fillers under eye

Filling Eye Hollows with Dermal Fillers: What Are The Risks?

Deep hollows under your eyes can make you look tired and dull.

HA fillers can fill your hollows for a refreshed and more youthful look.

Filling eye hollows is a delicate business and there are risks. The biggest risk is bruising, lumps, overfilling and swelling. In some cases if not done properly it can actually make your lower eye area look worse.   Today there are more hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers in the aesthetic tool box and techniques for treating this delicate area have improved.

I’ve read many posts online about patients who have had fillers and are experiencing puffiness, lumps, bruising, swelling and a baggy look after the injections. Others have  good results. I’ve also experienced good and bad results.  Please choose your injector wisely. This is a very difficult area to treat.

Performing “tear trough” treatments to the hollow area under the eyes requires meticulous technique.  When done correctly the results are very satisfying.  The most important factor is to go to an injector who is has a lot of experience in this area.

Below are some guidelines to consider before you jump into filling your eye hollows (tear trough).

Parts of this post was originally written in 20o9 when I had my tear troughs treated for the first time.

A business colleague had her tear trough area filled by a local plastic surgeon in San Francisco, CA .  I was very impressed with her results and decided to fill my eye hollows, for a more youthful look.  At the time there were only two HA fillers on the market Juvederm and Restylane. Although both fillers were very similar Juvederm tends to create more puffiness in the eye area than Restylane, as it absorbs more water. My surgeon choose Juvederm which surprised me because Restylane was the preferred filler for this area. However, I trusted his judgement.

Afterwards I very bruised, swollen and lumpy. I waited patiently a couple of weeks hoping it would resolve. The bruising diminished but the puffiness persisted. I looked like I had been punched in the face and knew that OI needed a correction. Fortunately HA fillers can easily be dissolved with hyaluronidase. (more…)

Fillers: How Long Do they Really Last?

I had my first filler injection in the the late 1990’s and have tried every filler on the market except Bellafill, a permanent filler.

There are more FDA approved fillers on the market today and more are awaiting approval.  The documented  length of time a Filler lasts is based on the results from the manufacturer’s clinical trials. Millions of dollars are spent on marketing campaigns and provider training courses.

Consumers should be aware that these results are guidelines only. 

The results that you get from any filler injection and how long it will last for you may differ than the documented results seen in the clinical trials. If you think that your filler will last 9 months and it only lasts for 6 months, don’t blame your injector. It’s not the product or the injector’s fault, it is the way your body metabolizes the filler and where it has been placed in your face. Lip filler is not going to last as long as filler under your eyes.

As a plastic surgery and aesthetic coach, I hear all too often from my clients that they are disappointed with their Dermatologist or Plastic Surgeon after getting for example, Voluma because it did not last 2 years as advertised. This is an average only. As the product is on the market longer the documented results may change.

Here is a realistic guideline to keep in mind when you budget for fillers.

  • All HA fillers are temporary. They will last between 6-9 months.
  • Fine line fillers Restylane Silk and Belotero may only last 6 months. In some cases less.
  • Voluma, a deeper filler may last UP TO 2 years. However, you will probably need more filler at 9 -12 months to give it a boost
  • Juvederm may last 9 months depending on placement
  • Restylane Lyft which is the same as Perlane lasts UP to 18 months. Realistic expectation 9-12 months

Non- HA Fillers

  • Radiesse lasts 9- 12 months. Realistic expectations- 9 months. Radiesse hand injections may last 9 months with a boost
  • Sculptra can last up to 25 months after the last treatment. You may need a touch-up in 12- 18 months
  • Bellafill is a permenant filler

If you have any questions or comments, I’d love to hear from you.

Remember: You Only Have One Face and One Body, Choose Wisely!

-Michele Garber

Filling Hollow Eyes Part 2: What are the risks?

In 2011, I wrote a blog about Filling Your Eye Hollows with dermal filler; my experience and the risks.

I thought it was time to update this post, since so many of my readers have sent me questions  over the years.

I first had Juvederm injected in my eye hollows causing lumps, bumps, swelling and much bruising. The Juvederm was dissolved with Wydaise and replaced with Restylane which worked beautifully.  The Restylane lasted  around 12 months in my tear trough area.   Note that the duration of fillers will differ from one patient to the next.

Filling Hollow Eyes- What’s new?

JUVÉDERM VOLUMA™ XC

Since the FDA approval this year of  Allergan’s  JUVÉDERM VOLUMA™ XC  there is shift  in the philosophy among some dermatologists and plastic surgeons about how to treat the tear trough area.

Volumna is the latest FDA approved filler product in the family of HYALURONIC ACID. What’s new and exciting about this filler is that is it lasts up to 24 months  it can be dissolved if necessary.  Volumna gives you instant volume to the cheek area, therefore in some cases eliminating the need to fill the eye hollows. By injecting Volumna is the upper cheek area, the doctor can place it close to the bony orbital rim that is usually volume depleted in hollow eyes. This is great option because it lasts for up  to 24 months and not only are you plumping and lifting your cheeks, but it may eliminate the hollow area under eyes as well.

Volumna costs more than a one syringe of Juvederm, however over the long-term it ends being less expensive due to its longevity. A syringe of Volumna costs on an average of $1,000 per syringe as compared to $625 for one syringe of Juvederm or Restylane.

Restylane is still used for filling the tear troughs and works better for this area than Juvederm Ultra– not to be confused with Volumna. (more…)