MINT Lift in Seoul, Korea
Create Refined Facial Contours With PDO Thread Lifting at Gangnam ETONNE Plastic Surgery

Early facial aging may cause the cheeks to descend, jowls to appear, and the jawline to lose definition. For patients who want more immediate tissue support without undergoing facelift surgery, a PDO thread lift may provide a minimally invasive alternative with a shorter recovery period.

MINT Lift uses absorbable barbed threads to reposition selected facial tissues and refine facial contours. At Gangnam ETONNE Plastic Surgery in Seoul, the treatment is customized according to the patient’s facial anatomy, tissue thickness, and degree of sagging.

What Is MINT Lift?

MINT Lift is a thread-lifting treatment that uses absorbable PDO, or polydioxanone, sutures. MINT stands for Minimally Invasive Nonsurgical Thread.

MINT Lift threads feature molded barbs arranged around the thread to engage and support facial tissues. The product is approved by Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety for facial soft-tissue fixation.

MINT Lift may help improve:

• Mild cheek sagging
• Early jowls
• Reduced jawline definition
• Mild nasolabial folds
• Marionette-line areas
• Loose tissue beneath the chin
• Early facial aging

The treatment provides targeted tissue repositioning rather than the extensive correction achieved through facelift surgery.

How Does MINT Lift Work?

During treatment, the threads are placed beneath the skin through small entry points. The molded barbs engage the surrounding tissue, allowing selected areas to be repositioned in a planned lifting direction.

The treatment process may include:

• Evaluating facial sagging and asymmetry
• Marking the appropriate lifting direction
• Applying local anesthesia
• Creating small thread-entry points
• Placing the threads beneath the skin
• Repositioning the facial tissues
• Checking contour and symmetry

The number, type, and placement of threads depend on the patient’s anatomy and desired level of correction.

Benefits of MINT Lift

MINT Lift may provide visible facial-contour improvement without traditional facelift incisions.

Potential benefits include:

• Lifted cheek contours
• Reduced appearance of early jowls
• Improved jawline definition
• Softer facial folds
• Small and discreet entry points
• Shorter recovery than facelift surgery
• Natural facial movement
• Immediate tissue support

Thread lifting is generally best suited to early loosening of facial structures rather than advanced skin excess or severe tissue descent.

Which Areas Can Be Treated?

MINT Lift can be customized for several facial areas depending on tissue condition and treatment goals.

Common treatment areas include:

• Outer eyebrows
• Temples
• Cheeks
• Midface
• Nasolabial-fold region
• Lower face
• Jowls
• Jawline
• Area beneath the chin
• Upper neck

Different areas may require different thread lengths, insertion paths, and lifting directions.

How Is MINT Lift Different From Other Thread Lifts?

Thread-lifting products vary in their materials, barb designs, thread lengths, and intended uses. MINT Lift is made from absorbable PDO and uses press-molded barbs arranged in a 360-degree helical pattern around the thread.

MINT Lift features include:

• Absorbable PDO material
• Molded rather than cut barbs
• A 360-degree helical barb pattern
• Multiple thread types and sizes
• Customized lifting directions
• Facial soft-tissue fixation

The selected product alone does not determine the result. Appropriate patient selection, tissue-layer placement, and the practitioner’s technique remain important.

How Is MINT Lift Different From a Surgical Facelift?

MINT Lift provides limited support for mild to moderate facial sagging. It cannot remove significant excess skin or extensively reposition deeper facial structures.

MINT Lift generally provides:

• Minimally invasive treatment
• Small thread-entry points
• Limited recovery
• Immediate but temporary support
• Better suitability for early aging

A surgical facelift may be more appropriate for:

• Advanced cheek sagging
• Prominent jowls
• Significant excess skin
• Deep structural tissue descent
• Advanced neck laxity
• Patients seeking stronger correction

Thread lifting should therefore be considered an alternative for selected early-aging concerns rather than a direct replacement for facelift surgery.

Can MINT Lift Be Combined With Other Treatments?

Facial aging may involve skin laxity, wrinkles, and volume loss in addition to tissue descent. MINT Lift may therefore be combined with other treatments when appropriate.

Combination treatments may include:

• Ultherapy PRIME
• Thermage
• Dermal fillers
• Botulinum toxin
• Facial Fat Transfer
• Nano-Fat Facial Rejuvenation
• Laser skin treatments
• Skin-rejuvenation injections

Each treatment should address a specific concern to avoid excessive volume, unnecessary energy delivery, or unnatural facial contours.

Who Is a Good Candidate?

MINT Lift may be suitable for individuals who experience:

• Mild to moderate facial sagging
• Early jowls
• Reduced cheek definition
• Mild nasolabial or marionette folds
• Reduced jawline definition
• Good to moderate skin elasticity
• Limited excess skin
• A desire for shorter recovery
• Realistic expectations about temporary improvement

Patients with very thin skin, significant volume loss, advanced sagging, or extensive loose skin may require another treatment approach.

Personalized Treatment Planning at ETONNE Plastic Surgery

At ETONNE Plastic Surgery, every MINT Lift treatment begins with a detailed evaluation of the patient’s facial structure, tissue condition, and aging pattern.

The evaluation may include:

• Cheek position
• Direction of tissue descent
• Degree of jowling
• Jawline definition
• Skin thickness and elasticity
• Facial volume distribution
• Facial symmetry
• Previous lifting treatments
• Individual aesthetic goals

Based on this assessment, the type, number, insertion depth, and direction of the threads are individually planned. ETONNE’s approach emphasizes balanced improvement while preserving natural facial movement and identity.

Recovery After MINT Lift

Recovery varies according to the number of threads used, treatment areas, and individual healing response. Temporary swelling, bruising, tenderness, tightness, or skin dimpling may occur.

General recovery timeline:

• Immediately after treatment: Swelling, tenderness, tightness, or mild asymmetry may be noticeable.
• First several days: Bruising and swelling gradually improve, although facial movement may feel temporarily restricted.
• Approximately 1–2 weeks: Most visible reactions settle, and the facial contours begin to look more natural.
• Following weeks: Temporary dimpling or tightness generally softens as the tissues adjust.
• Following months: The lifting effect gradually changes as the absorbable threads and surrounding tissues evolve.

Possible risks include infection, persistent pain, thread extrusion, swelling, bruising, and an unfavorable cosmetic result. These risks should be discussed during consultation.

Patients may be advised to avoid strong facial massage, excessive mouth opening, strenuous exercise, and direct pressure on the treated areas during early recovery.

Why International Patients Choose ETONNE Plastic Surgery

Located in Seoul’s Gangnam district, ETONNE Plastic Surgery provides customized thread-lifting and facial rejuvenation treatments for Korean and international patients.

International patients appreciate the clinic for:

• Detailed facial and tissue analysis
• Personalized thread-placement planning
• Customized lifting directions
• Conservative and natural-looking goals
• Multiple facial-rejuvenation options
• Comprehensive follow-up care
• English-speaking support for overseas patients

By tailoring the thread placement to each patient’s anatomy, ETONNE aims to improve facial contours without excessive pulling or an artificial appearance.

Refine Facial Contours With MINT Lift in Seoul

MINT Lift may be an appropriate option for patients who want to improve mild cheek sagging, early jowls, facial folds, and reduced jawline definition without undergoing traditional facelift surgery.

At Gangnam ETONNE Plastic Surgery, each treatment plan is individually designed to provide balanced tissue support while preserving natural expressions, facial proportions, and the patient’s unique identity.