Curious about under eye fillers for sunken tear trough hallows and darkness?! I’m sharing my experience of getting under eye filler, answering frequently asked questions including cost, pain, and facts, and sharing my before and after results.

Imperfections underneath the eyes haven’t yet become a way to impress anyone with just how time-pressed we are. They just make us look exhausted.

Under Eye Fillers – My Experience + Before & After

Unless you have been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard of fillers and under eye fillers by now. Under eye fillers can help address hollowness under the eyes that can be caused by genetics or aging, and it’s a non-invasive (non-surgical) treatment option to help you look refreshed and more youthful.

Today I’m really excited to share my personal experience with getting under eye fillers and I’m answering some of the most common questions surrounding fillers. I’m also including a before and after so you can see my full results, and laying out all the facts on fillers so you can decide if it’s an option for you!

My Struggle With Under Eye Circles

For as long as I can remember, I’ve always had dark circles and a hollowness under my eyes. As I’ve gotten older it’s become even more prominent and to be honest it’s always been something I’ve been very self conscious about. Over the years I have been willing to apply almost any salve to the thin-skinned half moons— cold cucumber slices, eye serums with caffeine and Preparation H. You name it, I have tried it. But nothing was working. I can remember so many times when people would ask me if I was okay or say things like “Rough night? You look so tired” and it would literally be after getting 8 hours of sleep the previous night. Even though I would feel great (energy wise) my dark circles would make me look very tired, and would completely derail my confidence. And although I learned how to camouflage it as best as I could with layers of concealer and color correctors, concealer wasn’t fixing the issue-it was making it more noticeable. I hardly ever took my sunglasses off anymore because I was so embarrassed and felt so unattractive.

I just wanted to feel confident with or without makeup and not look so darn tired and old.

After determining there was no magical concealer, cream, or over-the-counter treatment to address my under eye problems, I decided to start researching fillers and reached out to Fig Medical Spa here in Tulsa to learn more about the entire process. I had always seen amazing under eye filler before and afters, and I was really curious to see if I could get good results!

My Under Eye Fillers Consultation

After chatting with Fig Medical Spa, they set up an appointment for me with Cristie Lehr-Hawkins, M.D. She is a certified Radiologist with special interest and additional training in aesthetics, regenerative medicine, and Phlebology. She completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Oklahoma in Microbiology and then attended medical school at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine where she graduated with academic honors and Alpha Omega Alpha. She is committed to continuing education in order to stay current in the latest techniques and technology in her area of expertise. At my consultation with Cristie I was able to ask questions and learn more about the different under eye filler treatments available, as well as the root cause of my dark hollow eyes.

She explained to me that as we age, we all naturally lose volume within our face and gravity tends to pull things down. She also explained that the face consists of fat pads under the skin and the separation of the eye and cheek area under the skin caused by age is what results in a sunken hollowness. The delicate under eye region (or tear trough) also becomes thinner and shadowing under the eye becomes more prominent.I was surprised to learn that my dark under eye circles were mostly caused by a shadowing effect from the hollowness or indentation, and not so much that I had darkness on the skin.

For my specific concerns, she recommended that we use Belotero Filler. Belotero Balance is dermal filler that easily integrates into your skin filling in facial wrinkles and etched in lines with a soft and natural look. The unique design of his product makes this a good choice in delicate areas such as the vertical lip lines, smile lines, and wrinkles around the eyes. Belotaro injections typically last 6 months. It’s Cristie’s favorite because it does not draw a lot of water to the area and it does not cause a bluish discoloration like other fillers in the marketplace. It also has a soft natural appearance when placed under the eye area. She also recommended the cannula technique which is safer and causes less bruising.

The cannula is considered a blunt-tip needle and only makes one single hole, rather than a bunch of tiny ones around the eyes. These sites or 'holes' allow for the blunt needle to place filler deeper under the muscle and onto the bone (depending on the desired technique). So it allows for a more precise placement and it will absolutely decrease the change of bruising post-procedure. The most severe complications from fillers (vascular compromise) can result from injection of filler material into arteries, causing the artery to be blocked, and blood flow to an area of the skin to decrease. This decrease in blood flow can lead to death of the skin that the artery supplies. With the cannula technique, the possibility of intravascular injection is essentially zero making it the perfect choice!

I am so happy that I did this treatment and cannot believe I waited so long!!!! I am so in love with the results and will get this service again!!!!! So now to answer some of the questions I received on the poll I created over on my Insta stories!!!! You can also watch some parts of my procedure over on my stories…there is a permanent highlight called treatments!! I promise it’s not bad!!! I think splinters hurt worse.

Here is my healing process.

