By Aaron Pang
Hello Living 360!
Many of my patients, both men and women, are troubled by their eye bags and dark eye circles because it makes them look visibly older – surprisingly, even more so than wrinkles, pigmentation or gray hair! But what exactly causes dark eye bags?
Here are some of the more common reasons:
Hollows under the eyes that develop as a normal part of the aging process.
Shadows cast by puffy lower eyelids.
Thinning of the skin as one ages makes the reddish-blue blood vessels under the eyes more obvious. Loss of muscle tone around the eyelids results in sagging and a darker appearance around the eyes.
Bone structure – deep set eyes and a prominent forehead creates a shadowing effect and the illusion of dark eye circles.
Menstruation and pregnancy. Hormonal changes cause the facial skin to appear pale, which makes the darker pigments of the circulating blood in the veins under the eyes stand out.
Dehydration, poor nutrition and sudden weight loss lead to sagging and thinning of the skin under the eyes.
Fluid retention from too much dietary salt or medical conditions such as heart failure and liver or kidney disease.
Even sleeping on your stomach causes fluid accumulation and puffiness under the lower eyelids! This results in temporary dark circles.
Certain medicines, especially blood pressure medications, cause blood vessels to expand. The increased blood flow causes a visible tint below the very thin skin under the eyes.
Allergies that cause itching, rubbing or scratching around the eyes – this causes the fragile blood vessels to dilate or bruise, leading to a dark appearance or “allergic shiners”.
Colds and sinus infections, which increase the pressure on the veins below the eyes leading to a dark circle appearance.
Pigmentation, especially in Asian and dark-skinned individuals.
Sun exposure, which stimulates the skin to produce more melanin pigment.
Hereditary (it runs in families).
Heavy or improperly fitted spectacles can put added pressure on the veins and capillaries under the eyes, leading to bruising or dilatation of these blood vessels and a dark blue appearance.
Fatigue and lack of sleep.
So how do we treat eye bags?
Traditionally, a surgical procedure called blepharoplasty which removes or repositions excess tissue such as skin and fat, has been required to remove puffy lower eyelid “bags”. However, this invasive procedure is known to have possible side effects such as prolonged recovery, swelling, infection, numbness, dry eyes, and even blurred vision.
Now, following the success enjoyed by dermal fillers which has revolutionized the world of facial aesthetics thanks to injections performed with a blunt-tip microcannula, we have developed a groundbreaking new procedure which can help patients to remove their eye bags without the need for surgery. With this latest non-invasive technique, eye bags, wrinkles, droopy lids, sagging eyes and other beauty flaws responsible for aging your face can now be eliminated with a 30-minutes session delivering results normally only achievable through a blepharoplasty.
The procedure is virtually painless and no anesthesia or sedation is required. The results are incredible: hollow underneath the eyes is softened, wrinkles are filled and the under-eye skin appears plumper and younger. All guaranteeing a low risk of post-treatment bruising or swelling thanks to the use of an innovative flexible microcannula especially designed to give precision during the injection of hyaluronic acid while minimizing discomfort for the patient receiving it.
Conclusion
Non-surgical blepharoplasty is now a commonly sought-after procedure by patients who wish to achieve a naturally younger look by removing their eye bags without the need for surgery. This procedure is known to be reliably safe without any worrying side effects. Patients are able to enjoy immediately visible results and resume their normal activities without any of the side effects or complications associated with traditional eye bag surgery.
For those of you who need to visualize this procedure then check out this excellent video:
[youtube id= “HCKvBKc7Bxo” width=”667″ height=”356″]
Thanks for stopping by and please comment with any questions.
Dr Aaron Pang
M.B.B.S. (Singapore) M.R.C.S. (Edinburgh) Dip. Dermatology (UK) Dip. Aesthetic Medicine (USA)
The Sainte Chapelle Clinic #B1-10, Marina Square 6 Raffles Boulevard, S039594 Tel: 63363128 http://stchapelleclinic.com/