Dark Circles & Non-Surgical Eye Rejuvenation
Dark Circles and Treating the Eye Area Without Surgery
Dark circles are not one diagnosis. They can come from under-eye hollowing and shadowing, excess pigment, visible blood vessels, thin skin, fine lines, or eyelid bags. Non-surgical treatment works best when it is matched to the actual cause and may include carefully selected filler, fractional or ablative laser resurfacing, skin tightening, or pigment-focused treatment.
Dark circles are not one thing. They can be a hollow under the eye casting a shadow, extra pigment in the skin, blood vessels showing through, skin that has gone thin, fine lines, or a bag of fat pushing forward. Treatment that does not involve surgery only works when it matches the actual cause. It might mean carefully chosen filler, a laser, a tightening treatment, or something aimed at the pigment.
Who performs your treatment
Who does the treatment
Every laser and energy treatment at Dermatology and Laser Centre is performed by Dr. Gergana Gallacher herself. She does not delegate laser treatment around the eyes to an assistant, a nurse or a technician. The eyelid is the thinnest skin on the body and it sits directly over the eye, so the margin for error is small: the assessment, the choice of device, the settings, the eye protection and the treatment itself are all hers. She also chooses the technology to fit the specific problem in front of her, rather than treating every under-eye complaint with whichever machine happens to be in the room.
Dr. Gallacher does every laser treatment herself. She does not hand laser work near your eyes to a nurse, an assistant or a technician. Eyelid skin is the thinnest on your body and the eye is right underneath it, so there is very little room for error. She does the assessment, picks the device, sets it, protects your eyes and carries out the treatment. She also picks the right technology for your particular problem, instead of using one machine for everything.
Dark Circles & Eye Rejuvenation: the essentials
The short version
Volume loss and shadowing, pigment, vascular show-through, thin skin, fine lines, laxity, and lower-eyelid bags.
A hollow casting a shadow, extra pigment, blood vessels showing through, thin skin, fine lines, loose skin, and bags.
Tear-trough filler such as the RHA collection or Restylane, Fraxel FTX for the under-eye area, CO2 laser eyelid resurfacing, and Thermage FLX radiofrequency tightening on the eyelids. Used singly or in combination.
Filler in the tear trough, such as RHA or Restylane. Fraxel FTX under the eyes. CO2 laser resurfacing of the eyelid. Thermage FLX to tighten the eyelids. On their own, or together.
Filler is an in-office treatment of roughly 15 to 30 minutes. Laser and radiofrequency treatments take longer, and combination visits longer still.
Filler is about 15 to 30 minutes in the office. Lasers and radiofrequency take longer. Doing more than one thing takes longer again.
Filler commonly six months to two years, CO2 eyelid resurfacing commonly three to five years, Fraxel FTX and Thermage FLX eye treatments usually maintained at about twelve months.
Filler six months to two years. CO2 eyelid resurfacing three to five years. Fraxel FTX and Thermage FLX around the eye are usually topped up at about a year.
Depends heavily on the treatment. Filler can bruise and swell. Ablative resurfacing has a genuine visible recovery.
Depends a lot on which treatment. Filler can bruise and swell. Deeper resurfacing has a real, visible recovery.
Dr. Gallacher performs all laser treatment personally.
Dr. Gallacher does all the laser work herself.
Significant eyelid skin excess or prominent fat bags warrant a surgical eyelid opinion.
A lot of loose eyelid skin, or prominent bags of fat, needs a surgical opinion.
What causes dark circles under the eyes?
What causes dark circles?
Dark circles are multifactorial, so the same treatment will not work for every patient.
