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POSTED UNDER Restylane REVIEWS

Upper Eye Lid Filler-Restylane - New York, NY

ORIGINAL POST

For the past several years, I have noticed that my...

NYCLiz
WORTH IT$1,200
For the past several years, I have noticed that my eyelids were not symmetrical and were looking more tired and "aged". After seeing several co-workers undergo upper eyelid skin removal surgery and after viewing the before/after photos of numerous plastic surgeons, I become very concerned about having a procedure that I believed would accentuate the aged look of my eyes.

Fortunately I found Dr. Yang through RealSelf (he had answered a question about upper eye lid fillers using restalyne) and I booked a consultation with him to discuss my case. After a very lengthy consult (about one hour) discussing my concerns and viewing before/after photos of his patients who had upper eyelid filler, I decided to go ahead with the procedure. It's an interesting procedure in that there are basically two "levels" of the eye that need to be filled: 1) right at the crease and 2) in the brow--sides and top. The doctor explained that the age-ing process reduces fat all around the eye, but the orbital rim reduction of fat is what produces the true "hollow" look in the eye (A frame deformity) that can add years .

For my procedure the pocket in the orbital rim was filled first. No numbing cream or anything was used and it was done with a needed---it was not painful at all--I did not feel a thing. The needle is not pointed in your eye--rather the skin is lifted off of the eye and the needle pierces the "pocket" and the filler is injected. The second "brow" filling was done with a cannula and some lidocaine and ephinephrine was used to numb the area before-hand. Again it was painless.

The Restalyne is quite smooth to the touch and I do not see any blue shadows (filler showing through). I did need to go back twice more--once to remove a small lump of filler that was not sitting right and the second to add a bit more filler over the next week.

The result was immediate--both eyes have the fullness I had when I was in my mid 20's (I'm now almost 42)! It is natural and the procedure was painless . Overall the entire procedure for the upper eyelid (only) took about 20 min (both eyes)--although I did need to go back for touch ups over a two week period to get the eyelids as even and perfect as possible.

In my opinion this procedure, if done correctly, truly addresses one of the foundational signs of age-ing in a manner that makes theoretical (and common) sense. Now--we are faced with so many anti-aging options without the benefit of having comprehensive education on what is happening as we mature--this is the reason why I wanted to post this review.

NYCLiz's provider

George Yang, MD

George Yang, MD

Board Certified Facial Plastic Surgeon

5.0 | 64 Reviews
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Replies (11)

April 23, 2014
Thanks for sharing on RealSelf.  This seems to be a growing trend.  Do your eyelids feel heavier at all?
April 23, 2014
Not at all! When you touch the eyelid , you can't feel anything either--other than the fact that the orbital rim is no longer depressed--its all just smooth from the top of the lid to the bottom. I used eyeshadow today for the first time (since the procedure) and it was amazing how the eyelid skin just stays in one place--it doesn't slide around--it feels very firm. The first day after the procedure I could feel a the restalyne a little bit if I touched the eyelid--it felt a little bit like a sponge, but even then, it was not heavy feeling.
April 25, 2014
Wow that is great, I'm so glad you are happy with your results!  Do you think you will stick with Restylane or try a more permanent filler next time?  I guess it would be up to your doctor since every filler seems to be different as far as what area of the face it is good for.  Keep us posted on how long the Restylane lasts for you.  If you are willing to share, we'd love to see some before and after pics of your eyes (you can crop them to remain more anonymous).
April 25, 2014
I think the options for filler in the eyelid are a bit limited. My understanding is that juvederm can increase in volume after the administration and it might be too thick for the upper eyelid pocket. The doctor I saw used to do fat grafting in the upper eye and he may still do this--but the fat is hard to remove if you don't want it any longer and it does require an incision and surgery--rather than the 20 min filler procedure.
April 25, 2014
Super interesting.  Since you've found a good injector who can give good results it sounds like you could just keep doing the Restylane.  I guess the only downside is it will end up costing more than surgery would after a couple years. 

April 25, 2014
Yes I agree. I would not personally rule out fat grafting in the upper eyelid--it is likely more permanent and may continue to help skin quality--but I think its great to do the non-permanent filler first--eyelids vary so much and how the filler exactly settles can't always be pre-determined ( I would think) so if I continue to like the way this looks, maybe using fat would be a good long term option. One consideration is that the fat cells implanted can increase in size, so if you can alot of weight as you age---well I guess you could get "fatter" eyelids--and/or it could shrink again if you lose alot of weight. One thing I will say is that the "excess" skin that I had on my right eye is completely gone now--surgery free--so we really are not growing any new skin--we just are losing fat and elasciticty which is making us have loose skin. This doesn't mean that blephs would not be a good idea for some people, but I am glad that I tried this instead. It really is natural and comfortable.
January 30, 2015
Are you still loving your eyelids ?? Do you have any before and after photo's to share
February 20, 2015
Hi there Have you got any photos?
March 13, 2015
Hello, this sounds so interesting as I have very deep set looking eyelids. How many vials were needed please for the effect you wanted? How long is this supposed to last? Thank your response!
March 14, 2015
Hello I am very interested- any photos??
March 15, 2015
This is an excellent review. I recently had an upper eye lift & was very disappointed with the results - loose skin above the crease line. I am reluctant to have a revision. This might be a great alternative for me. Thank you