This article covers everything: the effects of under-eye fat repositioning, pain, swelling, and aftercare

Hello.

No obvious signs of treatment, only signs of getting prettier!

I’m Mi-ra Lee, Chief Director of Banni Plastic Surgery | Skin Clinic.

'Can protruding and sagging under-eye fat only be solved with surgery?'

No, that’s not the case.

It can be improved sufficiently with a 'procedure' that requires no incision and allows you to wash your face and drive on the same day.

Under-eye fat laser treatment can be performed without pain with simple anesthesia, so patient satisfaction is very high. Because of that, it has become one of the procedures we do almost as routinely as eating since opening the clinic.

However, many people still believe that surgery is the only answer for under-eye fat, and since surgery feels burdensome, they avoid it and continue worrying about it.

So I prepared this article.

I’ll explain what under-eye fat laser treatment is and how it can improve the area without an incision, step by step.

In addition, I’ll cover basic information such as downtime after the procedure, how long the results last, and what to be careful about.

Under-eye fat repositioning procedure effects, pain, swelling, aftercare | Banni Plastic Surgery

[Table of contents]

1. Why does under-eye fat develop?

2. What is under-eye fat laser treatment?

3. Combination synergy with collagen formation stimulators

4. Duration of results, downtime after the procedure, and more

Under-eye fat laser treatment, ideal for those who feel surgery is burdensome

1. Why does under-eye fat develop?

To understand why under-eye fat protrudes, we first need to understand how our skin is structured.

Inside the skin is a protein called collagen, which acts like the pillars of a building, firmly supporting the skin.

Under-eye fat repositioning procedure effects, pain, swelling, aftercare | Banni Plastic Surgery

When we are young, this collagen is dense and firm, so the skin stays taut and elastic. But as we age, things change.

As not only collagen but also components that support the skin’s structure, such as elastin and hyaluronic acid, gradually decrease, the overall support of the skin weakens.

Under-eye fat repositioning procedure effects, pain, swelling, aftercare

In addition, the orbital septum, which helps hold the fat inside the eye in place, also loses elasticity with age. As a result, the fat gets pushed outward.

In the end, under-eye fat issues are not simply caused by having too much fat; they are a complex aging phenomenon caused by weakening support tissues that normally keep the fat in place.

2. Radiofrequency cannula: reduces under-eye fat and increases firmness

The radiofrequency lifting we commonly know involves placing a probe on the skin surface to deliver energy and stimulate collagen in the dermis.

By contrast, the radiofrequency device used for under-eye fat treatment directly delivers radiofrequency energy into the under-eye fat layer through a special needle called a 'cannula,' melting the fat.

In other words, instead of sending energy from the skin surface, a special needle called a 'cannula' is inserted directly into the under-eye fat layer to precisely deliver energy to the problematic fat area, melting the fat and reducing its volume.

And in addition to melting the fat and reducing its size, it also helps improve skin elasticity. It contracts existing collagen fibers and activates fibroblasts, which also promotes the production of new collagen and elastin.

Under-eye fat repositioning procedure effects, pain, swelling, aftercare | Banni Plastic Surgery

In other words, both under-eye fat and skin elasticity are improved at the same time.

Most importantly, this cannula needle is not pointed like a regular needle; it has a blunt tip, so instead of piercing tissue, it can pass through by gently pushing tissue aside. Thanks to that, the risk of damaging blood vessels or nerves around the eyes is significantly lower.

Bruising or significant swelling after a procedure usually occurs due to tissue damage. So what does that mean? Exactly—it means that radiofrequency cannula treatment minimizes bruising and swelling.

Combination synergy with collagen formation stimulators

Radiofrequency laser treatment alone can produce good results, but combining it with a collagen formation stimulator boosts the effect even more.

After the radiofrequency laser loosens the ligaments beneath the under-eye fat, injecting a collagen formation stimulator allows the body’s own collagen to form in that area, further smoothing the under-eye line.

Under-eye fat repositioning procedure effects, pain, swelling, aftercare

The injectables we use at that time are Ban-dal Injection and Ultracol. First, Ultracol is an injectable that promotes the formation of your own collagen, similar to Juvelook and Sculptra.

