What is the Tear Trough? The tear troughs are the depressions between the eye and nose where your tears naturally flow down. Their appearance often becomes more pronounced over time, as fat around the eyes shifts and creates a hollow look and/or under-eye bags. This combination of age-related changes lends a fatigued look to the entire eye area, and it’s important to understand the underlying causes behind these common eye-area concerns when considering treatment.
Concerns of the Tear Trough Area
Hollow or Sunken Eyes
Often the result of genetics, lifestyle factors and aging, hollow or sunken eyes occur in patients with thin skin and very little fat to serve as padding due to volume loss. More common in those with slim faces and less body fat, this condition can cause a tired or unhealthy appearance.
Under-Eye Bags
Visible fat deposits called ‘eye bags’ that develop under the eyes are a natural result of the aging process. Over time, the skin below the eyes loses its elasticity while the fat behind the eyelids begins to bulge causing noticeable puffiness. This combination of changes leads to the development of more prominent under-eye bags that can contribute to a tired appearance.
Periorbital Dark Circles or Tired Eyes
Genetics, allergies, lack of sleep, diet; salt intake, and skin aging can contribute to the appearance of shadows or discoloration under the eyes. Over time, with advanced sun damage, fat loss and collagen breakdown, skin thins making blood vessels beneath the eyes become more visible, which causes discoloration or dark circles.
Treatments for the Tear Trough
Boca Raton oculoplastic surgeon Dr. Steven Fagien uses a variety of safe and effective treatments to improve the appearance of sunken or hollow eyes, under-eye bags and dark circles. From eyelid surgery to injectable fillers and neuromodulators (or a combination of treatments), he will tailor the best treatment plan to address the underlying causes of each individual patient’s eye-area concerns.
Blepharoplasty Surgery
Eyelid surgery, or blepharoplasty, provides the most effective and longest-lasting improvement for under-eye bags. A specific technique called transconjunctival blepharoplasty is often used to remove or reposition eye-area fat through incisions made inside the lower eyelid. If excess skin needs to be removed, an additional incision is made just beneath the lower lash line (which is nearly undetectable once healed). After excess skin and/or fat are addressed, the tissues surrounding the tear trough are reshaped and repositioned as needed to create a smooth contour between the lower eyelid and cheek. These techniques can offer comprehensive rejuvenation for the entire under-eye area.
Non-Invasive Injectable Fillers
Injectable fillers are often the best choice for adding volume to hollow or sunken eyes, and can also be used to improve the appearance of under-eye bags, dark circles and tear troughs. In addition to being extremely safe, hyaluronic acid injectable fillers such as Juvéderm, Belotero and Restylane Silk also offer immediate results with little to no downtime. Dr. Fagien also specializes in the advanced use of neurotoxins including BOTOX, Dysport and Xeomin to treat crow’s feet, muscle rolls, and softening lines, wrinkles and furrows about the eyelid area.
