Tear trough filler is a treatment to improve the lower eye-bag area without surgery
What is a facial filler?
A facial filler is a man made product that is injected into or deep to the skin, to smooth out creases and folds and to reshape the face by restoring volume. It is a soft transparent jelly. There are different types of filler on the market, made from different chemicals. Some are permanent and others temporary.
Top - lower lid tear troughs; Bottom - the appearance after tear trough Restylane injections
What is Restylane?
Restylane is range of facial filler products. It is a temporary filler which means that after 9-12 months the effects will have mostly worn off. Although this may seem at first to be a negative point, it is in fact one of the reasons Restylane is so popular. If you don’t like the results of your treatment, which is rare, you know that eventually it will completely go away whereas permanent fillers are almost impossible to remove. Also Restylane is reversible: it can be removed with the injection of an enzyme called Hyalase, a quick and easy process although one which is seldom needed. It is for this reason that Restylane is the only filler that Mr McCormick uses. Restylane is made from Hyaluronic Acid. This is a naturally occurring substance in the skin. For this reason it causes very little tissue reaction or inflammation. It is called NASHA - Non Animal Sourced Hyaluronic Acid. This means that it is created from a fermentation process (no animals are used in its manufacture), eliminating the risk of disease transmission from animal products.
What is a non surgical eye-lift / tear trough treatment?
Tear trough treatment is the injection of Restylane filler into the tear trough to fill the groove and smooth the junction between the eyelid and the cheek. The product is injected deep to the skin and muscle over the bony orbital rim. The tear trough is a groove that develops between the eyelid and the cheek. It occurs because of loss of fat just beneath the skin and is accentuated by orbital fat above it bulging forwards. An eyebag is a common term for these signs of aging in the lower eyelid.
How is the treatment performed?
Anaesthetic cream is applied to the skin. This is left for 20 - 30 minutes. In addition a small injection of local anaesthetic is given. Mild discomfort may still be felt when the Restylane is injected. You will be reclined in a treatment chair in a well lit treatment room where a mirror will be available for you to observe as the treatment is carried out, step by step. The injections may take up to 15 minutes to carry out.
Are there any risks?
Any substance injected into the body may cause an allergic or inflammatory reaction. Mild inflammation characterised by redness, swelling, itching, pain and bruising may occur but should settle within the first few days after treatment. More prolonged allergic reactions are extremely rare occurring in less than 1 in 10 000 cases. Infection is an equally low risk and might present as a lump or redness of the skin. Blue discolouration may occur if the product is injected, or migrates to be, too superficial. A very small number of cases of loss of vision have been reported after filler injection in the head and neck area. For this reason Mr McCormick uses a blunt tipped cannula to insert the filler and reduce the chance of the filler being injected into a blood vessel.
What will happen before the treatment?
Mr McCormick will see you in a consulting room. He will ask about your past medical history, current medication and any allergies you have. He will ask about any other cosmetic facial treatments you have had including: Botox, fillers, chemical peels, laser resurfacing and surgery. If your treatment is to be around or near the eye, he will examine your eyes on a slit lamp to complete a thorough ophthalmic examination. Options, risks and benefits of treatment will be discussed with you. You will be asked to sign a consent form before treatment commences
Who should not have treatment?
If you are or think you may be pregnant. If you are breast feeding. If you have an active skin condition like: eczema, psoriasis, herpes simplex (coldsore), herpes zoster (shingles), infection. Roaccutane treatment in the last year. If you suffer from keloid scarring. Previous allergy to a dermal filler. If you have recently had another dermal filler at the same injection site. Skin resurfacing (chemical or laser) within 6 weeks. Current medical illness. People with unreasonable expectations of treatment. Recent sun or sunbed exposure (treatment may proceed once redness has gone from the skin)
What should I expect after the treatment?
Most people have no problems after treatment. Mr. McCormick will see you in a week to ensure that you are happy with the outcome and to top up the treatment if necessary. If there is redness this may be concealed with light make-up after 6 hours from treatment. There may be mild swelling after treatment. You should avoid intense heat (solarium or sunbathing) for a week after treatment to reduce risk of swelling. Cool packs may be applied in the first 5 days to the treated area, 5 times a day for 5 minutes at a time. A Non Steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drug (NSAID) such as Ibuprofen may be taken to reduce swelling. People with asthma and stomach ulcers should not take these medicines and everyone should read the label before taking them. Some bruising may occur and will take 10 - 14 days to settle. To reduce bruising you should avoid taking aspirin or NSAID’s for 2 weeks prior to treatment. You should also avoid herbal remedies or alternative medicines as some may increase bruising. You should only stop taking aspirin if it is safe to do so. You should discuss this with Mr. McCormick or you GP. Make-up may be applied to bruising after an initial 6 hours. If the treated area is uncomfortable or painful you may take simple ‘over the counter’ analgesia. Itching may occur in the first 1-2 weeks. This will usually settle but antihistamine tablets that are available without prescription should help this if required.
