A major reason that you can appear older than you are is the appearance of your eyes, particularly the eyelids. For example, two particular conditions, dark circles under the eyes or sunken eyes (hollow-looking upper eyelids) are notorious for this, as each is related to the loss of skin volume around the eye.
Sunken Eyes or Dark Circles Under the Eyes
When the facial skin around the eyes, as well as around the rest of the face, loses volume, you can look haggard and older. In many cases, this reduced volume is due to loss of fat and moisture in the skin.
As if that’s not enough, it can worsen when there is also fat loss around the temples, brows, and cheeks. This is particularly noticeable because fat loss in these areas can affect the eyebrows and cheeks, which tend to droop and sag.
Dark circles under the eyes, also called tear trough deformity, is an area that appears dark and often hollow due to lighting and shadows. The eyes can appear sunken as a result; which can also occur when the upper eyelids look hollow from volume loss.
A Non-Surgical Solution: Injectable Eyelid Fillers
At TabanMD, eyelid fillers are a common treatment for correcting cosmetic concerns related to volume loss, such as sunken eyes (hollow upper eyelids) or dark circles under eyes (hollow under eyes or tear trough deformity). When used to address volume loss around the eyes, the treatment is also known as a 3D non-surgical eye lift.
The loss of fat and volume – and even moisture – from the face contributes to a deflated look of wrinkled skin and facial folds. Usually, for these cases, surgery is not a suitable solution, especially if you’re younger than 50, as surgery is often a better solution for conditions that require removing excess skin.
For dark circles under the eyes or sunken eyes, a volumizing treatment is usually more effective because it addresses the problem directly by giving your appearance a fuller, more youthful look that appears natural.
Dr. Taban offers two common types of eyelid filler treatment:
Fat harvest and transfer – Your own fat, often from the thighs or belly, is transferred to the eyes and/or face
Synthetic injectable eye fillers – injections of Belotero, Juvéderm, Restylane, Voluma, Radiesse or Sculptra
For hollow upper eyelids – sunken eyes – one of the fillers is injected into the eyelid with or without a numbing agent. One session lasts under 20 minutes, after which the hollow eyelids fill out for an immediately fuller look. Sometimes, a 3D brow lift is added to further enhance this non-surgical 3D upper eyelid lift.
For hollow under eyes – alternately referred to as dark circles, tear trough deformity or eyelid bags – eye fillers also add youthful-looking volume to the under eye area, concealing darkness and eliminating the hollow appearance.
For either eyelid filler treatment, there is no downtime. Busy patients can get back to their loaded schedule once the session is done because recovery is virtually painless, although there might be mild swelling and/or bruising for up to a week.
A single session of treatment can last 1-2 years. Subsequent follow-up injections last even longer.
It should be noted that if there is true excess skin in the lower eyelids (also called a fat prolapse), then a surgical procedure might be more effective than eye fillers. That’s why a consultation with a highly-skilled and experienced oculoplastic eye surgeon is so important.
Which Fillers Does Dr. Taban Use?
Although a variety of eye fillers can be used for a non-surgical “eyelid lift,” Belotero or Restylane offer the most consistent results.
Both are made from hyaluronic acid, an ideal ingredient for volumizing the area around the eyes because it’s a natural substance found in your body. Even better, these two treatments are reversible if, for some reason, there is some dissatisfaction with the results, hyaluronidase can remove the filler.
Belotero Dermal Fillers
Belotero is an effective option for correcting the loss of volume and moisture in the skin. It easily synthesizes with the body to improve skin volume.
Because Belotero is designed to be superficial, it’s very effective for treating dark circles under the eyes. It helps erase eye bags and rejuvenates your appearance.
The effects regularly last over a year and it’s not uncommon to last 18-24 months.
Restylane Injectable Fillers
Restylane is specifically designed for finer skin issues, such as the thin skin around the eyes. It’s an effective eye filler for adding volume under the eyes.
Although Restylane lasts 9-12 months for other areas of the face, it is not uncommon for the results to last15-24 months under the eyes. It is important to note that results vary for each patient.
Restylane can improve facial contouring and volume because it addresses facial deflation by hydrating and volumizing the skin under your eyes. The results look natural because the eye filler blends well where the cheek and lower eyelid meet.
Read more about cosmetic eyelid filler injections at WebMD.com.
Contact Dr. Taban to Learn More about Eye Fillers
Dark circles under the eyes and the appearance of sunken eyes can be corrected with eye fillers that don’t require surgery. A single session can significantly improve an aged appearance. To learn more, contact Dr. Mehryar “Ray” Taban to schedule a consultation. Contact us online or call (877) 958-9277 (in Beverly Hills) or (805) 669-9101 (Santa Barbara).
Next, read The Fascinating History of Eyelid Surgery