Eyes Right

Created on 25th February 2009

Those dark hollows under your eyes just won't go and they make you look exhausted and old, so how can you get rid of them? Easily - as a new non-surgical treatment is available for quick and painless results

Working long hours, insufficient sleep and the ageing process can lead to that tired-all-the-time look. Let's face it, nobody likes dark rings under their eyes, and although sometimes a few good night's sleep can go a long way to help eliminate them, for some of us no change to sleeping patterns will make a difference. If you are unlucky to have prominent ‘tear trough' hollows, a condition caused by a loss of facial volume and tissue elasticity, along with bone resorption, the pull of gravity and ageing, nothing can get rid of the dreaded dark circles under your eyes. What's more, the loss of fat in your mid-face as you age can accentuate the bony orbital rim.

The great news is that there is now a non-surgical treatment available which can get rid of your tear troughs in a matter of days. Greater understanding of facial ageing, together with growing patient demand for non-surgical options for facial rejuvenation, has led to restoration of volume in the skin as a treatment of tear trough hollows. It's a subtle treatment using Restylane Perlane, a cosmetic dermal filler, which is injected along the line of the tear trough to boost volume. It lifts and softens the appearance of the hollow, rejuvenates your face and gives long-lasting improvement.

Although dermal filler has been around for a while and is very popular for cosmetic treatments, using Restylane Perlane to add volume to the tear trough hollow is a new non-surgical procedure and a very successful one, as leading UK consultant ophthalmic and ocular plastic surgeon, Raman Malhotra, explains: "Surgery to address tear trough hollows is not always appropriate. Tear trough rejuvenation represents the most significant non-surgical step towards restoring youthful volume and contour to lower eyelids in a safe, predictable and minimally-invasive approach."

How does it work?

Patients are seated upright with the head firmly resting against a solid headrest and look upwards in order to accentuate the appearance of the tear troughs. The treatment comprises a series of micro-injections along the line of the hollow. After which, the area is gently massaged to ensure even distribution of the gel. The benefits can be seen instantly and last six to nine months, which is comparable to that of other facial areas. The tear trough area, however, is very delicate and can bruise and swell easily, which is why it must be administered by an expert cosmetic doctor, dermatologist or ocular plastic surgeon who has received specialist training.

Tear trough treatment is technique sensitive. It is a very delicate area and has great potential for bruising and post-treatment swelling which can take seven to fourteen days to settle down. To reduce the risk of bruising patients are advised not to rush around immediately after treatment and to allow some quiet time.

Catherine Lewis (pictured) has always had prominent tear troughs and was resigned to the fact that she was always going to look tired and old for her years.

"I was delighted when my consultant said my tear troughs would respond well to treatment. The treatment itself was quick and is best described as mild discomfort. I was so excited to see the hollows literally disappear before my eyes! Everyone has commented on how well I look, that I look somehow better without being able to pinpoint why. This is precisely the reaction I wanted!" she says.
CSMUK