Unlike other collagen stimulators, Ultracol has particles that are more rounded and uniform, so it spreads naturally within the tissue and carries a lower risk of nodules. That’s why it can be used safely even on thin and sensitive skin such as the under-eye area.

And Ban-dal Injection is our clinic’s own special collagen formation stimulator.

Like Ultracol, Ban-dal Injection promotes collagen formation and also helps with under-eye wrinkles and dark circles. Most importantly, a major advantage is that it has almost no risk of nodules compared with other injections.

I’ll explain same-day face washing, driving, duration of results, post-procedure swelling and bruising as well.

Under-eye fat repositioning procedure effects, pain, swelling, aftercare

1. How is the procedure performed?

First, numbing cream is applied for about 30 minutes, and then the design process begins.

After checking in advance how much fat to reduce and where to inject the collagen formation stimulator, local anesthesia is performed next.

Then the actual procedure begins. The total procedure time is about 10 minutes, so it ends faster than you might expect.

You may worry about pain during the procedure, but because both numbing cream and local anesthesia are used, most patients undergo the procedure comfortably. Among the procedures performed at Banni, this is one with relatively little pain, so you don’t need to worry about pain.

2. Does the effect appear immediately after the procedure? What about bruising or swelling?

Under-eye fat repositioning procedure effects, pain, swelling, aftercare | Banni Plastic Surgery

Right after the procedure, the laser and injections cause swelling, so for about 2 to 3 days it may be hard to assess the shape.

The final effect takes time because new collagen needs time to form, so you can expect to see the results about 4 weeks after the procedure. And some mild bruising may appear after the procedure, but light bruising gradually disappears within a week.

Under-eye fat repositioning procedure effects, pain, swelling, aftercare | Banni Plastic Surgery

3. How long does it last?

The duration varies from person to person. It depends on factors such as how much collagen you originally have and your skin’s regenerative ability.

In general, for people in their 20s and 30s, the effect lasts about 1 to 1.5 years, and for people in their 40s and older, it lasts on average about 8 months to 1 year. The younger you are and the better your skin condition is, the longer it tends to last.

4. Are there any precautions after the procedure?

For about a week after the procedure, please avoid activities that expose you to a lot of heat, such as vigorous exercise or saunas.

Other than that, you can continue your usual daily life, and we also regularly check your progress to monitor recovery.

Under-eye fat repositioning procedure effects, pain, swelling, aftercare | Banni Plastic Surgery

In closing,

Do you now have a good understanding of how protruding and sagging under-eye fat can be improved with a procedure? In fact, under-eye fat laser treatment is one of our clinic’s signature procedures, so I can confidently speak about its effectiveness.

Also, if I may mention one precaution for under-eye fat laser treatment, the skin under the eyes is very thin, and the depth of the dermis and fat layer differs from person to person by millimeters, so safely inserting the cannula at the exact location to achieve only the desired effect requires considerable experience and know-how.

Under-eye fat repositioning procedure effects, pain, swelling, aftercare

In particular, collagen formation stimulators such as Ban-dal Injection and Ultracol do not show immediate results like fillers, so the amount must be decided by predicting the changes that will appear several weeks later.

In addition, to achieve a natural and smooth result, they must be injected in small amounts with precision at the appropriate depth in each area while considering left-right symmetry.

In other words, even with the same equipment and materials, the results can vary greatly depending on the practitioner’s experience and sense.

So before getting an under-eye procedure, it is a good idea to carefully review the medical team’s clinical experience and treatment philosophy. You may find the mention of treatment philosophy a bit surprising.

What I have felt while meeting countless patients over the years is that technical skill is important, but so is the mindset of sincerely understanding each patient’s concerns and doing our best for the most favorable outcome. Results do not lie.

Please keep this in mind. If you have any questions at any time, feel free to contact us.😊

I’m Director Mi-ra Lee, filled with sincerity and without exaggeration. Thank you.

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'An article that may help those who are also considering under-eye fat repositioning surgery'

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