Restylane for Tear Trough

This is the before and 7 years later pic that I forgot to attach to my original 7 year update. As you can see The filler is still there, still doing its job and I am still happy with how it's working for me. How much longer it will continue to do its job remains to be seen but, fingers crossed, it will stay a bit longer because I am a coward about having an undereye bleph still.

There are many solutions for people who have hollows and tear trough issues. 7 years ago, I was very intimidated about having a lower bleph to address my tear trough issues so I opted to try filler in my tear troughs.

I like to see my before and afters to see if something is truly improving with whatever situation I am addressing. In my original post, I posted the before and afters of my tear trough filler. I kept those pics and referred back to my "Before" pic often. Sometimes, you think you need to touch something up when, in reality, you have just become accustomed to seeing yourself that way. IMO that is how some people take a good thing and then it becomes over the top or distorted because they don't refer back to their original before and afters and their sense of themselves is skewed.

I have posted a collage of my original "Before" and what my tear troughs look like today. The filler (Restalyane) is still there and there is still improvement in that area that I am happy with. For me, filler has solved my problem at least for the past 7 years. How much longer in the future it will work for me, I don't know but I am glad that I keep the before picture for reference.

I am glad that I had this procedure done by Dr. McNeel - no regrets.

I thought I would circle back and update my review of tear trough filler for you.
5 years ago, I was so happy with the difference the tear trough filler made for me. I didn't look tired any more (which was my main concern - I always looked tired!) and it took years off my face (as you can see from my older post with my before pic). It has been wonderful and when I look back on my initial photos, I am amazed at where I am 5 years later (at 56 y/o)

My opinion is that the filler lasts much longer than is stated for some of us and I have no plans on adding anymore in the future because it is just not needed. There is a danger in overfilling an area. Sometimes too much of a good thing is a bad thing and I have seen that among some reviews. We like the initial results and we think we can get better if we think we do just a little more and then it all falls apart. I am glad that I chose to "hold em" - as far as it comes to adding additional filler.

In living with the filler and its great results, it has brought my focus to my eye skin. I have learned to take better care of the skin around my eyes. I use a Vit. C, hydro acid mix and a night moisturizer, SPF (zinc based) during the day and a retinoid eye cream 2x a week, and the results are beautiful. I personally think that my eyes look better than even the "after" photo 5 years ago because now I have not only the troughs filled but the skin is now in better condition.

Maybe some years down the road, I might need to finally have Dr. McNeel do the actual eye surgery but for now - It's 5 years and holding and I still love my results.

So if you have similar tear trough issues, don't be shy to discuss them with your dr. It just took me speaking up all those years ago and why I didn't pursue it when it started bothering me, I will really never know why. But I am glad I spoke up and asked my dr. about ways to address it.