to be considering under eye fillers?!

[ohbigdaddio]

Before I start I'm feeling quite low in confidence in general, just had a failed IVF attempt, so please don't be too harsh! Also, I know this is completely a first world problem...

So, I am 38 and have dark hollows/loss of volume under my eyes which is a hereditary thing on my Dad's side. This has worsened over the last 10 years and every time I look in the mirror I feel crap. No matter how much concealer/foundation I use they are still there and I look tired no matter how much sleep I get. When people see me with no make-up they ask if I'm tired. I'm not! I stayed at my Auntie's house and felt too embarrassed going down for breakfast with no concealer on, so I layered two concealers and when she saw me she asked if I had had a bad night's sleep as I looked really tired! I'm wondering if they're this bad at 38, how will they be at 58?

I'm a bit fixated on it and find myself on the tube checking out other people's dark circles and comparing them to mine. Mine are always so much worse! And many people are decades older than me and don't have them at all.

I've complained to my DH about them for years and didn't realise until recently that you could have anything done about them (if you had the money and the inclination!) My DH always says he loves me as I am and tells me I'm beautiful but I don't feel it myself.

So I've been considering getting fillers but I really am only considering it. I haven't had any cosmetic procedures and don't want any (apart from this!) but I just want my under eyes to go back to 'normal'. I'm scared of needles and pain but after doing IVF I could probably cope! I'd love to look less tired and be able to wear no make up without feeling very self conscious, though I know there are risks and it is a major thing to be considering.

Do I accept that everyone ages and maybe this is just the way I'm ageing or do I go for a consultation?

[gubbygubby]

I've been for a consultation recently. He was lovely, graded mine a 3 or 4 and was honest and said I would get a better result with surgery and he didn't want to take my money and not get a great result. You can get fab results though. Go for it .
I went to the Esho clinic. He is the doctor on bobyfixers to programme . Don't go anywhere cheap or Dodgy as it's the eyes

[Flowerpower2017]

Hi OP, im the same as you re my under eye area. Im only 30, have no wrinkles and good skin etc, but my under eye area ages me massively. Sunken eye sockets. There isn’t anything you can do about them, no amount of concealer etc will ‘fill’ that hole.

I have taken the plunge and am getting under eye (tear trough fillers) next week. Am v nervous but really hoping it goes well and I can start to actually look refreshed rather than haggard and tired all the time!

I’d say go for it, only live once! And as it’s fillers, they can be dissolved if you don’t like it!

[MassDebate]

I'm the same age and went for a consultation for the same reasons - I felt my dark circles were really taking over my face. I was told that fillers wouldn't solve the issue and could make the darkness more noticeable by bringing it to the forefront! I was referred on to a cosmetic dermatologist to tackle the dark circles and althought I was dubious and it cost a bomb (about £1k), the treatment has made a huge improvement. I had a course of red light therapy coupled with radiowave therapy (which is intense heat rolled around the eye area - quite uncomfortable at times) over a few weeks, together with light peels around the eye area. I no longer use under eye concealer at all so it has made a massive difference. I still fixate on everyone's eye area though - I reckon there's a lot of botox about

[Nestofvipers]

Sorry to hear about your failed ivf attempt.

I’d say go for a consultation, but I’d suggest seeing an oculoplastic surgeon who is a member of BOPSS (www.bopss.co.uk/public-information/search-for-a-consultant) as they’ll have the most expertise. They’re not likely to be the cheapest option, but I think this is something where you want someone really good rather than someone cheap. They’ll also be able to best advise you as to the result you’ll get from tear trough fillers vs surgery.

I’m not suggesting for a second that they’ll say you’d get a better result with surgery, but it’s worth being properly informed before you potentially spend hundreds of pounds.

[Greyhorses]

I don't have eye fillers but I did get lip fillers and feel amazing compared to before.

I would definitely go for it if it's bothering you that much!

[nameusername]

Unless you've got recommended one that is experienced in that area of expertise from a good practitioner, I would stay away. I find that the lips and eye area tend to look horrible when done wrong. It's extremely distracting watching actors on TV who've had fake lips or a tightly pulled face (NicoleK, I'm judging you). It's too prominent.

