Treating dark circles is complex

The rim of the eye is the anatomical area under the lower eyelid opposite the orbital rim.
The appearance of dark circles varies greatly from one individual to another. If they are too pronounced, they look tired and indicate the onset of aging.

Circles correspond to a change in color around the eyes: this area becomes darker or lighter. In addition to this change in color, dark circles can also be defined by the presence of a hollow around the eyes, opposite the rim of the eye socket. They are a frequent reason for consultation in aesthetic surgery and medicine.

Dark circles can appear at different times in a person's life, depending on their genetic make-up, fatigue level and medication intake, but also on the degree of sun exposure or their facial bone structure. It can even be a hormonal disorder due to pregnancy or menopause.

The skin under the eyes is four times thinner than the rest of the face. With few sebaceous glands, this area becomes even thinner and drier over time.

A loss of volume leads to the appearance of dark circles. This can be congenital (dark circles appear very early, in adolescence) or linked to aging (they appear gradually and worsen over time).

This hollowing of the rim is due to the melting and downward displacement of fat normally located under the lower eyelid and above the lower orbital rim, which is uncovered: the edge of the bone is thus visible.

This hollow ring may extend inwards over the root of the nose and down towards the cheekbone, forming what's known as the valley of tears.

Treatment involves adding volume, which can be done using an aesthetic medicine technique: injection of a filler: hyaluronic acid.

Dark circles can be more or less pronounced and more or less deep in the tear trough. They can be oriented in different ways, either very vertically towards the sides of the nose or more horizontally towards the cheekbones.

When dark circles begin to appear, hyaluronic acid injections fill in the tear trough and rejuvenate the eyes. Hyaluronic acid forms a small hydrophilic cushion and raises skin levels, making dark circles disappear for 18 to 36 months.

Hyaluronic acid injections do not require social exclusion. To avoid bleeding, it is recommended not to take aspirin or anti-coagulant medication!

It's important to remember that injection into the dark circles must be carried out without over-correction, as excess may be visible when the eyelid is moved. Over time, hyaluronic acid can swell and eventually form a pocket, which is difficult to correct even with the injection of the antidote (Hyaluronidase).

After hyaluronic acid injections, the dark circles are immediately filled by the aesthetic medicine treatment and the result is immediately visible.

Treating hollow circles with hyaluronic acid injections is a delicate operation. Only the use of the finest needles to deposit extremely fluid hyaluronic acid in small quantities in contact with the orbital bone, preferably in 2 sessions, enables painless injections to be carried out for a natural result, while avoiding haematomas and hypercorrections (bags under the eyes, cords, etc.) as far as possible.

In the 2 to 3 days following hyaluronic acid injection for hollow circles, a small amount of edema (swelling) may be present.

It resorbs naturally and the final result is obtained after 72 hours and lasts between 8 and 12 months.

It's interesting to know that sometimes the dark coloring of dark circles is due to the skin in this area being too thin, revealing a few bluish veins.

Injecting hyaluronic acid to fill and line the dark circles can help reduce the blue or darker color.

Anatomy:

The hollow ring:

Hollow circles correspond to a loss of volume in the area around the eyes. The melting of fat and the thinning of the skin make bone structures visible. To treat hollow circles, we need to recreate the volumes that have disappeared over time.

Hyaluronic acid:
The lost volume can be restored with thehyaluronic acid injection during a cosmetic surgery consultation. A single injection point is required to restore volumes, thanks to the use of a foam cannula. In this area, the injector must be experienced to avoid complications.

Lipostructure:

Visit lipostructure corresponds to the injection of fat previously taken from the patient. Volume is restored using autologous fat for a natural, long-lasting result. However, lipostructure must be performed under general anaesthetic in the operating theatre.

Malar lift:

The malar lift corrects dark circles by means of vertical tissue traction. This procedure is particularly indicated when there are pockets of fat in the lower eyelids and sagging of the cheekbone. The malar lift fills in dark circles and repositions cheekbone volumes.

To make the right decision, you need to analyze the face as a whole and look to see if the hollow ring is associated with fatty bags, a sagging cheekbone or associated with a colored ring.

The colored ring:

Dark circles are genetic in origin. Dark circles are due to the thinness of the skin, which allows the blood pigments present under the skin to show through.

They can be treated with either a laser or a peel.