A question that we have heard so many times.."How do I get rid of dark circles under my eyes?"
Our patients have reported that even when they are best dressed, hair and make up immaculate and after a good nights sleep, the only thing they notice in the mirror is, the dreaded dark circles under their eyes that look sunken and tired.
What causes dark circles? Periorbital dark circles have a great variety of different causes, and despite what most people seem to think, fatigue isn't the only one. While alcohol and lack of sleep can both contribute to dark circles under eyes, there are also a number of illnesses that can have this effect, and some people are just genetically predisposed to look that way from childhood. The combination of a fair complexion and thin skin is often the culprit. Some of the more common causes of dark circles under the eyes include:
Heredity. Dark circles under the eyes can appear in childhood, and are often an inherited trait. Some children will outgrow them, but others will not.
Allergies. Nasal congestion can dilate the blood vessels that drain from the area around your eyes, causing them to darken.
Sleep deprivation is the most common cause, and the easiest to prevent, but … Oversleeping can also cause dark eye circles.
Eczema. Stress and Crying.
Lifestyle.
Excessive smoking or drinking can contribute to under-eye circles. Also, people who drink too much coffee or who use cocaine or amphetamines may have difficulty getting enough sleep. Fluid retention, as may occur with pregnancy or weight gain.
Skin pigmentation abnormalities. The skin around the eyes is thinner, which is why your blood vessels are more readily visible through it. For this reason, irregular distribution of the melanin that gives the skin its color can cause dark circles to appear beneath the eyes. This is frequently a problem for people of Asian or African descent.
Excessive exposure to the sun. Sun exposure encourages your body to produce more melanin.
Age. As we get older, we lose some of the fat and collagen surrounding our eyes. This loss, combined with the thinning of our skin, magnifies the appearance of dark eye circles.
Mononucleosis can cause the eyes to appear puffy and swollen. This is due partly to the fatigue that people feel when they are suffering from mononucleosis, and partly because this illness causes a yellowing of the eyes and the skin around them (this is called jaundice).
Periorbital cellulitis is a bacterial infection of the eyelid or eyelids. If it is promptly treated with antibiotics, however, it is nothing to worry about.
Excess salt in the diet causes fluid retention throughout your body—including underneath your eyes.
When patients talk of dark circles what they are really meaning is, dark shadows. The skin itself isn't the problem, as it is not actually discoloured. The area in which a dark circle appears dark is because of the way the light falls on the hollow areas under the eyes. This occurs often due to genetics although it can also be a case of tear trough deformity which is when there's naturally a deep groove between the lower eyelid and the upper cheek.
Other causes are through fat loss and thinning of the skin over time, these can both leave you looking constantly tired, even if you are feeling the complete opposite. In some cases the dark circles you think you have are not actually 'dark circles' in the technical sense but are instead discoloured areas. This is when there is darkness is the skin rather than a shadow. This is caused by pigmentation which generally tends to affect darker skin, however it can also be caused by problems with the nose or sinuses such as deviated septum or allergies. As long as your dark under eyes are caused by hollowness, rather than allergies or pigmentation, it can be treated very effectively with filler.
Rippon Medical Services, Advanced Aesthetic Clinic, Carlisle, Cumbria offers the tear trough dermal filler treatment to help improve concerns with eye bags, dark circles, sunken and tired looking eyes. All treatments are performed by our Medical Director, Advanced Medical Aesthetic Doctor, Adrian Rippon.
The revolutionary tear trough treatment can completely transform a patients face from tired and sunken to looking bright, refreshed and awake.
Who is suitable for the tear trough treatment? Dr Rippon will assess your tear trough, sunken eyes, dark circles around the eye area, tired looking eyes and eye bags during a free medical aesthetic consultation to determine if you are a suitable candidate for treatment. He will then explain the details of the treatment, complications, after care and answer all questions you may have.
How does tear trough filler work? The treatment works on the depressions that run from the nose and around the under-eye area which becomes more noticeable as the skin sags and becomes thinner with age. As we age, fat can accumulate under the eyes which then creates what is commonly known as "eye bags". While the surgical removal of eye bags gets rid of the fatty tissue, it doesn't conceal the dark circles. The tear trough dermal filler treatment will not only improve the depression, it will also help to thicken the skin resulting in the reduction of the visible dark blood vessel colour. The treatment therefore benefits in the correction of the dark circles or panda eyes as well as the depression (tear trough) and eye bags.
