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Dark circles: 5 Non-candidates for dark circle fillers

By Dr. Villamarín.

Here we tell you the reason for this problem, its prevention, treatments and when it is not a good idea for us to have this filling.

But why do we have dark circles?

When the eyes begin to show dark areas or discreet depression, especially in the lower eyelids, we have dark circles. This depression is usually a groove that is even more noticeable with the appearance of bags (tear trough)

A main cause is the passage of years. The skin around the eyes is some of the thinnest on the body. As the years go by, the skin becomes even thinner, making it easier to see the blood vessels underneath. In addition, the skin becomes pigmented, there is a progressive loss of collagen, elastin, and periocular fat, and the underlying veins progressively distend. Finally, the thinning and resorption of orbital bone further highlights the sinking of the area, making it even more evident.

The progressive appearance of fat bags, especially in the lower eyelids, usually worsens dark circles. Its prominence becomes evident due to weakness of the containing tissues, distension of the skin ligaments in the area due to the passage of years and gravity.

But there are other causes. Thus, genetics plays an important role in certain people, such as patients from the Middle East or patients with deep orbital structures and sunken eyes.

They can also be seen in patients with allergies or fluid retention, or in cases of continued exposure to the sun, wounds, repeated bruises, or even after previous surgeries in the center of the face.

Finally, there are other functional or transient causes, usually related to lack of sleep, stress or tobacco.

How to prevent my dark circles?

First of all, I always recommend preventing them. First of all we can talk about some preventive measures:

• Use of makeup/concealer for dark circles with UV protection.
• General protection from excessive sun exposure
• Avoid tobacco
• Increase rest and sleep time,
• Hydrate properly.
• Avoid rubbing your eyelids frequently.
• Treat any disease that may affect this area, such as allergies, kidney, heart or skin problems.

How to improve or solve my dark circles?

The sagging of the area requires volumization, and the aging of the skin and its pigmentation require appropriate skin care therapies. Apart from surgical techniques using your own fat (lipofilling) or blepharoplasty, there are many other techniques to treat them, and today we will talk here about the non-surgical ones.

Those related to age are usually treated with temporary fillers of the type of hyaluronic acid specific for this area, depending on the patient’s wishes and needs. In each case, we use refined techniques for the injection, because this area is very delicate, and it is recommended that experienced oculoplastic and facial aesthetic surgeons, such as Dr. Villamarín, perform this procedure.

On the other hand, a laser resurfacing or the use of specific peels can normalize things. Other complementary options that can help are mesotherapy, IPL or other similar procedures. Sometimes we combine several procedures.

5 Non-candidates for filling dark circles

Filler with hyaluronic acid is widely used to solve them for a few months. But there are 5 main cases in which it is not advisable to do:

1. Patients with dark circles due to illnesses or temporary problems. Patients with allergies or fluid retention, heart or kidney disease, previous wounds or scars or other similar reasons require different treatments. This also applies to functional or transient cases, usually related to insomnia, stress or tobacco.
2. Patients with allergies or abnormal reactions to artificial fillers. In these rare cases of reactions to dermal fillers, it is essential to avoid their injection, or, where appropriate, encourage their removal as soon as possible through medical or surgical extraction.
3. Patients with great distension of the skin of the eyelids. This distension, measurable with special tests, contraindicates the injection of volume expanders in the area, as it worsens the distension and offers unsightly effects.
4. Patients with significant eyelid bags. These prominences aesthetically worsen the dark circles, and a volumizing injection in the area further distends the skin and alters the connective tissues containing these bags, which will worsen the aesthetic and structural situation of the area.
5. Patients who want a permanent solution. Logically, artificial dermal fillers are temporary and usually last for months. For permanent solutions, a surgical approach is best.

Conclusion

Apart from camouflage techniques with makeup, or protecting yourself from the sun, avoiding tobacco or increasing rest time, among other always recommended actions, when we have them established, and it affects our image, we can contact an experienced oculoplastic surgeon, the best specialist in dark circles.

It is not always a good idea to inject hyaluronic acid fillers. There are patients who do not need it, or it could be counterproductive. There are at least 5 conditions in which it is better to avoid it, and use other means to solve it.

It is important to remember that each case is unique and that the best option depends on a personalized evaluation carried out by Dr. José Villamarín. If you want more information, do not hesitate to contact us by making an appointment in person or through his online consultation. Thank you.