Are dark circles and bags under your eyes giving you an aged, tired look? Dermal fillers can restore volume to that delicate area of the face, giving you a more youthful and refreshed look without surgical intervention. There are a number of dermal fillers available, but not all of them are good choices for under the eyes. At South Lake OBGYN in Clermont, FL, we recommend Restylane, Juvederm, and Versa as the best fillers for treating the important under eye area. We can work with you to determine which one of those is the best for your individual cosmetic needs.
Why Dark Circles and Bags Develop
There are a number of reasons why those frustrating bags and circles develop under the eyes. Lifestyle factors like sun damage, tobacco use, sleep issues, and not following a proper skincare regimen can be a factor, but the natural aging process also plays a significant role. As we age, the tissues in our face weaken and the fat that used to support the eye area begins to sink. Many patients also experience subtle age-related bone loss in the eye area, which results in hollows under the eyes.
How Dermal Fillers Help
Fillers help by plumping up the sunken areas and restoring contour beneath the eyes and in the upper cheeks. These injectable gels also stimulate collagen production in the skin, which further plumps and smooths the face over time. These fillers can also be used all over the face to restore lost volume, smooth lines and wrinkles, and enhance the contours of the face. Many of the most popular fillers, including Restylane, Juvederm, and Versa, are comprised of hyaluronic acid.
Hyaluronic acid binds moisture molecules together, giving the skin a moisturized, hydrated, and youthful look. When hyaluronic acid is injected into the skin, it behaves like a sponge, expanding to fill in folds and supporting areas of the face that have begun to lose volume. One other benefit of a hyaluronic filler is that it can be dissolved or reduced with an injection of hyaluronidase if you decide you don’t like the look of the filler or want a less pronounced look.
Which Type of Dermal Filler for Under Eyes?
Every patient has a slightly different facial structure and slightly different concerns about their eye area, so the best filler for one patient may not be the best option for another. But there are 3 fillers that we recommend for patients with under-eye concerns: Restylane, Juvederm, and Versa.
Restylane
Restylane is a classic and widely used hyaluronic acid injectable that’s known for the subtle, natural-looking results it gives patients. In fact, it’s the hyaluronic filler that’s been around the longest. Restylane also includes lidocaine, which minimizes discomfort during the injection. This injectable is often used to smooth medium-depth folds and plump the cheeks or other areas of the face that have lost fat. It works especially well on the folds around the nose and cheeks and is occasionally used to rejuvenate the hands. A separate version of Restylane can be used to enhance the lips.
How Does Restylane Dermal Fillers for Under Eyes Work?
Restyle can effectively eliminate the hollows and dark circles that sometimes form under the eye. Each dermal filler behaves differently once it’s been injected, and Restylane has just the right amount of stiffness and flexibility to work well for the under-eye area. The subtle approach that Restylane also makes it a good choice for under the eyes, where a little goes a long way.
How Long Will It Last?
Your Restylane injection will take less than an hour to perform and you’ll start to see the effects in just a few days. For most patients, results last about 10 months, and you can schedule a follow-up injection to maintain your results. Restylane was approved by the FDA in 2003. It was the first hyaluronic injection approved.
Juvederm
Juvederm is another popular hyaluronic injection that is used to treat a range of age-related concerns on the face. It can add volume to the cheeks and under the eyes, soften facial folds, smooth wrinkles, and plump the lips. Juvederm offers a more concentrated version of hyaluronic acid than Restylane. It also contains lidocaine, which helps make the injections more comfortable.
How Does Juvederm Dermal Fillers for Under Eyes Work?
Juvederm effectively treats the bags and dark circles that can appear under the eye. It offers more pronounced results, which can sometimes make it a good choice for patients with deeper hollows under the eyes. Some patients also choose Juvederm because it offers a stronger concentration of hyaluronic acid.
How Long Will It Last?
Like other dermal fillers, a Juvederm injection will take less than an hour to perform. Results vary by patient, but Juvederm tends to offer almost immediate results. Juvederm also lasts a little longer than Restylane, with some patients enjoying their results for a year or more. You can schedule a follow-up injection once your results have worn off. Juvederm was awarded FDA approval in 2006 and has been widely and safely used in the years since.
