Dermal filler treatment for tear troughs
Dark rings under the eyes are a common concern.
The number one reason we see dark rings under the eyes is because of volume loss in the tear trough.
We treat many people with this condition, and what we hear from them mostly is the concern that friends and family ask them ‘why are you so tired?
Indeed, lack of sleep and poor lifestyle certainly exacerbate the problem, but it is mostly due to your family background.
It is common in darker skin types such as Mediterranean and Indian skin. It is rarely seen in Asian skin and occurs at all ages from teens through to later life.
Simply put, some individuals are born with less fat in the under-eye area and therefore have an indentation commonly referred to as a tear trough hollow.
This condition can often be greatly improved with the use of dermal fillers.
The procedure is quite simple – small aliquots of dermal filler gel are deposited in the line where the deepest hollow lies under the eyes – this is mostly in the inner half adjacent to the nose and is called the tear trough. Mostly 1ml of filler is required to treat both eyes.
Our experience is that the treatment is generally well tolerated – sometimes local anaesthetic gel applied to the area 60 minutes prior is used, but mostly treatment pain is low. Some minor bruising is seen commonly, but large bruises are infrequent.
Alternative Options
Some people are unsuited for dermal filler treatment under the eyes – in particular, if there is loose and baggy skin in the lower eyelids, improvement can be hard to achieve without surgery. Also, it is not a treatment for fine wrinkles under the eyes (Ultrapulse CO2 laser is the best option for these). Some medical conditions may preclude filler treatment as well.
In some cases, treatment for the extra pigment in the area is also used.
A series of infrared YAG laser treatments to the area can assist in fading this type of pigment, although response is unpredictable and often disappointing. In other cases, small blood vessels under the thin eyelid skin can contribute to the dark appearance. These are also sometimes treatable, but treatment is often limited to larger vessels.
The success of eye creams in assisting dark circles is often disappointing. Pigment fade creams may assist, and 2% hydroquinone cream is available without prescription. Adding retinol (vitamin A) serum or cream and vitamin C serum may provide additional help to fade pigment. The Skincare Company and Medik8 ranges provide options for these topicals. Stronger fading creams can be prescribed by our medical staff.
More details are available on consultation.