Your eyes are often the feature people notice first about you, and if you want to look your best, it makes sense to pay some extra attention to the skin that surrounds them. Tear trough deformities are a relatively common change that happens more commonly with age, darkening the under-eye area so you look older and more “worn out.”
Fortunately, tear trough deformities can be treated — and the results can be outstanding. At Vida Bela Plastic Surgery in Plano and Frisco, Texas, Chelsea Snider, MD, helps her patients restore their appearance with tear trough treatments designed to “plump up” and refresh dark under-eye areas. Here’s how to decide if a tear trough treatment is right for you.
How tear trough deformities happen
Tear trough deformities are a common consequence of aging and age-related changes in your face. These deformities extend from the inner corner of the eye down along the under eye area, creating a dark area that’s typically “depressed” compared to surrounding skin.
Because they’re darker than the surrounding skin, many people think the skin itself has darkened. Actually, the skin is just thinned out, making underlying tissue and blood vessels more visible.
The cause of tear trough deformity is a loss of facial volume that happens naturally with age. During our youth, our skin retains more moisture, and underlying fatty tissue helps keep this area plump. But as you get older, that natural volume declines, leaving tear trough deformities behind.
Treating tear trough deformity
Dr. Chelsea offers both nonsurgical and surgical solutions for patients with tear trough deformities. The bases her recommended approach on factors that are unique to your anatomy, symptoms, and goals.
Fillers
Fillers are a popular option for restoring volume in many areas of the face, including tear troughs. The most common type of fillers for under-eye treatments are products that include hyaluronic acid, a naturally occurring acid that plumps your skin and helps it retain moisture. Dr. Chelsea adjusts the amount of filler based on your specific needs.
Fat grafting
Fat grafting is another nonsurgical option that takes fat from another part of your body, purifies it, and then injects it into the under-eye area. Fat grafting may last longer than fillers, but it’s not always the best choice. Dr. Snider determines which injectable option is the right one for your goals and anatomy.
Surgery
If you have deep tear trough deformities or deformities combined with under-eye bags, you may benefit from surgery to correct the defect. Surgical options include lower lid lifts designed to remove excess fat and restore the youthful contours of the lower lid, along with fat repositioning procedures designed to redistribute natural fatty tissue.
Tear trough deformity surgery can be performed on its own, and it can also be performed along with other surgical procedures, including upper lid surgery (blepharoplasty) to restore the entire eye area. Dr. Chelsea is skilled in combining surgeries (and nonsurgical treatments, too) for optimal results based on your goals.
Refresh your eyes
Don’t let a tear trough deformity alter the way you look — or the way you feel about your appearance. Tear trough treatments are simple, straightforward, and very effective. To learn more, call 469-598-2400 or book an appointment online with Dr. Snider today.