I have rheumatoid arthritis and some time ago had Restylane under my eyes which reacted badly after a few weeks.

I'm not sure what type of reaction you had, but you can have fillers with Rheumatoid Arthritis. Fat is an alternative and is a permanent solution. Harvesting is important for successful fat transfer. I use gentle water-assisted harvesting to get the most viable fat to transfer. I combine with prp to improve results. However, for under the eyes, a combination approach will give the most improvement. Fillers, lasers, and microneedling/PRP can improve under the eyes. My patients try to get non surgical treatments to avoid surgery. We use PRP and stem cells there often. I suggest consulting with an expert to develop a treatment plan best suited for your short and long term goals. Best, Dr. Emer

Hello Jan,Thank you for your question and I'm sorry to hear about your previous situation.  Unfortunately, due to your immune system being overactive because of your autoimmune disorder and you reacting badly the first time to an HA filler, as far as volumizing products, using your own fat would be best.  If done correctly, 70% of the fat should remain.  I would also incorporate PRP injections with it as well as a laser if skin laxity is involved.  Hope this helps.All the best,Carlos Mata, MD, MBA, FACSBoard-Certified Plastic Surgeon

I am not sure what type of reaction you had but autoimmune diseases are not a real contraindication for fillers.  It would be helpful to know what happened and go from there