Can a Liquid Facelift Help Bags Under Eyes?

Fine lines and other facial wrinkles are some of the most common complaints that most patients bring to a plastic surgeon or any cosmetic practice. And while a surgical facelift can help solve most of these complaints, a lot of patients are a little more worried about getting surgery done to one very delicate area of the face: the skin around the eyes. While most surgeries like upper eyelid lifts and lower blepharoplasty treatments can work wonders, injectable fillers have rapidly become a favorite of many people looking for an alternative.

But can a liquid facelift procedure help treat baggy eyes? Among the different facial fillers, there's a specific type that you can use to treat eye bags: tear trough filler. This eye filler is designed to restore volume and smoothen the skin around your eyes without any invasive methods like incisions and can help manage a variety of skin-related issues around the area like having a sunken eye.

How a Filler Injection Works on an Eye Bag

A tear trough filler is a specific type of filler treatment that fills in the area underneath the eyes, addressing issues like eye circles or puffy eyes. The specific kind of filler treatment can differ based on your preference and your provider, but most procedures will use some for hyaluronic acid filler (usually Restylane) to fill in the area.

Hyaluronic acid is a substance naturally produced by your body. More levels of hyaluronic acid make your skin more resilient against outside wear and tear, and it's an excellent way to fill in lines and wrinkles while simultaneously giving your skin more volume. It can also be found in skin rejuvenation products like eye cream, but using it as tear trough filler is far more effective since your skin can automatically absorb the compound from the inside.

Why Use Dermal Filler Over Facial Plastic Surgery?

There are several reasons why a filler injection can be preferable over a surgical procedure like blepharoplasty:

It’s non-invasive

The biggest advantage that a liquid facelift like hyaluronic acid filler has over surgical procedures is that it requires no incisions or operations at all. Invasive methods like these can be a concern to many patients who understandably don’t want anything sharp around their eye area — or if you’re just afraid of surgery in general. Non-invasive treatments are easy to go through and require little to no post-procedure aftercare, and you can resume your activities shortly after getting your filler treatment.

The procedure itself is simple: All that needs to be done is to have the dermal filler injected directly on your lower eyelid. After a light massage to spread the filler, you should be cleared to go, provided you don’t have any allergic reactions to the filler material itself. Numbing or topical anesthesia applied directly to the area can help reduce the pain during the procedure, and a cold compress can be applied to help with the stinging.

The effects are visible relatively quickly

While the treatment isn’t as drastic as a surgical procedure, you should be able to see immediate improvements after your dermal filler treatment. Even if hyaluronic acid takes a while to be fully absorbed by the skin, some brands have special formulations that can provide immediate filling and structure to your eye bag as your body absorbs the filler ingredients. Dermal filler injections like Restylane Lyft particularly excel in this area as they can provide visible results shortly after your treatment with full improvements within one to two weeks.

For some cases, massages may be required to adequately spread out the filler over your treated area. Your provider will give you a detailed set of instructions about how to take care of yourself after the procedure and make sure that your results are more visible fairly quickly. While there’s no need for extensive post-procedure aftercare, you may be asked to avoid things like doing strenuous activities or sleeping on your face for one to two days to ensure that the filler material doesn’t spread beyond the intended site.

It doesn’t require much maintenance

The effects of dermal filler for eye bags can typically last for up to one to two years, though this can change as your body ages over time. Luckily, tear trough filler applications don’t really change as you get more, though the amount of filler material needed will increase as you get older. Like with any other liquid facelift procedure, your provider should always be followed with the schedule that they set with your reapplication, though you shouldn’t worry too much if you’re a few days late between sessions.

Because tear trough lines get deeper as you age, expect to have shorter gaps between sessions the more you come in for treatment. Fortunately, if you manage to maintain and hydrate your skin well between sessions, you’ll find that your results will look a lot better over time. Because you’ve effectively conditioned your skin to be more resilient against natural causes of facial aging, your hyaluronic acid filler doesn’t have to do that much work to improve your appearance.

Keep in mind that these benefits can only be enjoyed if you rigorously stick to the instructions of your dermatologist/aesthetician. Consistency and a conducive lifestyle are the key factors for making your liquid facelift a success. Anything less will give you sub-par results.

How About Botox?

Botox and other wrinkle relaxers are other methods of controlling tear trough lines, though they can be less effective with managing deeper lines and wrinkles. However, they also have the advantage of being similarly non-invasive like dermal filler, so some dermatologists often combine the two treatments to give you better results.

This is particularly useful if the patient is looking for immediate results from their treatment or has started Botox treatments early. Because the results of Botox show within one to two days after the procedure, it can keep your skin looking smooth while the dermal filler gets absorbed. Given that the effects of Botox injections can compound over time, it’s a useful way to make sure that you’re getting the best of both treatments to manage your tear trough lines.

How About Plastic Surgery?

While dermal fillers can replicate or even match the effects of a traditional facelift with less time and effort from the patient, there are situations where surgery may be the best option for them to get the look that they want. Even if it’s a little costlier than a liquid facelift, surgery can offer permanent solutions to eye circles that dermal fillers just can’t match.

However, keep in mind that investment in plastic surgery comes with a couple of caveats. If you’re thinking of getting eyelid surgery over liquid facelifts, here are some things you should consider:

The results aren’t reversible

In most eyelid surgeries (especially those involving excess skin), the results can be difficult to reverse once the procedure is done. Unlike with dermal filler which wears out over time, you have to be absolutely sure that you’ll like the results of your surgery, or else you risk having corrective surgeries to manage your condition.

You need to find a skilled facial plastic surgeon

Given its proximity to the eyes, an eye lift or blepharoplasty isn’t something that most plastic surgeons can perform. You need to find a plastic surgeon that’s trained and licensed to perform eye lifts for you to get the best results and to prevent any mishaps happening during and after the procedure.

It’s expensive

Unless you can justify your case to your insurance or medical provider, you won’t get any financial help to cover the costs of plastic surgery. This can be an issue if you don’t have the funding necessary to go through with the surgery or the costs of postprocedural aftercare if you need it.

Closely working with your dermatologist/doctor can help mitigate some of these risks and make plastic surgery a viable option. However, keep in mind that these considerations can be deal-breakers if you have pre-existing conditions or have a lifestyle that can’t properly follow up the results of plastic surgery. Dermal fillers are a much better option since you don’t have to invest so much with their application and future treatments.

Eye Bag Treatment and Other Facial Plastic Surgery at the Masri Clinic

Injectables are some of the best ways to treat eye circles and puffy eyes, especially if applied by an experienced facial plastic surgeon. With years of experience, Dr. Fatina Masri and Dr. Haitham Masri have helped patients with issues like a droopy eyelid and other eye-related skin conditions with surgical and non-surgical options. With a firm commitment to long-term results, the Masri Clinic brings the best in facial rejuvenation treatments from lower eyelid surgery to injectable filler treatment for an eyelid lift.

For more information on our services like lower eyelid blepharoplasty or tear through deformity correction, contact us today and set an appointment.