Prior the treatment: Topical anaesthetic will be applied for 20-30 minutes prior the treatment. You will be fully awake during your procedure.
The procedure: After cleaning the area with antiseptic, Dr Rippon will mark the treated area for a precise treatment. Dermal filler is injected using a special blunt needle (cannula), which help prevent risks of puncture blood vessels that cause bruising, or risk of injecting into blood vessels, in small amounts and in precise locations into your skin so that there is total control over the procedure. Dr Rippon will then massage the area for a smooth result. You will notice an immediate improvement from the filler straight after treatment but remember that your final results will not be seen until any swelling has gone down.
How long does it last?
Tear trough filler can last up to a year.
What are the risks? All treatments carry an element of risks so it is good practice to be aware of them before you decide to go ahead with treatment although they will also be discussed during your consultation. Tear trough fillers risks and side effects are rare but they can include swelling, mild bruising and uneven or lumpy results. All risks and side effects will be discussed fully at consultation and during consent.
Post treatment: You should avoid touching or applying make up on the treated area for 6 hours in order to prevent infection. Specific post treatment instructions will be discussed with you by Dr Rippon on the day of treatment. As the results are relatively temporary, adjustments can be made as your face changes over time to ensure you always retain a natural look.
What is dermal filler?
Dermal fillers are materials that are frequently used to correct scarring, wrinkles, and other depressions in the skin. They are often a kind of soft tissue designed in such a way that enables injection into the skin for purposes of improving the appearance. Generally, they are made of several types of materials of synthetic, artificial and natural categories, and they have been developed into various standards depending on the level of usage.
Which type of dermal filler is used to treat around the eye area?
The most common dermal filler used for the facial area is Hyaluronic acid and Teosyal Puresense Redensity II. Hyaluronic acid is one of nature's most versatile and fascinating substances. It is found throughout the body as well as in most other living organisms. It has many functions, from giving the skin elasticity and providing our skin with volume, to giving it a youthful appearance. Restylane and Juvederm are sterile gels consisting of non-animal, cross-linked, hyaluronic acid (HA) and are made in a laboratory. They contain no human or animal DNA and have the best safety profile of all the fillers currently on the market as it is the only type of filler that is reversible. These products are FDA approved for use in the nasolabial fold and are used "off-label" in other areas.
Teosyal Puresense Redensity II is a Hyaluronic acid filler designed to treat the eye area including tear troughs. It is noted as having a light gel with mechanical properties which means it needs little pressure to enter into the skin tissues, which has been adapted for the delicate eye circle area to minimise the risk of bruising. Also it is slightly hygroscopic (i.e. it attracts very little water unlike other HA gels) which results in minimal or no swelling after injecting.
Recovery time
There is very little to no down-time involved in the procedure. In fact, most patients return to their normal, daily activities right after their visit. There is always the risk of some slight swelling or bruising with dermal fillers, but these post treatment effects if experienced, will only last for a few days.
How long the result will last?
The result generally last average up to 12 months. A plan for regular follow-up treatments to maintain the initial result can be created for you. Our treatment provides a long-lasting but not permanent result leaving you the option of refining your treatment in tune with changes in Lifestyle, ageing etc.
Why should I have the treatment at Rippon Medical Services, Advanced Medical Aesthetics?
1. ADVANCED AESTHETIC MEDICAL DOCTOR:
You will be treated by one of CUMBRIA'S leading AESTHETIC doctors who is highly experienced in the tear trough treatment procedure.
2. SERVICE & CARE: We pride ourselves on patient care and experience, therefore, you can be ensured that your visit and treatment is as informative, comfortable and professional as possible.
3. AFTER CARE POLICY
Our aftercare policy ensures our patients receive the best care following their treatment.
4. CLINIC LOCATION:
The treatment is carried out at our clinic on Fisher Street, in the historical part of Carlisle, with Carlisle Castle and Cathedral close by. We are situated opposite a public carpark and 5 mins walk away from Carlisle Bus and Train Stations.
5. HIGH PATIENT SATISFACTION:
Our patients are very happy with their results resulting in many returning to have additional areas. We also have many that recommend friends and family to the clinic
6. PREMIUM MEDICATION:
We use only premium and FDA approved products for the treatment.
7. PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS AUTHORITY
We are an approved and regulated clinic, via Safe Face, this ensures that we carry out high standard treatments, hygiene and care to our patients.