Improving Dark Circles and Under-Eye Bags

Over time, natural changes in facial skin may cause sagging, thinning and discoloration under the eyes. The result is a tired look that can add years to your appearance.

Sometimes bags under the eyes indicate a lack of sleep or a stressful lifestyle. Smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, sudden weight loss and allergies can all cause under-eye bags. Yet in many cases, the cause is beyond your control: Your genes govern how much fat will accumulate under the eyes, how elastic your skin will be as you age and how much volume you will lose in your cheeks. Here, experienced Albany plastic surgeon Dr. Sanjiv Kayastha reviews an array of effective ways to revitalize time-worn eyes.

Dermal Fillers

As under-eye bags deepen, they often take on a darker look we call tear-trough deformity. Loss of volume and thinning skin expose blood vessels under the skin. One way to treat this loss of integrity in your under-eye skin is to use a dermal filler. Injectables rejuvenate the face by building volume to fill lines and hollows, while stimulating the production of the revitalizing natural proteins collagen and elastin.

Although temporary in their effects, dermal fillers are fast and convenient, requiring just a few office visits, or sometimes a single injection session. Juvéderm Volbella is one of the most effective ways to improve skin around the eyes and the results can last a year or more.

Other Popular Choices

In the case of more noticeable dark circles, blood vessels and pigment can be directly targeted with laser treatment. Laser is also very effective in treating so-called “crepey” skin under the eyes. In some cases, patients may prefer Botox to relax muscles that are causing wrinkles and volume displacement near the eyes.

More invasive procedures include eye lift, or blepharoplasty, which reduces bagginess from lower eyelids while removing excess skin from upper eyelids. It improves sagging, thinning and discolored skin under the eyes with a permanent, surgical solution that tightens the skin surrounding the eyes and raises drooping eyelids. Weary expressions are brightened into a fresh, optimistic look. Unlike dermal fillers, the results of blepharoplasty are permanent.

To learn more about ways to rejuvenate skin near the eyes, we invite you to schedule an appointment by contacting Dr. Kayastha’s Albany practice today.