When it first came out in the late ’90s, the so-called “thread lift” (using surgical thread to lift sagging skin) was heralded as the kinder, gentler face-lift. But scary side effects, such as scarring, infection and obvious lumps under the skin, made it a bad fit for most women.

Now, thanks to technological advances, the rejuvenation technique has needled its way back to doctors’ offices.

The new-and-improved thread lift is FDA-cleared and noninvasive, with little-to-no downtime.