Find yourself a good make-up artist or even better there are tons on youtube. Practice makes perfect. Based on what you wrote, I think you may even be wearing the wrong shades of concealer and using the right applicators makes a huge difference.

[ohbigdaddio]

Thanks all for your replies.

nameusername this isn't a problem make up can fix really as there are physical hollows under my eyes, rather than just dark skin. I layer a peach colour corrector to take the 'blue' out of the hollows and then use a light reflecting concealer. It makes them look a bit better but there is a shadow because of the shape of them.

Thanks gubbygubby I certainly wouldn't go anywhere cheap or dodgy (if I do go at all!) and I'll have a look into that clinic.

Thanks nest though I think surgery is a step too far! The thought of that makes me wonder whether to just live with it!

flowerpower please let me know how you get on and good luck.

[blueshoes]

I am wondering what sort of cosmetic surgery can fix loss of volume or dark hollows under the eyes.

AFAIK, cosmetic surgery (lower blepharoplasty) only removes eye bags. But it cannot restore loss of volume or remove discolouration. Fillers can restore volume - but a serious side effect is blindness in a very small percentage of cases.

[Farontothemaddingcrowd]

I've had tear trough fillers. I went to a very experienced surgeon. They make a subtle but positive difference. They absolutely need to be done by an expert.

[Farontothemaddingcrowd]

Here is my under eye area and you can see it doesn't look 'done.' A good surgeon can let you see what it looks like with saline first, so you can decide if you want it.
For bags, surgery is the only option, but I just had sunken hollows.

[Gladys123]

I have these. I never look "well". I feel your pain. How much did it cost Farontothemaddingcrowd ?

[RavingRoo]

A bit of weight gain might help. I have much worse hollows than yours, and find they are much better when my bmi is on the upper end of normal.

[Farontothemaddingcrowd]

I think it was about 300. They last 14 months and I do notice when I'm due a top up

[ohbigdaddio]

Thanks farontothemaddingcrowd They look very natural. Did lots of people notice once you''d had the fillers? Or did you go quietly undetected but feeling happier in yourself?

RavingRoo Can you see me?! You say your under eye hollows are worse than mine and I'm wondering how you know this?

[Farontothemaddingcrowd]

No one noticed at all. I've had my lips done too and no one noticed those. If it's done well, people won't notice, they will just think you look good.

[Dontsayyouloveme]

I had tear trough fillers last year and it made a huge difference to my dark circles! No one noticed I had had anything done, they said I look ‘refreshed’. In fact, one friend said I looked like I did before I had children! Lol. It took away that permanently knackered later look! It’s been 18 months now and I’ve just booked in to have them done again in December! Would highly recommend, but please go to a registered dr who specialises in cosmetic procedures!

[RavingRoo]

I meant faro, not you OP. But can see hers is the post-surgery look so I’ll just step away now

[hubbybubby]

Can anyone recommend a clinic / surgeon in london or Essex? Thanks ha

[Farontothemaddingcrowd]

It's ok no offence taken

[AnaWinter]

To those that did it how much down time with bruising/swelling did you have?

[FruitCider]

I’m a botox nurse trained in tear trough fillers and I don’t believe I would have them myself. I’ve seen adverse reactions shared online many months after treatment, it seems to be particularly high risk.

[Farontothemaddingcrowd]

It is. My surgeon is reluctant to inject much filler in that area, he just softens the edges, which is why the hollows haven't completely gone.

[Farontothemaddingcrowd]

A few days. Very slight bruising.

[FruitCider]

To be honest even doing other people makes me very twitchy, one thing to bear in mind is that if someone also has a loss of cheek volume you can often insert cheek filler and improve both the cheek and the bag without resorting to inserting a cannula just below someone’s eye.

[Farontothemaddingcrowd]

I've just had cheek filler today. I'd trust my surgeon quite literally with my life. He's a consultant maxillofacial surgeon and he would never do anything that he thought was too risky. He is very cautious about doing the tear trough area.