Is retinol under eye cream an effective alternative to injectables?

It is very hard to answer such a general question. Only on the basis of in person evaluation one can give you meaningful advice;  Retinol, chemical peel (TCA), micro-needling, can be used for this purpose. Good luck.

Retinol alone is not enough for a dramatic result. There are many things you can do to treat under eye hollows and dark circles. A surgical option to remove skin and/or fat will be the best long term. However, non invasive less downtime options such as fillers, lasers, (Plasma pen) microneedling/(RF/)PRP, cosmelan peels and stem cells can all help give improvement. I suggest you get a formal consultation to see what is best for you and your goals. Best, Dr. Emer.

Retinol is the ineffective. Consequently it is available to the cosmeceutical industry to sell to us in virtually every skin care cream. However, it does not work. The prescription, product is known as tretinoin (retin A) was first used to control acne. It was also discovered that is helps reduce fine lines in some users. But Retinol is a scam in my opinion. The fillers are very good when you are ready.

Skincare will not give you the same results as a Dermal Filler Treatment. Ageing happens on 3 levels; the skin, volume (fat) and the muscle. As a baseline everyone should look after their skin with good skincare and UV protection. Dermal Filler reduces the signs of ageing by replacing lost volume, wrinkle relaxer works on the muscle. 



Dermal Fillers are not for everyone, and that is absolutely fine, however , please do not be sold on a cream that states that it will give the same results as Dermal Filler. 



Warm Regards,

Dr Glenn Murray, Absolute Cosmetic Medicine

Retinol eye creams will not produce the same effect as fillers.  Eye creams may help improve tone and texture but will not be able to contour the under eye area.  I encourage you to meet with an experienced injector to learn more.