Several different things, which is exactly why one treatment does not work for everyone.
| Cause | What you may notice | Treatment direction |
|---|---|---|
| Hollowing / volume loss | A groove or depression creates a shadow, especially in overhead light | Carefully selected filler or another volume-restoring approach may help |
| Pigmentation | Brown or gray color that remains even when lighting changes | Topical or pigment-directed treatment may be considered after diagnosis |
| Vascular show-through / thin skin | Blue, purple, or reddish tone through thin eyelid skin | Selected vascular/light treatments may be considered cautiously |
| Texture and fine lines | Crepey skin, fine lines, or sun-damaged texture | Fractional or ablative resurfacing, depending on skin and downtime tolerance |
| Bags / laxity | Prominent lower-eyelid fat or significant skin excess | Non-surgical treatment has limits; surgical evaluation may be more appropriate |
A hollow A groove under the eye casts a shadow, especially under a light above you. Carefully chosen filler, or another way of adding volume back, may help.
Pigment Brown or grey colour that stays the same whatever the lighting. Creams or a pigment treatment may suit, once we know what it is.
Blood vessels showing through thin skin A blue, purple or reddish tone through the skin. Certain vascular or light treatments may be considered, carefully.
Texture and fine lines Crinkly skin, fine lines, sun damage. A fractional laser or deeper resurfacing, depending on your skin and how much recovery you can take.
Bags and loose skin A prominent pad of fat, or a lot of excess skin. There is a limit to what can be done without surgery, and a surgical opinion may be the right next step.
The four routes we use around the eye
The four ways we treat the eye area
Because dark circles have several different causes, this practice uses four distinct treatment routes around the eye, and matches them to what the examination actually shows. Tear-trough filler addresses a hollow that is casting a shadow. Fraxel FTX addresses texture, crepiness and fine lines with a shorter recovery. CO2 laser eyelid resurfacing addresses more established wrinkling and crepey eyelid skin, and is the strongest of the four. Thermage FLX addresses mild skin laxity on the eyelids without breaking the skin surface at all. Several patients are best served by a combination, sequenced over months rather than done in one sitting.
Dark circles have several different causes, so we have four different ways of treating the area, and we match them to what we actually find when we look. Filler in the tear trough is for a hollow that is casting a shadow. Fraxel FTX is for crinkly texture and fine lines, with a shorter recovery. CO2 laser resurfacing is for more set-in wrinkling and crepey eyelid skin, and it is the strongest of the four. Thermage FLX is for mild looseness of the eyelids, and it does not break the skin at all. Plenty of people do best with a combination, spread out over months rather than done all at once.
When can under-eye filler help?
When does filler help?
Filler is most useful when dark circles are primarily caused by tear-trough hollowing and shadowing, not when pigment or large eyelid bags are the main problem.
When the darkness is mainly a shadow cast by a hollow. Not when the real problem is pigment, or a large bag of fat.
Product selection, whether filler is appropriate at all, and how much is used, are decided individually after examining the lower eyelid.
Which product is used, whether filler is right for you at all, and how much goes in, are all decided after looking properly at your lower eyelid.
When the darkness really is a shadow thrown by a hollow, carefully placed hyaluronic acid filler in the tear trough can soften that shadow and bring back volume and brightness under the eye. Dr. Gallacher uses RHA and Restylane products here, chosen for how the product behaves and for your own eyelid anatomy, not out of habit. Most people need 1 to 2 syringes. It is done in the office, usually takes 15 to 30 minutes, and you can see the change in the contour straight away, before any swelling has gone down.
Filler is not right for every under-eye problem. It suits a hollow that is casting a shadow, and it can disguise a mild step in the contour. It is not the answer if pigment is the real problem, and it will not fix a prominent bag of fat or a lot of excess skin. Whether you have filler at all, which product, and how much, are decided after looking properly at your lower eyelid in different lighting. Hyaluronic acid filler can also be dissolved if needed, which counts for a lot in an area this delicate.
When the darkness is genuinely a shadow cast by a hollow, precise placement of a hyaluronic acid filler in the tear trough can soften that shadow and restore volume and brightness under the eye. Dr. Gallacher uses products from the RHA collection and the Restylane range in this area, chosen by the behaviour of the product and by the anatomy of your lower eyelid rather than by habit. Depending on what is needed, 1 to 2 syringes are typically used. The treatment is done in the office, usually takes 15 to 30 minutes, and the change in contour is visible immediately, before any swelling has settled.
