There are trademarked nonsurgical filler procedures that claim to brightening your facial appearance by placing cosmetic dermal fillers around the eye. These services appear under various trademarked names and rely on the contouring effect using Juvederm and Restylane, which are hyaluronic acid fillers.
Without a doubt, the hyaluronic acid fillers distributed by Galderma–Restylane®, and Restylane Lyft®–are excellent, safe, and efficacious products. They are arguably the best facial fillers available on the market, providing numerous advantages as the go-to for addressing problems of volume deficiency in the face.
These trademarked services present commercial names for services in an effort to suggest a difference from widely practiced treatments offered by other cosmetic physicians and surgeons. These are really new names for a proven approach to correcting volume deficiency beneath the eyes: a bit of commercial puffery for marketing purposes. Understand that facial fillers are commonly performed services. The only thing unique about the services are the names that was chosen to promote a provider’s service. This can be confusing to the public who may think that there is something special about particular service because it is marketed under a trademarked name. Ask yourself if the underlying method is also patented? Patented methods do represent unique processes where the service itself is protected by recognition of the United States Patent Office as an invention rather than just a clever name. Is the special name important? I would suggest that it is not nearly important as the service itself.
As we age, the descent of the malar fat pad — the fleshy area beneath the eye and around the cheeks — can lead to a tired and hollowed out appearance around our eyes. If you’ve experienced this, you probably call it “dark circles under the eyes,” or simply wonder why you look tired. You’ll also find that simply applying makeup doesn’t address the problem. This is because the root cause of the under eye hollow is not a question of pigment (hence why cover-up does little to solve this problem), but one of volume deficiency. There is no longer enough tissue in this region for the natural fullness associated with youth, and because the skin in this region is very thin, you see “dark hollows” under the eyes rather than a bright and youthful affect.
This problem is best addressed by correcting the volume deficiency in order to restore the naturally full contour of this region. When this restoration is made, the interaction of light beneath your eyes leads to a much more natural, refreshed, lively look.
Dr. Steinsapir has been a pioneer in the treatment of the under eye hollow for years, and first described and published a description of his Deepfill Restylane method with impressive and proven results. All injectors treating the lower eyelid area now use his method. By precisely placing the filler Restylane in the area beneath the eye and taking an individualized approach to ensure that you receive just the right amount in the correct places, Dr. Steinsapir is able to comfortably improve the lower eyelid dark circles and tear trough hollows in a comfortable office procedure.
Dr. Steinsapir considers Juvederm, another sugar gel filler created by Allergan, Inc. and used in some proprietary filler procedures, to be another excellent product. Based on his extensive experience with both Juvederm and Restylane in different applications, it is Dr. Steinsapir’s personal opinion that Restylane is better suited for treatment beneath the eye. These products have slightly different flow characteristics that can be explained by their viscosity, or “thickness” in everyday terminology. Restylane has a higher viscosity that makes it particularly suitable for use in this highly sensitive location where the skin is very thin, and therefore the smoothness and placement of the filler is of the utmost importance. Restylane’s viscosity helps to keep it correctly placed around the area of the lower eye and cheek interface. Still, both Juvederm and Restylane are excellent products, and the right filler for you depends on the unique nature and subtle particularities of your situation.
For differentiated results, there is no substitute for experience, specialization, and expertise. Dr. Steinsapir is a leading practitioner of under eye fillers and one of the few cosmetic surgeons in the world who has made treatment of the dark under eye circle a major focus of his practice. The area around the eye is extremely complex, and even subtle distinctions make a big difference in our appearance, which is why seeing a specialized eyelid plastic surgeon (rather than a generalist) is key for obtaining the best results possible. Please call us today to learn more about how filler treatment can help you look less tired and more alert, improving your overall appearance through a safe outpatient treatment with powerful results.
About Dr. Steinsapir
Dr. Steinsapir is a board certified eye surgeon and fellowship-trained in oculoplastic surgery and cosmetic surgery in Los Angeles and Beverly Hills where he specializes in balanced facial cosmetic surgery for natural results, with an emphasis on minimally invasive techniques, fast recovery time, and leadership in medical technology. Dr. Steinsapir has a private practice in Beverly Hills and also serves as an Associate Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology at the Jules Stein Eye Institute, at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. Contact us today to learn how Dr. Steinsapir’s experience and training make him an expert in cosmetic surgery, which can be a vital part of your evidence-based treatment plan.
Services described may be “off-label” and lack FDA approval. This article is informational and does not constitute an advertisement for off-label treatment. No services should be provided without a good faith examination by a licensed physician or surgeon and an informed consent with a discussion of risks, benefits, alternatives, and the likelihood of treatment success. Only you and your treating physician or surgeon can determine if a treatment is right for you.