Non Surgical Treatment for Deep Under Eye Circles?

Denise, You are correct that there is a depression beneath your lower eyelid-I call this the arcus deformity. While IPL treatments can lighten the skin color of the lower eyelid, they will not help the depression and shadow beneath your lower eyelid. I do not inject fillers beneath the lower eyelid-they are dangerous and can injure the eye, and many patients who have had filler injections beneath the eyes have had nasty complications. The definitive operation to remove deep dark circles... more

In reviewing your photos, you appear to be young and have a tear trough deformity. Pigment may play a role but is not a key factor in your problem. The reason for the deformity is a space between the muscles of the eyelid and the side of the nose/cheek. The space gives a tight depression that would only be corrected with a filler or implant into the area. Fat is a good filler for this problem. You can also go to a doctor skilled in tear trough implants.

Under eye circles occur as a result of several factors: Hyperpigmentation of the skin Underlying veins Hemosiderin deposition Thin skin Loss of inferior eyelid fat Surgery can only correct the laxity of skin and remove fat from the lower eyelid. Correction of under eye circles is performed with an aggressive skin care regimen to remove pigmentation and hemosiderin from the lower eyelids. This may include topical creams, laser, and chemical peels. A combination approach is best for this... more

Most dark circles are inherited problems. Many are due to the number of small blood vessels under the thin skin of the lids. At your age a concealer would be a good option. I have had many patients do well with a product called Teamine. It has a micronized metal that reflects light and makes the area seem less dark. Other options, of course, include the injectable agents but it is unlikely that any bleaching creams would be of benefit.

To denisse, Hi! The darkness is mostly an illusion. The reason you look "dark" under your eyes is that you have hollows here. The tear trough is the round inner bone edge under your eyes and the hollows above that. This can be nicely corrected with Restylane injections which easily last 9 months in this area. I have also had good long term results with fat injections, but of course this is an operation and it has to be done just right so it lasts and so you don't get lumps.... more

Hi Denisse, You would benefit from having filler carefully placed in your lower eye hollows. I use Restylane which works very well. If you prefer permanent filler, then fat transfer would be your solution. The under eye area is very delicate with thin skin and unforgiving anatomy. Therefore you should choose your treating physician most carefully to avoid complications and unsatisfactory results. Good luck and be well. By the way, get some sleep when you get the chance :). Dr. P... more

Hello Denisse, Well you can have "fillers" injected into these "dents" under your eyes, the tear troughs, but these fillers do not last long. To change the color can be difficult using surgery, peels or lasers, but make-up, bleaching creams and sun screens can decrease this color a bit.  

Hello Denisse There are several factors contributing to the appearance of dark circles around the eye: 1-A true hyperpigmentation (skin discoloration): Several bleaching creams, peels or lasers could help with the discoloration. The word of wisdom is to be conservative especially with lasers and peels. 2-The second factor is the presence of deep lines under the eyes (tear trough) Using filler will help to decrease the optical elusion of discoloration and shadows. 3-The simple, easy answer... more

Restylane injections done by an experienced provider would be the best solution for you. Fat injection in this area can be tricky, and can change with time as you age. Restylane is temporary, but usually lasts really long in this area. You will probably need an injection about once a year.