Filler is not appropriate for every under-eye complaint. It is most useful for tear-trough hollowing and shadowing, and it can camouflage a mild contour step. It is not the answer when pigment is the dominant problem, and it will not correct a prominent fat bag or significant skin excess. Whether filler is used at all, which product, and how much, are decided individually after examining the lower eyelid in different lighting. Hyaluronic acid fillers also have the advantage of being reversible, which matters in an area this delicate.
Diagram showing common causes of under-eye dark circles including hollowing, pigment, vessels and bags
A diagram showing the common causes of dark circles: a hollow, pigment, blood vessels and bags.
When are lasers used around the eyes?
When are lasers used around the eyes?
Laser treatment may be considered when fine lines, crepey texture, sun damage, or certain pigment concerns contribute to the aged appearance.
When fine lines, crinkly texture, sun damage, or certain pigment problems are part of what is making the area look tired.
- Fraxel-type fractional treatment can target texture with less recovery than deeper resurfacing.
- CO2 or Erbium resurfacing can provide stronger improvement in selected patients but requires more recovery and careful eye-area technique.
- The laser choice and settings must account for skin tone, eyelid anatomy, and the exact problem being treated.
- A fractional laser can improve texture with far less recovery than deeper resurfacing.
- CO2 or Erbium resurfacing can achieve more in the right people, but needs more recovery, and careful technique so close to the eye.
- Which laser, and at what settings, has to take account of your skin tone, your eyelid anatomy, and exactly what is being treated.
Fraxel FTX under the eyes
Fraxel FTX under the eyes
Fraxel FTX is a non-ablative fractional laser, and it is the treatment Dr. Gallacher reaches for first when the problem under the eye is texture: crepiness, fine lines and sun-damaged skin quality rather than volume. It treats a fraction of the skin at a time and leaves the surface largely intact, so recovery is shorter than with ablative resurfacing, and improvement builds over the weeks after treatment as the skin remodels. A course of treatments is usual rather than a single visit, and in this practice results around the eye are typically maintained at about twelve-month intervals.
Treating close to the eye requires appropriate eye protection, and the wavelength, energy and density are chosen for your skin tone and for the exact problem being treated. Dr. Gallacher performs these treatments herself.
Fraxel FTX is a fractional laser that does not remove the skin surface. It is what Dr. Gallacher goes to first when the problem under the eye is texture: crinkliness, fine lines and sun damage, rather than a hollow. It treats a fraction of the skin at a time and mostly leaves the surface intact, so the recovery is shorter than with deeper resurfacing, and the improvement builds over the following weeks as the skin repairs. Most people need a course rather than one visit, and here we usually top up the eye area at around a year.
Working this close to the eye means proper eye protection, and the wavelength, the energy and the density are chosen for your skin tone and for exactly what is being treated. Dr. Gallacher does these treatments herself.
CO2 laser eyelid resurfacing
CO2 laser eyelid resurfacing
CO2 laser eyelid resurfacing is the strongest option offered here for wrinkled, crepey eyelid skin. It is an ablative treatment: it removes a controlled depth of the skin surface and prompts the skin to rebuild, which is why it achieves more than a non-ablative laser and why it also asks more of you in recovery. Dr. Gallacher regards CO2 resurfacing as the most effective rejuvenation procedure available, and in her hands it is a low-risk procedure with about seven days of downtime. She performs every CO2 treatment personally.
Candidate selection matters more here than with any other treatment on this page. The lower eyelid is assessed for laxity before treatment, because resurfacing an already lax lower lid can pull it away from the eye. Antiviral prophylaxis and careful eye protection are used as appropriate, and settings are adjusted for skin tone and for eyelid anatomy. Real risks include prolonged redness, infection, changes in skin colour, scarring and eyelid complications where technique or patient selection is wrong. In this practice, results from CO2 eyelid resurfacing commonly last three to five years, although ageing continues.
