Tear Trough Treatments
New techniques for safe and predictable tear trough treatments
Through the years we have explored numerous non-surgical ways to augment deep tear trough depressions. In the past only surgical blepharoplasty options provided any respite for those believing their aged eyes tend made them look older than they really were.
Sunken tear troughs do tend to make you age, they are often combined with dark rings further adding to a “grumpy” appearance but surgery is not the ideal option for most and it was natural that we looked to alternatives.
The answer lay with the injection of dermal fillers to fill the hollow where the cheekbone meets the eye but results were not always what we had hoped for.
First generation non-surgical options
Injecting dermal fillers into deep hollows under the eye to eradicate tear troughs unfortunately means working with extremely thin skin and in an vascular rich environment and early techniques often resulted in sever bruising or visible product.
First attempts made use of multiple injections of dermal fillers into cone shapes in the area that were massaged to evenly distribute the product and fill out the hollow. It was this multiple injections that increased the risk. Each new skin puncture added risk of damaging a vein and subsequent bleeding ad bruising.
Experienced injectors still find this procedure an option and it is used widely to achieve fantastic results. The less experienced however did the procedure damage and tear trough dermal filler injections developed a name as a dangerous area to treat.
Second generation dermal filler injections
Luckily for you, continued advancement in dermal filler technique has made this once tricky and delicate procedure more predictable and with significantly reduced risk. Especially in the hands of the more experienced.
Today the tear trough can be treated with a micro-cannula. Dr Clark pioneered this technique and it is widely used both locally and internationally. The technique involves single entry points on either side of the face and the insertion of a blunt tipped micro-cannula.
The micro-cannula minimises bruising by gently dissecting tissue instead of cutting it as a needle would. The insertion point is made with a needle on the lateral (outside) of the cheek and the cannula is long enough to reach the nose. This means the tear trough can be treated without risk of bruising and with a controlled placement of product.
With no bruising the treatment recovery is hours and the added benefit is that less product is used, saving time and money.
The single entry makes the procedure pain-free and far less stressful for the patient too. It is no wonder the tear trough procedure is growing in popularity.
Midface advantages
Treating the tear trough will fill out the hollow and remove dark circles and the treatment is extremely popular, especially in people in their 30’s and 40’s where these depressions are the only visible signs of ageing.
There is a massive bonus of all patients however that choose to undergo tear trough treatments. That is the improvement to the midface and subsequent lifting in facial volume. This general correction will re-establish volume in the cheek area and reduce the visibility of minor lines as well as improve overall symmetry of the face.
There has been no better time to have your dark circles and hollow tear troughs treated. As a side note, please be aware that this time of year is extremely busy and we encourage patients to book their treatments early.
Make your appointment to have your tear trough treatment now by calling 011 883 3116
Category: Articles