Are fine lines, bags, and hollows under the eyes starting to betray your age? Are you tired of pricey eye creams that don’t deliver on the promises they make? It may be time to give dermal fillers a try. Fillers can be used to plump and fill wrinkles and smooth away those early signs of aging around the eyes. They’re an easy anti-aging solution that requires no downtime, and certain fillers are especially well suited for the delicate area around the eye. At Grossman Dermatology in Santa Monica, CA, we often recommend Belotero as an under eye filler.
Why the Eye Area Is So Problematic
The thin, delicate skin around the eyes is usually one of the first places where signs of aging appear. As the face begins to age, elasticity levels in the skin start to decline and fine lines develop. The face also begins to lose volume, which can cause hollows beneath the eyes. Most of these subtle shifts are a completely natural part of the aging process, although lifestyle factors like tobacco use, excessive sun exposure, and not drinking enough water can exacerbate the problem.
Dermal Fillers Can Help
Dermal fillers are injectable gels that can be used to restore the youthful contours of a patient’s face while plumping and smoothing areas that have begun to sink. Fillers can be used all over the face and neck, including on the cheeks, the jaw, and around the lips. They are also effective in the eye area, where they can fill in hollows under the eyes and smooth away fine lines. The gels themselves are absorbed by the body over time, but the injections also stimulate collagen production in the skin, which takes place over a period of months and further revitalizes the skin.
How Belotero Works
This dermal filler has been successfully used to treat folds and wrinkles all over the face, but it is particularly effective in areas where the skin is thin. This filler is comprised of hyaluronic acid, a substance that binds moisture molecules, giving the skin around the injection site more volume. It also contains lidocaine, a type of anesthesia that makes the injection more comfortable. Belotero is available in various formulations that can be used to treat wrinkles and folds of varying severity. It is designed to instantly integrate into the patient’s facial tissue and offer support from below.
Why Is It Effective Around the Eyes?
There are a number of different fillers available, all of which offer different types of benefits and have different consistencies. Belotero is a lightweight filler that is generally injected into the upper layer of the skin, which makes it a better choice than some other dermal fillers for smoothing fine lines and adding volume in delicate, thin-skinned spots like the eye area.
What Is Treatment Like?
You’ll be surprised at how easy it is to undergo a dermal filler treatment. Before we get started, a few marks will be made around your eye area to guide our injections. A numbing cream may also be applied to the injection site to ensure that you’re comfortable during treatment. Our practice uses cannulas, or tiny blunt-tipped tubes, to inject the filler. We’ll use a needle to pierce the skin and create an entry point and then use the cannula to place the filler. This process minimizes the risk of bruising. After administering your filler, we may massage the treatment area to make sure the product has been distributed.
Will the Injection Hurt?
We take several steps to make sure you’re comfortable during this treatment. First, the injection itself is formulated with lidocaine to foster patient comfort. We’ll also numb the area with cream before your injection. You may feel a prick or a pinch associated with this treatment, but it will be over in a couple of seconds. Patients say the sensation associated with a dermal filler injection is no different than a botulinum toxin injection or most other injectable cosmetic treatments.
When Will I See Results?
There’s nothing quite as satisfying as walking into your dermatologist’s practice with a cosmetic concern and walking out with that concern resolved. That’s what happens when you are treated with this dermal filler. Your results will be instantaneous. There’s no recovery period, no additional appointments, and no waiting around for results. You’ll be able to start enjoying your revitalized appearance right away.
Is It Like a Botulinum Toxin Injection?
Although dermal fillers and botulinum toxin injections are both considered anti-aging treatments, they address different areas of concern. Dermal fillers do just what their name implies. They fill in wrinkles, folds, and crepey areas of skin that need to be plumped and smoothed. These treatments, which can also be used to restore contour and definition to the face, don’t inhibit muscle movement. Botulinum toxin injections like Botox and Dysport, on the other hand, target very specific wrinkles by freezing the underlying muscles that contribute to that line.
Will It Fix My Crow’s Feet?
Dermal fillers are a powerful anti-aging tool, but they’re not the best choice if you’re trying to address crow’s feet: the fine lines that develop on the temple by the eyes. Crow’s feet are a certain type of wrinkle that is caused by smiling, squinting, and other repeated facial expressions. They’re usually best addressed with botulinum injections, which prevent the face from fully making those expressions.