CO2 laser resurfacing is the strongest thing we offer for wrinkled, crepey eyelid skin. It removes a controlled depth of the skin surface and makes the skin rebuild itself. That is why it achieves more than a gentler laser, and also why it asks more of you afterwards. Dr. Gallacher considers CO2 resurfacing the most effective rejuvenation procedure there is, and in her hands it carries little risk and about seven days of downtime. She does every CO2 treatment herself.
Choosing the right patient matters more here than with anything else on this page. We check how loose your lower eyelid is first, because resurfacing an already loose lid can pull it away from the eye. We use antiviral medication and proper eye protection where appropriate, and the settings are adjusted for your skin tone and your eyelid anatomy. The real risks are redness that drags on, infection, changes in skin colour, scarring, and eyelid problems if the technique or the choice of patient is wrong. Here, results from CO2 eyelid resurfacing usually last three to five years, though you do go on ageing.
Thermage FLX on the eyelids
Thermage FLX on the eyelids
Thermage FLX is a monopolar radiofrequency treatment and it is the flagship tightening device in this practice. It is used on the eyelid itself, with the small eye tip, for mild skin laxity and for a heavy or crepey upper lid where the skin has lost tone but there is no clear hollow and no significant excess skin. It heats the deeper layers to stimulate collagen while the surface is cooled and protected, so it does not break the skin, and there is no wound to recover from.
Thermage is usually a single treatment session, with the result developing gradually over the months that follow rather than appearing straight away. In this practice, eyelid Thermage FLX is typically maintained at about twelve-month intervals. Treatment on the eyelid requires the small eye tip and proper eye protection, and it is performed by Dr. Gallacher personally. Thermage is a tightening treatment, not a lift, and it will not do the work of eyelid surgery.
Thermage FLX is a radiofrequency treatment, and it is the main tightening device in this practice. We use it on the eyelid itself, with the small eye tip, for mildly loose skin, and for a heavy or crinkly upper lid where the skin has lost its tone but there is no obvious hollow and no real excess of skin. It heats the deeper layers to build collagen while the surface is cooled and protected. It does not break the skin, so there is no wound to heal.
Thermage is usually one session, and the result comes on gradually over the following months rather than straight away. Here we usually repeat it on the eyelids at about a year. Treating the eyelid needs the small eye tip and proper eye protection, and Dr. Gallacher does it herself. Thermage tightens. It does not lift, and it will not do the job of eyelid surgery.
Who may be a good candidate for non-surgical eye rejuvenation?
Who is it suitable for?
It is most appropriate for mild to moderate hollowing, fine lines, selected pigmentation, or mild laxity when surgery is not required.
People with a mild to moderate hollow, fine lines, certain pigment problems, or mild looseness, where surgery is not needed.
- Your main concern can be addressed by a nonsurgical modality.
- You have realistic expectations about the limits of filler and laser treatment.
- You can follow post-treatment instructions and sun protection.
- Your main concern is something that can actually be treated without surgery.
- You understand the limits of what filler and lasers can do here.
- You will follow the aftercare and keep the sun off it.
An option for people who are not ready for surgery
An option if you are not ready for surgery
A good number of patients want the eye area to look rested without committing to eyelid surgery, or want to defer surgery rather than rule it out. For mild to moderate under-eye hollowing, dark circles caused by shadow, fine lines, crepey texture or mild eyelid laxity, the treatments on this page are a reasonable alternative, and they do not close off surgery later. What they cannot do is substitute for surgery when the problem is structural. Prominent lower-eyelid fat bags, marked eyelid skin excess, certain fluid-retention patterns or anatomy that makes filler unsafe all point towards a surgical eyelid opinion, and Dr. Gallacher will say so rather than treat around the problem.
Plenty of people want their eyes to look less tired without having eyelid surgery, or want to put surgery off rather than rule it out. If you have a mild to moderate hollow, dark circles caused by a shadow, fine lines, crinkly texture or slightly loose eyelid skin, the treatments on this page are a fair alternative, and having them does not stop you having surgery later. What they cannot do is replace surgery when the problem is structural. Prominent bags of fat, a lot of excess eyelid skin, certain patterns of fluid retention, or anatomy that makes filler unsafe, all point to a surgical opinion. Dr. Gallacher will tell you that, rather than treat around the problem.
