There are some corners and crinkles that eye cream just can’t nix. If under eye bags or dark, hollow circles are your bane, Dermal Fillers may prove the smart next step, Emma-Charlotte Bangay discovers.
Under Eye Darkness and Hollowness:
The most visible signs of ageing around the eyes are the crinkles and wrinkles, but it’s the underlying factors that promote these side effects. With time and age, the deeper layer of the bone around the opening of the eye orbit becomes wider and the eye appears to ‘sink’ further into the skull. This compromises the physiology of the skin around the socket, causing wrinkles. “The fat underneath the skin also disappears and the skin becomes thinner and loses elasticity,” explains Cosmetic Physician, Dr Joseph Hkeik. “All in all, this can result in darkness and hollowness under the eye.”
But this is not only a bi-product of ageing, he adds. As in the case of Ashleigh (pictured) – who is in her mid-20s of Eastern European descent – darkness can be hereditary. “Italian, Greek and Middle Eastern ethnicities tend to get darker skin around the eyes much more than their Irish and English cousins,” notes Dr Hkeik adding that those who naturally have a hollowness below the eyes may notice darkness earlier in life also.
In addition, allergies, stress, fluid retention and lifestyle play a huge role too. “Lack of sleep does cause darkness as the health of the skin under the eyes is compromised if sleep is poor.”
Dermal Under Eye Fillers:
“The most popular procedure in clinic is Dermal Fillers which work on the loss of volume, bone and fat stores,” explains Dr Hkeik, who treated Ashleigh.
A tiny amount of filler is injected into the tear trough to even out the sunken area between the eyes and the cheeks,
so you can successfully make that hollowness level out and disappear,” he explains. “Effectively, Dermal Fillers act to bridge the skin.”
Once you have that natural contour and flow from the eyes to the check, light is also reflected more evenly off the skin, giving an improved texture, luminosity and radiance to that area of the complexion, he adds.
How Often Can you Have Dermal Fillers?
Most patients can be treated every six to nine months advises Dr Hkeik, but this varies greatly on the individual concerns. “I’m a big believer in ‘less-is-more’,” he explains. “The hyaluronic acid draws water into the skin, so it can swell, so if I give them 100% fullness in clinic, it can result in 150% a few days later which is not a realistic effect. Therefor, it’s extremely important to allow the body to integrate the filler into the skin and plump up naturally by hydrating yourself sufficiently upon completion.”
How Are Dermal Fillers Administered?
A numbing cream is applied to the area to be treated five minutes before administration so that it is sufficiently numb. For Ashleigh, soft dermal filler was administered underneath both eyes and ice was applied upon completion. The process took all of 5-15 minutes, and as Dr Hkeik points out, Ashleigh proved the perfect candidate to model the treatments success. “The ideal candidate is someone who has a good volume in their face and their face hasn’t lost too much fat so that the area to be balanced out can be done so sufficiently,” he says.
The Side-Effects:
Skin can be red and some swelling can occur afterwards, but nothing makeup can’t camouflage, notes Dr Hkeik. “Some patients are more prone to this than others, and results hinge heavily on their lifestyle and pre-and-post treatment hydration,” he highlights. “This area is very vascular, so bruising can also occur but it only happens to about one quarter of patients. Otherwise, there are no long-term side-effects.”
The Added Benefits:
Some patients see instantaneously fuller results; the dark circles disappear and there is instant plumpness. The long-term benefits may be just as impressive, explains Dr Hkeik, who says there has been some studies highlighting the benefits of early cell hydration to promote collagen growth before it is depleted. “Dermal Fillers hydrate the cells, triggering skin to produce more collagen so that the cells will do their job better,” he explains.
In addition, apoptosis will be avoided. This is when the body perceives that certain cells are not working and therefor no longer needed, and destroys them. Over time, this exacerbates the hollowness problem around the eye so by keeping this area healthy, hydrated and full, cells will receive the message to continue regenerating.
How Much Does It Cost?
On average, $400 – $700 depending on how much filler is to be used.