Dermal fillers work in a completely different way by plumping and adding volume to the face. Dermal fillers can resolve fine facial lines, but they’re less effective on crow’s feet and other lines that stem from facial movement.
What Are the Benefits of Belotero?
Although it’s not as well known as some other dermal fillers, this injection offers a number of benefits, including convenient treatment and long-lasting, natural results.
Convenient Treatment
Dermal fillers are a fast, non-invasive, and convenient anti-aging solution. Your entire treatment will take less than an hour, and once your appointment is over, you’ll be free to get back to your regular schedule. This treatment requires no advance preparation and no downtime. We do ask patients to avoid strenuous exercise, excessive sun and heat exposure, alcohol, and anti-inflammatory drugs for roughly 24 hours after their treatment.
Natural Results
The lightweight nature of this filler means that it offers results that look and feel completely natural. The skin beneath your eye will feel normal to the touch, even after the filler has been injected, and your facial movements and expressions will also be uninhibited and normal. Best of all, you won’t look like you went and had a cosmetic treatment done.
Long-Lasting Impact
The long-lasting results associated with this dermal filler make it a great option for busy patients who don’t want to spend a lot of time maintaining their results. This dermal filler offers results that can last up to a year, which is longer than many other hyaluronic acid fillers. You can schedule a repeat injection after the first one wears off if you want to maintain your look.
Look and Feel Younger
Aging eyes are especially frustrating to patients. Part of it has to do with the fact that the eyes are often where the first signs of aging appear. The prominence of the eye area, and the fact that the eyes play such a crucial role in everything from routine conversation to first impressions, is also a reason why so many of us are sensitive about this area. Patients who have tried under eye filler treatment are usually surprised at how much better they look and feel about themselves. This treatment will help you feel more attractive and more self-confident.
Results That Can Be Tweaked
One of the benefits of using a hyaluronic filler is that its effect can be dialed back, or eliminated completely if you’re unhappy with your results. An injection of an enzyme called hyaluronidase can easily reverse the filler.
Can Be Combined With Other Treatments
For some patients, a dermal filler is all they need to achieve their cosmetic goals. For others, a dermal filler is just one piece of the puzzle. Fortunately, Belotero combines nicely with other cosmetic services. Our practice often combines this dermal filler with light Dysport injections in the forehead to soften lines on the upper face. For some patients, we also use different fillers in different parts of the face to achieve the desired effect. Other patients opt to combine dermal fillers with nonsurgical facelifts.
Safe
This dermal filler was approved by the FDA in 2011 and has been used safely and effectively on patients across the country since then.
Is This Dermal Filler a Good Choice for Me?
If you’re interested in this dermal filler and want to know if you’re a suitable candidate for it, the first step is to schedule a consultation with Dr. Karyn Grossman. Dr. Grossman is an internationally renowned, board-certified cosmetic dermatologist who trained at Harvard Medical School.
During your consultation, Dr. Grossman will review your medical history and your skin’s health. She’ll also talk with you about your aesthetic desires. She’ll work with you to determine whether you are a suitable candidate as well as whether or not this treatment will best achieve your goals. There are several signs that you may be an especially good candidate:
You’re in Good Health
This dermal filler can be used on both men and women age 18 or over who have all types and tones of skin. The best candidates are non-smokers who are in good overall health and who don’t have an underlying medical condition like cancer or heart disease. This dermal filler is also not recommended for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
You Want to Rejuvenate the Eyes
Belotero candidates generally come to us seeking facial rejuvenation around the eyes. Fine lines and hollows beneath the eyes can easily be addressed with this treatment, giving the patient a more youthful, attractive, and rested appearance. This dermal filler can also be used to treat superficial lines and restore definition elsewhere on the face and neck.
You Have Reasonable Expectations
Most patients are thrilled with the results they get from this filler, but the results are generally more subtle than what a surgical procedure offers. It helps if patients have reasonable expectations about the dermal filler and the results it is capable of offering.
Don’t Wait Any Longer
Dermal fillers have the unique ability to instantly rejuvenate your appearance with no downtime. They can plump and contour the face, resolving fine lines and wrinkles. Best of all, they can effectively treat the early signs of aging that develop under the eyes, especially if you choose Belotero. If you’re ready to put aging eyes behind you and rejuvenate your overall appearance, we’ve got the perfect treatment. Grossman Dermatology and ask about Belotero.