When may non-surgical treatment not be the best choice?
When is this not the right choice?
Large fat bags, significant eyelid skin excess, certain fluid-retention patterns, active skin disease, or anatomy that makes filler unsafe may call for another approach.
Large bags of fat, a lot of excess eyelid skin, certain patterns of fluid retention, active skin disease, or anatomy that makes filler unsafe, all point elsewhere.
A surgical eyelid consultation can be more appropriate when structural bags or marked skin laxity are the dominant concern.
A surgical eyelid opinion is more useful when structural bags, or markedly loose skin, are the main problem.
What are the benefits and risks of under-eye treatment?
What are the benefits and risks?
| Treatment | Potential benefit | Important risks / limitations |
|---|---|---|
| Tear-trough filler | Can reduce shadowing from selected hollows and create an immediate contour change | Bruising, swelling, lumps, asymmetry, bluish discoloration, prolonged edema; rare but serious vascular complications including vision-threatening events |
| Fractional laser | Can improve texture, fine lines, and selected pigment concerns | Redness, swelling, pigment change; results and downtime depend on device and settings |
| Ablative CO2/Erbium resurfacing | Stronger improvement in selected crepey or wrinkled eyelid skin | More downtime; risk of prolonged redness, infection, pigment change, scarring, or eyelid complications if technique/candidate selection is inappropriate |
Filler in the hollow Can reduce the shadow and change the contour immediately. Risks: bruising, swelling, lumps, one side looking different from the other, a bluish tinge, and swelling that lasts. Rarely, filler blocks a blood vessel, and that can threaten your sight.
Fractional laser Can improve texture, fine lines and some pigment. Risks: redness, swelling, and changes in skin colour. The result and the recovery depend on the machine and the settings.
Deeper resurfacing Achieves more on crinkly, wrinkled eyelid skin. Risks: more recovery, redness that drags on, infection, changes in colour, scarring, and eyelid problems if the technique or the patient selection is wrong.
What is recovery like?
What is the recovery like?
Recovery is not one thing, because these are four different treatments. Filler commonly means a few days of swelling, and bruising is possible in an area with this much fine vasculature. Any bruise from an injection given here is treated with the VBeam laser at no charge. Fraxel FTX typically means redness and swelling for a few days as the skin recovers. Thermage FLX leaves the skin surface intact and generally allows an immediate return to normal activity. CO2 eyelid resurfacing is the outlier: in Dr. Gallacher's practice it involves about seven days of visible downtime, followed by a longer period of settling redness. Whatever the treatment, do not schedule it immediately before an important event. Even the gentlest procedure around the eyes can produce visible swelling or bruising, and sun protection afterwards is not optional.
Recovery is not one thing, because these are four different treatments. Filler usually means a few days of swelling, and you can bruise, because there are a lot of small blood vessels there. If you bruise after an injection with us, we treat it with the VBeam laser and do not charge for it. Fraxel FTX usually means redness and swelling for a few days while the skin recovers. Thermage FLX does not break the skin, so you can normally get straight back to your day. CO2 resurfacing of the eyelid is the exception: in Dr. Gallacher's practice it means about seven days when you look like you have had something done, and then a longer stretch while the redness fades. Whichever you have, do not book it just before something important. Even the gentlest procedure around the eyes can leave you swollen or bruised. And keep the sun off it afterwards. That part is not optional.
Patients should avoid planning an important event immediately after treatment because even minimally invasive procedures around the eyes can produce visible swelling or bruising.
Do not book anything important straight after treatment. Even the gentlest procedures around the eyes can leave you visibly swollen or bruised.
Comfort, and what treatment feels like
Comfort, and what treatment feels like
Most patients find under-eye filler comfortable. Numbing cream or an ice pack is applied beforehand, the injections are placed with fine needles or a cannula as appropriate to the anatomy, and any discomfort is usually minimal and short-lived. Laser and radiofrequency treatments feel different from injections and are managed with topical anaesthetic, cooling or local anaesthetic as appropriate to the device and the depth of treatment. Ablative CO2 resurfacing is the most demanding of the treatments described here, both during the procedure and in the days afterwards, and comfort is planned in advance rather than improvised.