Versa
Although it hasn’t been around as long and is less well known than some other dermal fillers, Versa effectively treats lines and wrinkles while also adding volume to the face. Like other fillers, it can be effectively used on the cheeks, lips, under the eyes, and on facial folds. In some patients, this hyaluronic injection has even been used to define the bridge of the nose.
How It Works Under the Eyes
Under-eye bags, hollows, and dark circles can all be treated with Versa. One of the advantages of Versa is that it tends to result in less swelling and allows for a more precise injection as a result, which can be important when treating the area under the eyes. Versa also offers both smoothness and volume, making it a nice choice for delicate and high-profile areas like the skin beneath the eyes. Some patients say Versa feels more natural once it’s been injected.
How Long Will It Last?
Versa injections take less than an hour to perform. It can take up to 4 weeks for some patients to see their results with Versa, and those results can last for up to 12 months. As with other fillers, you can schedule a repeat injection when the results begin to wear off. Versa was approved by the FDA in 2017 and has been safely and effectively used on patients around the country in the years since.
How Dermal Filler Injections Work
The process of having a dermal filler injected is simple and straightforward. We’ll begin by marking the area under your eye so that we have a guide for the injection. A numbing cream will then be rubbed onto the treatment area to minimize any discomfort associated with the injection. After waiting a few minutes for the numbing cream to take effect, we’ll inject the filler and then may gently press the area to make sure the filler is in place. The entire process usually takes well under an hour, and then you’ll be free to get back to your day.
Everything You Need to Know About Dermal Fillers for Under Eyes
Fillers are an increasingly popular way to treat signs of facial aging, but many patients are still learning about fillers and their ability to fight the signs of aging. Here are some questions we commonly answer about fillers:
How Much Downtime Is Needed?
One of the great things about fillers, and one of the reasons why they’re so popular, is that there is no downtime or recovery period associated with this injectable treatment. Most patients need a single in-office injection that takes well under an hour. You’ll then be able to get right back to your regular schedule. Some patients have a tiny dot at the injection site immediately after treatment, but that can easily be covered up with makeup. Compared to more invasive treatments like facelifts, dermal fillers are a convenient and easy way to address signs of aging in the face.
Are the Results Permanent?
Fillers don’t offer permanent results, but they tend to last longer when injected under the eyes than in other parts of the face. Unlike the lips, forehead, and other parts of the face that are constantly in motion, the skin beneath the eyes largely stays in place. As a result, dermal fillers placed under the eyes often have a longer life than fillers placed elsewhere.
Will I Look Like I’ve Had Work Done?
When they’re administered properly, dermal fillers give subtle, natural results, particularly when used in the small, delicate area under the eyes. You won’t look radically different, and many people won’t be able to pinpoint what’s different about you. But once the results of your filler have taken effect, your eyes and your overall face will look more relaxed, refreshed, and younger.
When Should I Start Getting Fillers Injected?
The patients who get the best results with fillers start having them injected as soon as circles and puffiness start developing under the eyes. If you wait and seek treatment when your under-eye issues are more problematic, a single filler injection may not as effectively address your cosmetic concerns.
Can I Use Fillers in More Than One Place on My Face?
In addition to plumping up your under-eye area, you can also have filler injections on your cheeks and on other parts of your face. You can even have multiple injections done on the same day.
Will Fillers Help My Crow’s Feet?
Fillers are great for plumping up parts of the face that have lost volume, but they don’t address crow’s feet: the fine lines that sprout at the outer corners of the eyes. Crow’s feet are caused by repetitive facial movements like smiling, blinking, and squinting, and they’re often treated by preventing the underlying muscles from fully contracting when making those expressions. Botulinum injections like Botox work by freezing some of that muscle activity so that your face isn’t moving in a way that creates crow’s feet and other lines.
Who Is a Good Candidate for Fillers?
The best filler candidates are at least 21 years of age and want to resolve signs of aging under the eyes or in other places on the face. Candidates should not be pregnant or nursing at the time of their injection. They should also not have an active, serious medical condition.
Fillers Can Work for You
Are you ready to brighten up your eyes? Our practice can find the perfect filler to treat your under-eye area and give you a refreshed, youthful appearance. Call South Lake OBGYN in Clermont, FL today, and ask us about dermal fillers.