The Art and Science of Thread Lifts Ft. Giovanna McCarthy of PDO Max
Skin Anarchy
Ekta et al.
4.2 • 2K Ratings
🗓️ 5 November 2025
⏱️ 62 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
In this episode of Skin Anarchy, Dr. Ekta Yadav sits down with Giovanna McCarthy, founder of PDO Max, to uncover the history, science, and artistry behind one of modern aesthetics’ most transformative tools — PDO threads. With over forty years of experience in medical aesthetics, Giovanna shares how her early exposure to European skincare and her mother’s story of burn recovery shaped a lifelong mission to heal, restore, and innovate.
What began with some of the first U.S. day spas in the 1990s evolved into a pioneering medical aesthetics brand leading the way in regenerative skin lifting. At PDO Max, Giovanna introduced dissolvable polydioxanone threads, designed to stimulate collagen and elastin production for natural structure and rejuvenation — not to replace surgery, but to support it. “Threads aren’t about pulling,” she says. “They’re about rebuilding.”
Giovanna also dives into the cellular science behind this subtle transformation — how PDO threads ignite healing responses that restore turgor, elasticity, and dermal vitality. Her philosophy is one of balance: rebuild, don’t overcorrect. “Too much trauma, too fast, can strip the skin of life,” she warns.
Expanding into regenerative skincare, PDO Max now offers post-procedure formulas powered by PDRN, a DNA compound long used in burn medicine to accelerate repair and recovery.
Tune in to hear how Giovanna McCarthy is bridging medicine, artistry, and innovation — redefining modern aesthetics through education, collaboration, and true cellular regeneration.
Learn more about PDO Max on their website and social media!
CHAPTERS:
0:02 – Introduction & Guest Welcome
0:44 – Giovanna’s Early Inspiration & European Roots
1:45 – The Birth of Medical Aesthetics in the U.S.
3:47 – Evolution of Skin & Surgery Synergy
7:15 – The Role of Estheticians in Surgical Outcomes
7:20 – Understanding PDO Threads & Industry Misconceptions
10:11 – The Art and Precision of Thread Technique
14:27 – Structural Science: Ligaments, Fat Pads & Lift Mechanics
17:23 – Cellular Regeneration & Collagen Stimulation
18:58 – Advancing Skin Quality: PDO Glow, LúmEnvy & PDRN Innovation
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hey guys, welcome back to another episode of Skin Anarchy. |
| 0:02.9 | I'm really excited about our episode today because we're going to be talking about the world of aesthetics and techniques that have been around. And we don't really get to speak about much on the podcast. So I'm really excited to introduce you guys to PDO Max. And we have the founder here with us, Giovanna McCarthy. Welcome, Giovanna. I'm so excited to host you. Thank you, Dr. Act. I'm very excited to be on here and to speak all great things. |
| 0:24.4 | Aesthetic. here with us, Giovanna McCarthy. Welcome, Giovanna. I'm so excited to host you. Thank you, Dr. Act. |
| 0:21.0 | I'm very excited to be on here and to speak all great things, aesthetics. Yeah, and I'm really |
| 0:26.7 | excited to dive in with you because you've really seen this industry. You've been kind of a trailblazer |
| 0:31.3 | here. And I'd love to learn more about your journey and what really got you into the world of |
| 0:35.7 | aesthetics, like to begin with well interesting story my |
| 0:38.4 | mom was burned as a child so my whole life we dealt with her having surgeries cosmetic |
| 0:45.4 | surgeries for her burn on her face so i got introduced really young to plastic surgery |
| 0:51.8 | cosmetic surgery and how to mitigate scars and things like that. |
| 0:58.2 | And that really built my love for skincare. |
| 1:00.8 | Plus, we're European. |
| 1:02.0 | And if you know anything about Europe, there are much more into skincare. |
| 1:07.0 | In this country, we are just now starting to see the younger generation really get into |
| 1:10.4 | skincare. But we were always into skin care there. So I did a lot of my research through the |
| 1:16.7 | European market. Back in the days when they were doing mesotherapy, I studied up on that way |
| 1:21.5 | before there was any type of quote unquote medical aesthetics in the United States. I fell in love with it in Europe. |
| 1:30.4 | Wow. Yeah. You opened the first day spa in 1990, right? It was a while ago. You really seen |
| 1:36.3 | the industry before it became trendy. Well, there was no medical. I mean, I go to these |
| 1:42.3 | conferences and I see all these injectors and we're not |
| 1:47.4 | realizing is the whole injector world is relatively young it's medicine of aesthetics |
| 1:53.6 | is young so when I'm at these conferences and you're hearing science based this |
... |
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