read this before your appointment.
A PDO thread lift lifts and repositions your own tissue and stimulates fresh collagen. Threads are placed beneath the skin, so bruising and swelling are the main things we plan around — and good preparation helps keep both to a minimum.
Good preparation may help to
- Reduce bruising
- Reduce swelling
- Lower the risk of infection
- Support smoother healing
- Protect your final lift & result
About one week before
Reduce your risk of bruising
Why: these thin the blood, which can increase bruising and bleeding at the entry points. Only where medically appropriate — never stop anything prescribed without your doctor's approval.
Medicines (only if not prescribed)
- Aspirin
- Ibuprofen
- Naproxen
- Other anti-inflammatories
- Blood thinners — only with your doctor's approval
Supplements
- Fish oil & Omega-3
- Vitamin E
- Ginkgo biloba
- High-dose garlic
- High-dose ginger
- Turmeric supplements
You may continue
- Paracetamol, if you need pain relief
Avoid alcohol
Why: alcohol thins the blood and inflames tissue, which increases bruising and swelling. Please avoid it for around a week before, and definitely for the 48 hours beforehand.
Cold sores
If you are prone to cold sores, please tell us before your appointment — for threads placed around the mouth or lower face, preventative antiviral medication may be recommended, as treatment can otherwise trigger an outbreak.
Timing & dental work
No dental work around your appointment
Why: dental procedures can introduce bacteria and cause facial swelling, which isn't ideal around freshly placed threads.
Please avoid
- Dental treatment, cleaning or extractions for ~2 weeks before and after
- Booking major dental appointments close to your thread lift
If you have unavoidable or emergency dental work planned, please let us know so we can time your treatment safely.
Plan around events
Although most clients feel presentable within a few days, swelling and bruising can last 1–2 weeks. Where possible, avoid booking your thread lift right before:
Best to leave a gap before
- Weddings & important events
- Holidays
- Professional photography
- Public speaking or big presentations
On the day of treatment
Please do
- Arrive with clean skin — no makeup on the area
- Eat a proper meal beforehand
- Drink plenty of water
- Wear comfortable clothing that's easy to remove without touching your face
- Allow extra travel time so you arrive relaxed
Please avoid
- Makeup, SPF, serums & moisturisers on the area
- Alcohol
- Heavy caffeine on an empty stomach
- Strenuous exercise beforehand
Arriving with clean skin lowers the risk of infection and lets us mark your lift accurately.
Pregnancy, illness & when to postpone
Please do NOT proceed — and contact us first — if you
- Are pregnant, trying to conceive, or breastfeeding (we do not treat during this time)
- Feel unwell, have a fever or any infection
- Have a cold sore, spot, rash or broken skin in the treatment area
- Have started new medication, especially blood thinners
- Have had, or have planned, dental work near the appointment
- Have recently had another treatment in the same area (e.g. filler)
Our priority is your safety
If we believe treatment is not in your best interests on the day — for example an active infection or illness — we may postpone it until it can be performed safely. Your safety will always come before proceeding with treatment.What to expect
Knowing what's ahead makes the day feel calm and easy.
On the day & just after
- The area is cleansed and numbed with local anaesthetic
- Threads are placed through tiny entry points and gently lifted into position
- You'll see an immediate lift — though initially alongside some swelling
- Mild pressure, pulling or tightness afterwards is completely normal
- You go home the same day with full written aftercare
Have ready at home
- Paracetamol for comfort
- Arnica gel or tablets to help bruising
- Extra pillows to sleep with your head elevated
- Soft foods for the first few days
Your aftercare guide explains everything for the days ahead — including limiting wide mouth movements and big facial expressions to protect your lift.
Layali Clinic · 442 Lea Bridge Road, Leyton, E10 7DY · 07787 708200 · layaliclinic@gmail.com · Privacy Notice