Excess Baggage

By: Ruth Kerrison
Created on 25th March 2010

Dark circles and bags beneath the eyes can make us look tired and older than we really are, and most products available to treat the problem only offer a temporary solution. Goodie Pabla of Allure Laser Clinic in Coventry tells us about a new nonsurgical treatment that can banish eye bags for good

There are a number of factors that can cause eye bags; we think of them as a sign of fatigue, but whilst tiredness undoubtedly can exacerbate the issue, unfortunately your eye bags are just as likely to be a part of your genetic make-up as they are a giveaway of too many late nights.

Sadly, this means that getting rid of them is not as straightforward as making time for a good night's sleep, either. In fact until very recently the only real solution was surgery, which most people see as very much a last resort.

A lot of my clients ask me what can be done about the bags under their eyes and it had always frustrated me that I couldn't offer them a solution, which is why I was so excited when I heard about the new Strawberry Laser.

The Strawberry is great for Laser Lipo and to reduce stretch marks, but what really impressed me were the results it gives when used to treat the delicate under-eye area.

Bringing a new laser into the clinic is a big investment, and while there is always an element of risk, I like to be as sure as possible that any new machine is going to prove valuable to my existing client base and, hopefully, bring more customers through the door!

With the Strawberry, I have to say it was pretty much a no-brainer. I saw the before and after photos - which were incredibly impressive - then spoke to some practitioners who were already using the machine, and I was ready to sign on the dotted line.

Thankfully, my initial enthusiasm has proved to be well-founded - I have had phenomenal success in treating patients' eye bags with the Strawberry laser.

How does it work?
The treatment of eye bags involves the use of two different laser heads. The first laser acts in the same way as for Laser Lipo and inch-loss, reducing the levels of fat in the area and tightening the skin. The fat cells are not damaged but simply ,emptied of water, glycerol and fatty acids.

The second laser penetrates slightly deeper into the skin and is used to address the dark patches. The laser stimulates the body's natural defence system, which in turn triggers mast cells to visit the area.

These will also stimulate collagen and elastin regrowth, to help make the skin appear firmer and smoother. I think what has impressed me most about the Strawberry is firstly that the treatment itself is almost completely painless - working with lasers I am used to there being some downtime afterwards, but with the Strawberry you can literally just pop in during your lunch hour - but also the positive impact that the treatment can have on people's daily lives.

One of my patients told me she used to spend easily £50 a month on concealer to cover up the dark circles under her eyes - she was so conscious of them that she would reapply her make-up several times a day - but since having the Strawberry treatment she has stopped using concealer all together!

Another thing that has surprised me is how much younger and fresher people look without their eye bags - I had one male patient who came into my clinic wanting laser resurfacing for his whole face, as he felt he was looking tired and old, but didn't want to go down the Botox route for fear his friends would laugh at him.

The most noticeable things that were making him look older than his years were the bags under his eyes, so I tentatively suggested that he save himself some of the money and pain associated with laser resurfacing and consider having the Strawberry treatment under his eyes. He agreed to try it and after six sessions he looked at least ten years younger; he was delighted - and his friends didn't suspect a thing!

As a laser specialist, I do research all new treatments very carefully before using them on my patients and try to take all the marketing claims with a big pinch of salt, but the Strawberry has more than lived up to its promises and I can't wait to see what else it can do.