What is the best filler for under-eye bags in men?

Question

I've got bags under my eyes and want to get them taken care of. I heard certain fillers are good in that area, but don't know what they are. There is a guy from my gym who OBVIOUSLY had something done because there are lumps under each eye - it looks awful. I don't want anything like that to happen to me.

Nima Shemirani, MD · Answer

Hi @m34la!  I recommend seeking treatments from expert injectors who have the skill and experience to precisely inject fillers into treatment areas and avoid risks and complications. Restylane and Belotero work great for the tear trough. Best of luck, Dr. Nima!

Sanusi Umar, MD · Answer

All dermal fillers can be used in men and women alike. However, they might require different application techniques appropriate for the appearance of male versus female faces. I understand that you saw a poor example of under eye dermal fillers. Treating the undereye bags is done according to what looks best for a person’s face, whether they are a man or women. And this really depends on the doctor's skill. At my office, the Dr.U Clinic we use Radiesse to reshape the under eye area and reduce the look of bags and puffiness. Below is an example of where this was done on a female patient., not a male. But this is intended to show you how natural the results can appear.

Cameron Chesnut, MD, FAAD, FACMS · Answer

It’s no secret in the cosmetic industry that men are one of the fastest growing demographics. This comes on the heels of a menaissance, or a bit of a reverse sexual revolution where it is more acceptable for men to maintain their strength, power and youth. 
With what had been a rather small demographic growing rapidly, problems began to arise when old habits and knowledge of female aesthetics were applied to men, especially with less experienced practitioners. There’s a very specific sexual dimorphism that exists between male and female faces that keep a man looking masculine and powerful and woman looking feminine and beautiful. The process of aging is also different and man, with a more linear aging timeline that follows a steady testosterone decline. 
Male skin is thicker than female skin with less subcutaneous fat. The slope of the forehead, hairline and browline are much more important factors in men, and the nose tends to follow a similar slope to the forehead with little to no upturn at the tip, as opposed to a female faces. The characteristic flat, strong browline of a man square up with full temples to create the full facial shape of the upper face that is often described as squared.
The jawline and chin are often the most focused on areas for men, as they are traditionally the source of power and masculinity, but this needs to be balanced with the entire lower face, midface and temples to create that squared and balanced look.
One of the most common areas that I have to fix on man is the midface and eyelid-cheek junction, where men tend to have their volume more towards the middle of their face as opposed to the outside, which is a feminizing characteristic, but often during cheek augmentation volume is placed in a more feminine manner. In these cases I am able to adjust the volume to create a more masculine lid-cheek junction and balance with the rest of the face.
Some of my most common procedures performed on men include simple wrinkle relaxing injections with a neuromodulator, using volume to masculinize the face, improving the skin with laser resurfacing, hair restoration with platelet rich plasma, and eyelid surgery, which is a very stealth but very high yield surgical procedure to perform.
Some of the most progressive areas with respect to Maile cosmetics include improving post procedural results/recovery and hair restoration utilizing regenerative medicine such as platelet rich plasma and stem cells - check out my other articles for more information on those
To ensure you are receiving the highest level of care, seek out a modernly trained, new-school dermatologic surgeon, oculoplastic surgeon, facial plastic surgeon or plastic surgeon who is board certified and fellowship trained in one of these “core four” cosmetic specialties. Membership in organizations like the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery help to identify a highly trained surgeon.
Cameron Chesnut
#realself100 Physician

Kevin Brenner, MD, FACS · Answer

Believe it or not, as we age we often  all lose soft tissue volume under the eyes. This can lead to an older appearance and can 
prematurely allow "bags" to manifest. This can usually be treated simply 
with natural fat transfer, which is the best filler...and it is permanent. I can carefully remove fat deposits from 
other places on the body and transfer them to places of volume 
deficiency under the eyes. This can be done independently, or in conjunction with a lower eyelid procedure if that is what you require.

Jason Emer, MD · Answer

I like belotero or restylane silk here but you need this done conservatively and should be done in a few treatments to get a step wise improvement. this prevents swelling.  Get with cannulas and please see an expert who treats a lot of men.  Best, Dr. Emer.

Mehryar (Ray) Taban, MD, FACS · Answer

There are various options for under eye bags or dark circles, depending on how much bags/fat vs. hollowness is present.  Options include lower blepharoplasty (see link below) vs. filler/fat injection in hollow areas. In regards to filler type, the best for under eye is Restylane or Belotero.  See an oculoplastic specialist for evaluation.

Toby Mayer, MD · Answer

Restalyne or Voluma is best depending on the location of the hollow exactly. See a very experienced injector for tHis.

Afshin Farzadmehr, MD · Answer

It is best to see you and assess you in a free consultation to best advise you for your situation.  Experience is a must to treat this area for natural normal results as much as proper technique.

Richard Ort, MD · Answer

My preferred filler for under the eyes is Restylane which tends to cause less swelling than other HA fillers such as Juvederm.  This is an advanced area and you should be seen by an expert in filler injections to be evaluated in person.

Edwin Ishoo, MD · Answer

It is best to consult a board certified dermatologist, occuloplastic, facial plastic or general plastic surgeon in your area to discuss your options to help achieve your cosmetic goals.