“Under-eye collagen injections, a living nightmare”
Collagen injection: NOT worth it
Pain: Uncomfortable
All my life, I have had under eye bags but as I approached 40, they looked even worse. I was tired of people asking me if I was tired or sick. So, as a "present" to myself, I got under eye collagen injections.
Here is where the nightmare begins...Both eyes GREATLY swelled up, especially the right one. The left eye turned black. I looked like I got beat up. I had way more swelling than what I was told to expect and went back to the doctor who informed me that I needed an image makeover and that I should come back and have my lips done. She couldn't wait to shuffle me out of the office. I was in tears. I look far worse than I did before. These so called injections took what little self-esteem I had about my looks and destroyed it.
Now, here it is more than 6 months later and I still look like I have been punched in the right eye, the swelling is still VERY obvious. I get asked constantly who beat me up, did I press charges, etc. In short, I avoid eye contact with people and feel horribly ugly. I LIVE FOR THE DAY the swelling goes away and the doctor who did this to me gets royally sued by someone who has the money to do so.
PLEASE DO NOT GET UNDER EYE COLLAGEN INJECTIONS! RUN! Accept what God has given you, I wish I had. For those of you who may be wondering, I had only one vial injected, split between the two eyes. It didn't even get rid of fine lines and made the ones that were there, worse.
FEEL FREE to email me your cell number and I will GLADLY send you the multiple pictures I have of what I looked like after the procedure and today. Yes, it is better but not by much.
Jul 17, 2009Comments and replies (5)
unregistered guest
30 Jul 2009
I compeltly agree with what you said. I had the same experience 4 days ago. the doctor told me that the erea under the eye will look much better after the injuction. he injected it and I thout the swelling after the surgery is normal. now I am in my fourth day and tow black circles are under the eye and the swelling looks like eye bags wich I did not have before. I really regret going under this procedure and wish to have a solution.. I am soo desperate now..
335 posts
26 Aug 2009
As a fellow sufferer of under eye circles / bags, I completely sympathise with you. When you have lived with them all your life and think you have found a solution to get rid of them it is DEVASTATING when the 'solution' ends up making them worse. I totally feel you pain. How long are collagen injections supposed to last? Is there light at the end of the tunnel for you? Did you have botox in your crows feet etc at the same time? Sometime botox can make undereye filler last longer. Have you tried manual lymphatic drainage for the swelling? Another RealSelf member "Learning" had some success with it. Let us know how you are doing. Cheers
335 posts
26 Aug 2009
I had juvederm, not collagen but I think the effect is the same. I also do not look people in the eye anymore and people constantly ask me what is wrong. I have been speaking to Learning (I live in Australia and she lives in New Zealand) and she has had some good results with manual lymphatic drainage for undereye swelling. I think it involves mainly massage to stimulate the lymphatic system and clear swelling (which is particularly difficult to get rid of under the eyes because it pools up again every time you go to sleep!) I am looking into it myself because I have one eye bag. Yes, that's right - only ONE! My right eye looks pretty normal but my left eye has a swollen "Nike swoosh" underneath it because I think some of the juvederm escaped out of the tear trough area and is sitting in the eye bag and puffing it up. Looks HIDEOUS especially when I smile. I asked you about botox because some of my issues are botox-related. I think the botox around my eyes is preventing me from clearing the swelling because the pump action of my eye muscles has been diminished. YUCK! I say again - I feel your pain. I only got into this whole mess on 15 June, so I have a long, long wait ahead of me. Ironic how when you like something it never lasts but when you want something to go away, it hangs around for months. Try google or the yellow pages to find a lymphatic drainage person in your area. I think acupuncture also might help? Let us know how you are going and believe me, you are not alone! Cheers