Under Eye Filler Dark Circles

Under Eye Filler Dark Circles

Are dark circles under the eyes making you look tired? Do friends or loved ones ask if you’ve had enough sleep? If you have hollowing, shadowing, puffy eye bags or darkening under the eyes, then you may be a good candidate for an exciting procedure known as tear trough correction. The tear trough is a depression or groove that extends at a downward angle from the inner corner of the eye along the upper part of the cheek. It usually becomes deeper over time as the skin in the area thins naturally with age. Some patients have hollowing, or volume loss and others have a puffy bump – a protruding fat pad.

Most people with bags and tired-looking eyes think that surgery is the only option to look younger, more awake, rested and refreshed. But advances in both dermal filler products and injection techniques have changed this fact. If you’re tired of your tired-looking eyes, non-invasive dermal filler injections may be just the thing to help you look better—without going under the knife.

There are a few different reasons why people develop under eye bags or hollowness. Loss of fat and collagen can thin the skin causing a hollow appearance. Downward movement of the fat that surrounds the eye (due to gravity) can cause a puffy bump often called an eye bag.
Regardless of whether you have puffiness or hollowing, Restylane can help solve the problem without surgery. Restylane bridges the gap between an under-eye bag and your upper cheek by filling the area below the bump and creating a smooth transition to the cheek. It can also fill a deep crease or hollowing which makes the lower eyelid look smoother and more youthful. Think of this dermal filler as a bit of camouflage that helps hide some of the structural changes that happen in the under-eye area with age. Because this area of the face moves very little, the results can often last for up to 1-2 years!

“What?” you’re probably asking as you read about Restylane injections. “How can adding more of something help my bags look better? Shouldn’t you take something out rather than add it to an area that’s already puffy?” We know, it seems counter-intuitive, but trust us—it works! Not convinced? Just look through our under-eye filler before and after photo gallery to see some examples of patients with different under eye concerns who saw improvement from Restylane injections. It’s normal for our patients to be concerned about the sensitivity of this
area. It takes an extremely skilled and knowledgeable injector with plenty of experience to get these delicate injections just right. However, when done correctly, the results are truly amazing and there is usually very little pain, bruising or swelling afterwards. We’ve been providing Restylane injections for under eye dark circles for over 15 years now and it’s one of our specialties.

How do dark circles develop?

Time, environmental (sun) damage and gravity all take their toll on our face. Most of the changes with tired looking eyes come from movement of the muscle and fat around the eye as the tissue becomes less firm and elastic.

The orbicularis oculi muscle is a muscle that encircles the eye. It works like a purse-string, squeezing the eye shut as it contracts. Just like the rest of our muscles, it weakens over time. This lets some of the fat beneath the muscle push it outward creating dreaded under eye bags. This
movement also creates a groove or “tear trough” beneath the lower eyelid which accentuates the puffiness or bulge.

To add insult to injury, the eyelid skin—the thinnest of all the skin on our body—thins even more as we age. Blood vessels and melanin become more visible, contributing to a darker appearance beneath our eyes.

What is Restylane?

The most used filler to help correct under eye changes is Restylane. It is made of hyaluronic acid gel, a compound the occurs naturally in our body and lubricates the joints. Completely compatible with your body, this gel helps correct changes under the eye by padding or camouflaging them.

How does Restylane work for hollowing?

We inject small amounts where you need more volume and we can also inject it deeply under the muscle, or more superficially right under the skin. By adding this volume, the indentation that creates hollowing and shadowing is pulled forward and counteracts the shadowing created by volume loss. These two injection options provide us with tools to correct hollowing but also improve fine lines at the surface of the skin.

How does Restylane work for dark circles?

By adding volume under the eye, Restylane helps to camouflage blood vessels and melanin that color the skin and make the area look brown or purplish. Although the primary function of Restylane is to add volume, it can lighten up the dark circles we so commonly see under the eyes. The best part of having dermal filler injections instead of surgery is that there is virtually no downtime. Most patients have mild swelling, and some may have some bruising, but this typically resolves in a couple days compared to weeks following a surgical procedure.

How long does Restylane work for dark circles?

Synthetic dermal fillers like Restylane are broken down by the body slowly over time. The rate at which that happens depends on the type of filler used and the area of the face injected. Facial movement contributes a lot to this breakdown. The good news is that Restylane under the eyes lasts a long time because there is very little muscle movement to break down the product. Typically, Restylane will last between 1-2 years under the eyes, but it can be even longer than that.

Are there side effects from injecting Restylane under the eyes?

Most dermal fillers carry the same common risks, bruising and swelling. In some cases, bruising under the eyes can be more severe and last up to a week or more. In most cases, there is no bruising and swelling resolves within several days when it does occur.