Day 1 and Day 2 are the top photos.

Day 3 and 4 are the bottom photos.

No makeup. No filters.

What Are Facial Fillers and Under Eye Fillers?

Fillers are injectable treatments of hyaluronic acid that help replace lost volume and contour specific regions of the face such as cheeks, under eyes, chin etc. Hyaluronic acid is naturally found in the skin and is what helps create a youthful, hydrated appearance in the skin. Under eye fillers are most commonly injected in the tear trough area to add plumpness and hydration and minimize the appearance of under eye circles and hollowness.

How Are Fillers Injected/Does It Hurt?

We used the cannula technique as mentioned above. During filler injection using Microcannula, Cristie first makes a small entry point in your skin using a fine needle. This is a necessary step since the Microcannula has a blunt tip and is unable to pierce into the skin on its own. The entry point is very small and shallow and does not cause much pain or bleeding. Then your doctor carefully inserts the Microcannula through the small opening and guides it under your skin to reach the sites of filler injection. Quite amazingly, as the Microcannula slides through the spaces naturally present between the tissues, it can be moved under the skin without causing any injuries to the tissues and the patient most often do not feel any pain as the doctor moves it under their skin. The only thing that hurts for a second is the numbing injection but it is fast and truly not a big deal and this is coming from someone who hates needles!!!

Swelling and bruising can be common if you tend to be a bit of a bruiser and I am and can take anywhere from 7-14 days to heal! For me, the swelling subsided in about 4 days and the bruising went away after a week or so using Arnica cream and using ice packs 10 minutes daily. For these reasons, I wouldn’t personally recommend getting facial filler before a big event, as it’s best for your skin to go makeup free for a couple of days. Most people have zero down time though!

When Will I See My Filler Results?

Immediately! Yes, it’s truly amazing but with under eye fillers you can notice an immediate difference, which is why it’s such a popular treatment. That being said, it can take up to 2 weeks for the fillers to fully settle into the area, which is why you should follow all post-treatment instructions from your provider and avoid doing things that will prolong or manipulate recovery.

This includes things like drinking alcohol, taking any type of blood thinner medication, and you also want to make sure you avoid rubbing or massaging the treated areas for several days following your filler treatment. I also personally went makeup free 5 days after having my treatment done so that it could properly heal.

How Long Do Fillers Last?

Belotero will last about 9-12 months!

Are Fillers Safe?

Yes, fillers are completely safe and if allergic reactions or adverse effects occur, filler can be immediately dissolved. My number one recommendation is to make sure you have fillers done by a board certified and experienced professional like Cristie at Fig Med Spa. At the end of the day, this is your face we’re talking about and especially with your under eye area you want to ensure the filler is being injected properly. I absolutely loved Cristie so much and would highly recommend her to anyone in the Oklahoma area! I even have her administer my botox too now!! We even did a lip flip the other day and my mind is blown!! I need to write about that next!

How Much Do Facial Fillers and Under Eye Fillers Cost?

Fillers are priced per syringe and the cost will vary depending on your specific needs. Prices also vary depending on where you live, but the treatment I had done was $650.00.

My THOUGHTS ON Under Eye Fillers

Overall, I’m so so happy with my under eye fillers and I would highly recommend this treatment to anyone who suffers from under eye circles or hollowness. Prior to getting fillers my biggest apprehension was that it was going to make me look fake or overdone, but it ended up looking completely natural and although I personally noticed a huge difference, the results were very subtle and most people probably wouldn’t be able to tell unless looking at a side-by-side comparison. I love how well-rested it makes me look and it has completely boosted my confidence! My friend Brooke cannot stop raving about the difference!! And many people have just told me that I look so rested and happy!!!!

My one piece of advice for anyone considering fillers or botox is to do what makes you happy. There are a lot of people out there who have a negative perception of things like fillers and botox, but I’m at the point in my life where if I’m unhappy about something and I can improve it, then why not? Of course I’m not saying that everyone needs fillers or botox, but do what makes you happy and what makes you feel confident, and don’t worry so much about what others are going to think about it.

I’ll also add that it’s important to be realistic and keep in mind the power and limitations of fillers and know that fillers aren’t going to completely magically erase under eye discoloration and the natural indentations that are present under the eyes.

These are photos 7 days after my treatment. (notice no sunglasses)

And here I am this morning! It’s been a little over two weeks! Again no makeup! No filters.

I am linking some amazing after care products that I love for you too at the very bottom of this post.

Call Fig Med Spa right away if you are here in Tulsa! And if you are in another area, do some research and book a consultation before you book the service! Make sure you feel comfortable with the injector!!!

http://figtulsa.com/