Under-Eye Filler Side Effects: The Truth and the Real Results? A Dermatologist’s Fact Check

Hello.

I’m Lee Mira, the chief director of Vanny Plastic Surgery | Skin Clinic, who aims to leave you looking more beautiful without it being obvious you had a procedure.

I still often notice how posts and videos saying things like “Under-eye fillers are absolutely prohibited” or “They’re full of side effects” continue to flood the internet. I often come across situations where even people who could actually benefit end up being scared away.

The truth about under-eye filler side effects, Vanny Plastic Surgery

In fact, even among doctors who perform skin procedures, opinions differ naturally because their backgrounds and the fields they have worked in are different.

Some doctors say, “Under-eye fillers should never be done,” while others say, “It’s an effective procedure.” From a patient’s perspective, it can only be confusing.

But if I speak from my own experience of performing several thousand under-eye filler procedures over the past 10-plus years, under-eye fillers are clearly a safe and effective treatment.

However, they require a level of delicacy and precision that is very different from fillers for the cheeks or nasolabial folds. (Among filler treatment areas, the under-eye region is technically difficult.) In other words, the risk of side effects due to insufficient technique does exist.

On the other hand, if a technique can be implemented that blocks side effects in advance while delivering only the intended results,

what better procedure is there for immediately improving under-eye hollowness and dark circles?

So today, I’d like to tell you the real story about under-eye fillers, exactly as I explain it to patients in my clinic. I hope you set aside vague fears and make a wise choice with accurate information.

Before and after under-eye filler, Vanny Plastic Surgery

Before and after under-eye filler, Vanny Plastic Surgery

🗒️Table of contents

1. Can under-eye hollowness really be improved with filler?

• The real reason the under-eye area becomes hollow

• The surprising mechanism by which filler also improves dark circles

2. But I’ve heard you should never get filler under the eyes?

• Past vs. present: what has changed?

• Lumps, Tyndall effect, migration... are they really dangerous?

• There are certain people who should be cautious

3. Do under-eye fillers have to be imported products?

1. Can under-eye hollowness really be improved with filler?

The reason under-eye hollowness happens and how filler works

Misconceptions and facts about under-eye filler side effects

As we age, the reasons the under-eye area becomes hollow are the result of several factors acting together.

First, the volume of the under-eye fat (orbital fat) decreases and its position changes. Fat that was firmly in place when we were young begins to sag downward or lose volume as we age.

Second, the ligaments that support the skin and muscles weaken, and the overall structural support declines. You can think of it like the support poles holding up a tent becoming loose.

Third, the elasticity and thickness of the skin itself also decrease. As collagen and elastin decline, the skin becomes thinner and loses firmness.

Under-eye filler fills in the hollow space created by these various causes.

When filler is injected into the proper tissue layer at the appropriate depth, volume is naturally restored.

The surprising effect of improving dark circles as well

This is something many people are surprised by: when under-eye filler is performed, dark circles often improve at the same time. That is because two mechanisms work together.

First, the shadow effect caused by under-eye hollowness disappears.

If the under-eye area is hollow, shadows form over the sunken area from above, making it look darker. By appropriately filling this area with filler, the shadows are reduced and a brighter impression can be created naturally.

Second, the structural characteristics of the under-eye skin itself also improve.

The under-eye skin has an average thickness of about 0.3–0.5 mm, making it one of the thinnest areas of the body. That is why the capillaries underneath can show through, creating blue or purplish dark circles.

At this time, if a filler designed for the under-eye area is injected into the proper tissue layer at the proper depth, the lower layer of the skin is filled in, making the blood vessels less visible from the surface.

You can think of it like adding another layer of coverage behind a thin curtain.

2. But I’ve heard you should never get filler under the eyes?

Articles and videos that say under-eye hollow filler is dangerous usually point to three main reasons. Let’s go through them one by one and look at what the errors are.

1. The filler clumps up or looks unnatural?

In the past, there were no fillers specifically for the under-eye area.

So fillers with high viscosity, intended for adding volume, were used as they were. That was the beginning of the problem.

High-viscosity fillers did not blend well with the delicate under-eye area, so over time they could clump or become bumpy.

But now it is completely different.

With the development of under-eye-specific fillers such as Belotero Soft and Restylane Eyelight, these problems have been greatly reduced. These products have low viscoelasticity, so they blend smoothly with the skin tissue and settle in naturally.

2. The Tyndall effect, where it looks bluish over time?

Under-eye filler side effect: Tyndall effect

The Tyndall effect, where the under-eye area appears bluish after filler treatment, is definitely a real side effect.