Most people find filler under the eye comfortable. We use numbing cream or an ice pack first, the injections are done with fine needles, or a cannula where that suits your anatomy better, and any discomfort is usually mild and over quickly. Lasers and radiofrequency feel different from injections. We manage them with numbing cream, cooling or a local anaesthetic, depending on the device and how deep we are working. CO2 resurfacing is the toughest of these, both on the day and in the days after, and we plan the pain relief in advance rather than making it up as we go.
How long do results last?
How long does it last?
How long improvement lasts depends on what caused the problem and which treatment was used. In this practice, hyaluronic acid filler in the tear trough commonly lasts six months to two years, and the exact figure varies with the product and with your own anatomy. CO2 laser eyelid resurfacing commonly gives results lasting three to five years. Fraxel FTX and Thermage FLX around the eye are usually maintained at about twelve-month intervals. These are typical ranges in this practice rather than guarantees, and none of them stops normal ageing: sun exposure, skin care and time all continue to act on the result. Your own likely timescale is best estimated at consultation, once the cause has been identified.
How long the improvement lasts depends on what caused the problem and what was used to treat it. Here, hyaluronic acid filler in the tear trough usually lasts six months to two years, depending on the product and on your own anatomy. CO2 laser resurfacing of the eyelid usually lasts three to five years. Fraxel FTX and Thermage FLX around the eye are usually repeated at around a year. These are the usual ranges here, not promises, and none of them stops you ageing. Sun, skin care and time all keep working on the result. The best estimate for you comes at your consultation, once we know the cause.
How the treatment is chosen for you
How the treatment is chosen for you
There is no single best treatment for the eye area, only the treatment that fits the cause. A hollow needs volume. Crepey texture needs resurfacing. Loose skin needs tightening. Pigment needs a pigment-directed approach and an accurate diagnosis first. Getting this wrong is not a neutral outcome: placing filler where volume loss is not the problem makes the area look worse, not better. Dr. Gallacher assesses the lower eyelid in different lighting, separates true pigment from shadow, from visible vessels, from skin texture and from structural bags, and then selects the specific technology for that indication. Where two problems are present, treatments are sequenced rather than stacked into one visit.
There is no single best treatment for the eye area, only the one that fits the cause. A hollow needs volume. Crinkly texture needs resurfacing. Loose skin needs tightening. Pigment needs the right diagnosis first, then a treatment aimed at pigment. Getting this wrong is not harmless: putting filler in where a hollow is not the problem makes the area look worse. Dr. Gallacher looks at your lower eyelid under different lights, works out what is real pigment, what is a shadow, what is blood vessels, what is texture and what is a bag of fat, and then picks the specific technology for that problem. If you have two problems, we treat them one after another rather than doing everything in one visit.
Illustrative result
What a result can look like
Before and after photographs for the eye area are shown at consultation, where they can be matched to the cause of your dark circles, your skin and the treatment being proposed. A photograph of someone else is only useful when it is comparable to you. Individual results vary.
We show before and after photographs of the eye area at your consultation, where we can match them to what is causing your dark circles, your skin and the treatment we suggest. A photo of someone else only helps if they are like you. Results are different for everyone.
Questions patients ask
How long does non-surgical eye rejuvenation last?
How long does it last?
It depends on the treatment. In this practice, tear-trough filler commonly lasts six months to two years, CO2 laser eyelid resurfacing commonly lasts three to five years, and Fraxel FTX and Thermage FLX around the eye are usually maintained at about twelve months. These are typical ranges, not guarantees, and ageing continues in every case.
It depends which treatment you have. Here, filler in the tear trough usually lasts six months to two years. CO2 laser resurfacing of the eyelid usually lasts three to five years. Fraxel FTX and Thermage FLX around the eye are usually repeated at about a year. Those are the usual ranges, not promises, and you go on ageing either way.
