Suman Skye Khulbe, MD

After correcting my eyesight with laser surgery last year, I became increasingly aware about how dark and hollowed the area under my eyes was as the frame of the glasses no longer hid them. After reveiewing different treatment, I decided to try PRP injections in the eye area. However, the doctor recommended microneedling as well during the consult to achieve a better overall outcome, firming the area around the eye and reducing wrinkles. A couple days before the procedure, the doctor called to review the procedure again, asked me to not drink any alcohol for the next couple of days and to drink several glasses of water before the procedure. The blood draw didn't bother me as I am a regular blood donor. While the platelets were put into the centrifuge, a numbing cream was applied to the areas that would be injected and then I sat under an infrared light to stimulate the skin cells. Once the PRP was prepared, several CCs were injected around the eye and temple and a little bit into one of the nasiolabial folds to even out my face. Then, the micro needling started. The technician used more PRP and a mix of vitamins on the neck and face with the needling pen (I don't recall the brand). She explained that each area was covered until bleeding occurred. Very painful on the bony bits, particularly along the nose. Honestly, I didn't know what to expect as the results will take several weeks to several months to confirm the outcome. Updated on 23 May 2017: Waking up the next day was a shock! My eyes were swollen and the redness seemed to be worse. However, after a couple of hours, the swelling reduced and I looked more normal. Updated on 23 May 2017: The peeling started two days after the procedure. At first, it was just around the mouth. Then, after talking and smiling, the peeling seemed to accelerate across the cheeks. I gently used a Jane Iredale cloth to wash my face that night and most of the dead skin sloughed off, leaving a very pink skin behind. The wrinkles do seem less pronounced but that could be due to some residual swelling. Updated on 23 May 2017: The mornings still see my eyes swollen and an hour or so is needed to get them looking normal. By mid-afternoon, the peeling had finished enough to use foundation and concealer to look presentable for a family dinner. The skin looks like a sunburn now and the bruising around the eyes is going yellow and green. Updated on 25 May 2017: The swelling was mostly gone by Sunday (3 days after the treatment) and by today, one week later, the swelling is limited to the injection sites. Some bruising around the eyes is still apparent. The skin is pinker than normal but foundation masks that. Updated on 27 Dec 2017: The treatment seemed to take full effect after 1 month and last about 4-6 months. The circles under my eyes were lighter and the skin was plumper, resulting in the fine lines being less visible. Given the recovery time and the cost, I might repeat this procedure say a month or two before a special event. I think other treatments provide comparable results with less downtime at a similar cost. Do your research beforehand to understand what a treatment could do for your skin type and age and what results your selected aesthetician has achieved.