However, it occurs when the filler is injected into a layer that is too superficial compared with the depth where it should be placed.

Fact check on under-eye filler side effects, Vanny Plastic Surgery

In the past, because products not specifically designed for the under-eye area were used, it was difficult to control injection depth, and this phenomenon occurred frequently.

But the under-eye fillers used today are designed to blend naturally with the tissue, which helps minimize the Tyndall effect. In addition, injection techniques have become more refined, making it possible to inject accurately at the proper depth and sufficiently prevent this issue.

3. The filler spreads or migrates?

Under-eye filler side effect: filler migration

In the past, due to the viscoelasticity of fillers, there were problems where they could spread downward or shift to one side over time under the influence of gravity. This was especially true in the under-eye area, which moves a lot.

But current under-eye fillers have improved molecular structures and better tissue-binding properties, so this problem hardly occurs. If they are distributed evenly at the proper depth using a precise injection method, they can remain stable over time.

Of course, there are people who should be cautious

I do not recommend under-eye filler to everyone.

For people with very severe dark circles or extremely thin under-eye skin, a cautious approach is needed.

However! If the right candidates are selected and the procedure is performed accurately, filler alone can effectively improve a hollow tear trough and dark circles.

3. Do under-eye fillers have to be imported products?

Here is a realistic look at the pros and cons of each.

For products developed overseas (such as Juvederm, Restylane, and Belotero), there is a long history of accumulated research data and extensive global use. Another advantage is the wide range of specialized products available for delicate areas like the under-eye region.

On the other hand, domestically developed products (such as Sunee, Neuramis, and Chaeum) have the advantage of being less financially burdensome, and in recent years their technology has advanced rapidly, bringing their quality to a fairly high level.

However, it seems that the limitation is that the number of cases that can be treated with domestic products is restricted.

In the past, there were many prejudices against domestic products, but recently their quality has improved greatly, and they are in fact widely used at many clinics.

And one important misconception: the formula “domestic lasts 6 months vs. imported lasts 1 year” is not true.

The duration of filler does not depend on the country of manufacture.

Even with the same hyaluronic acid filler, durability varies depending on the molecular structure, how firmly it is cross-linked (chemically bonded), and where and how deeply it is injected.

Even with the same product, the maintenance period can differ from person to person depending on metabolic rate and lifestyle habits.

Because the under-eye area moves a lot, regardless of which filler is used, it tends to be absorbed faster than areas like the cheeks or chin. So even if it does not completely return to its original state after a year, it is an area that needs periodic touch-ups.

Of course, for under-eye filler, imported products

have a slight advantage.

Under-eye filler side effects: imported? domestic?

The under-eye area needs a dedicated product with low viscoelasticity and good tissue integration, and the range of specialized product options is much broader among imported products.

The key is to accurately understand the patient’s under-eye condition and choose the appropriate product accordingly. And above all, it is most important to meet a medical professional who understands the characteristics of that product well and can perform the procedure with precision.

In closing,

So far, we have looked at the misconceptions and facts about under-eye fillers one by one.

To summarize:

Under-eye filler is clearly an excellent procedure that can effectively fill in hollow areas and improve dark under-eye areas so they look bright, almost as if a light has been turned on.

The side effects caused by past technical limitations, such as clumping, the Tyndall effect, and migration, have also been largely resolved through the development of under-eye-specific fillers and advances in injection techniques.

Misconceptions and facts about under-eye filler side effects

However, it remains the most technically demanding procedure among filler treatments.

That is why accurate diagnosis and precise injection technique are more important than anything else. In other words, rather than being swept up by excessive fearmongering online, it is important to find the method that suits you through 충분한 consultation.

Fact check on under-eye filler side effects, Vanny Plastic Surgery

At this point, you may be wondering one more thing.

“What, then, makes a place that is good at under-eye fillers different?”

Well, everything in the procedure is different, including injection depth and injection speed. I have actually been asked this by many patients, so I previously covered the main techniques for under-eye filler procedures in detail.

You can check it in the column below. Since it was written based on my actual clinical experience, if you read the column below as well, it will not be difficult for you to find a dermatology clinic that is skilled at under-eye fillers.

I sincerely hope this article helps ease the vague anxiety and worry you may have had about under-eye fillers.

Leaving out exaggeration, and filling only with sincerity,

Director Lee Mira.

Thank you.

[Common techniques used by dermatology clinics that are skilled at under-eye fillers]

https://blog.naver.com/rush_724/223870696955