Who is a good candidate for tear-trough filler?
Who suits filler under the eye?
The best candidates have a true volume-related hollow that can be improved safely with filler and do not have anatomy or swelling patterns that make treatment inappropriate.
Someone with a genuine hollow that can safely be filled, and whose anatomy, and pattern of swelling, do not make it a bad idea.
Is non-surgical eye rejuvenation painful?
Does it hurt?
Most office treatments use comfort measures such as topical numbing, ice, cooling, or local anesthetic as appropriate. Sensation and recovery differ between filler and laser procedures.
Most of these use numbing cream, ice, cooling or a local anaesthetic as appropriate. What it feels like, and the recovery, are quite different between filler and laser.
Can filler fix under-eye bags?
Can filler fix under-eye bags?
Not necessarily. Filler can camouflage certain contour transitions, but prominent fat bags or significant skin excess may be better treated surgically.
Not really. It can disguise certain contours, but a prominent pad of fat, or a lot of excess skin, is usually better dealt with surgically.
Not by itself. Filler can soften the step between a small bag and your cheek, so the change looks smoother, and that is worth doing when the bag is small. It cannot get rid of a prominent pad of fat, and it cannot take up a lot of loose skin. If that is the main problem, a surgical opinion is the more honest answer. Adding filler will usually just make the area look fuller, not better.
Not on its own. Filler can soften the step between a mild bag and the cheek, so the transition reads as smoother, and that is worth doing when the bag is small. It cannot remove a prominent pad of fat, and it cannot take up significant excess skin. Where those are the dominant problem, a surgical eyelid opinion is the more honest answer, and adding filler will usually make the area look fuller rather than better.
How many syringes of filler will I need?
How many syringes of filler will I need?
Most patients treated for tear-trough hollowing need 1 to 2 syringes, depending on the depth of the hollow and on how the two sides compare. The amount is decided at examination and is often placed conservatively, with a review afterwards, rather than using the full volume at one sitting.
Most people having the tear trough treated need 1 to 2 syringes. It depends on how deep the hollow is and how the two sides compare. We decide at your appointment, and we often start with less and review you afterwards, rather than putting everything in at once.
Who will actually perform my treatment?
Who actually does my treatment?
Dr. Gallacher performs all laser treatments at Dermatology and Laser Centre herself. Laser and radiofrequency work around the eye is not delegated to a nurse, an assistant or a technician.
Dr. Gallacher does all the laser treatments herself. Laser and radiofrequency work around your eyes is not handed to a nurse, an assistant or a technician.
Can under-eye filler be removed if I do not like it?
Can under-eye filler be removed if I do not like it?
Hyaluronic acid fillers, including the products used here, can be dissolved with an enzyme if the result is not what was intended or if a complication occurs. That reversibility is one of the reasons hyaluronic acid is used in this area rather than a permanent material.
Hyaluronic acid fillers, which are the ones we use here, can be dissolved with an injection if the result is not what we wanted, or if there is a problem. Being able to undo it is one of the reasons we use hyaluronic acid around the eye, and not a permanent material.
Can Thermage be used on the eyelids?
Can Thermage be used on the eyelids?
Yes, on the eyelid itself, with the small eye tip and proper eye protection. On the eyelid, Thermage FLX is used for mild laxity and loss of tone rather than for a hollow or for excess skin. It is a tightening treatment and does not replace eyelid surgery.
Yes, on the eyelid itself, using the small eye tip and proper eye protection. On the eyelid, Thermage FLX is for mildly loose skin and lost tone, not for a hollow and not for excess skin. It tightens. It does not replace eyelid surgery.
Where to go next
Talk it through with a physician first.
Every plan starts with an assessment of your skin, your anatomy and what you actually want to change.
This page is general health information, not medical advice. It cannot tell you whether a treatment is right for you. Approved uses, risks and results differ from person to person, and product labelling changes. Ask us at Dermatology and Laser Centre about your own situation, or make an appointment, and seek urgent care for any serious symptom.
