As you grow older, the skin around your eyes becomes thinner, losing elasticity and hollowing out. Fine lines and wrinkles begin to appear, along with darkened pigmentation, creating a tired, older, and sunken appearance. The visible change can be referred to as a tear trough, which is a crease between the lower eyelid and the upper cheek that leaves a shadow below the eye. This area can also become prominent due to fatigue, allergies, stress, or genetics. When tear troughs become more visible, patients often turn to surgical and non-surgical treatments to achieve a youthful and less wearied appearance. Microneedling can be one option to plump up this area.
Microneedling utilizes the skin’s natural regenerative process to rejuvenate. Fine microneedles create tiny punctures in the skin, triggering collagen production and healing. This treatment can tighten, minimize wrinkles and fine lines, eliminate discoloration, and reduce stretch marks and scars. During this procedure, the MD Pen is moved across the treatment area, stimulating the natural repair process, collagen production, and blood flow. A session can last anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes, depending on the treatment area.
Since this involves tiny needles, many wonder if it’s safe for use around the eyes. Because the eye area is sensitive, it’s imperative you enlist a licensed surgeon or aesthetician to complete the procedure. They’ll have the knowledge and expertise to safely administer microneedling. Many patients also wonder if the treatment is painful. It typically does not cause discomfort. If you feel pain, you should alert your surgeon immediately, so they can stop treatment or apply topical anesthesia. Because this doesn’t involve any chemicals or surgical components, it’s generally safer than other procedures.
After you receive treatment, you’ll experience redness for 24 hours as skin cells repair over the next week or two. Although patients can see visible changes after one procedure, the under eyes typically take four to six sessions over three to six months to achieve desired results. Generally, eye bags and dark circles diminish after 45 days, while wrinkles are reduced.
Also on the rise is derma-rolling, an at-home form of microneedling. A writer from beauty content platform Byrdie documented her own experience with derma-rolling, headlining the article “How I Semi-Permanently Removed My Under-Eye Bags.” After noticing results from her microneedling treatments, she purchased a derma-roller on Amazon to use at home between treatments. Similar to microneedling, this boosts collagen, thickens skin, and fills in fine lines. However, even the writer states: “In-office micro-needling means physicians can get a bit deeper into your skin, as they are using professional tools like the aforementioned pens, which essentially work to ‘stamp’ your face with needles rather than roll the needles across the skin.”
Although microneedling has become a popular solution, mainly because of the ability to complete a similar procedure at home, there are other options. When one patient asked whether they should partake in dermarolling or undergo fillers and injectables to treat their tear trough on online elective cosmetic treatment resource hub RealSelf, many surgeons responded with “Restylane injections.” These can add volume to hollow under eyes, creating a more youthful appearance. One surgeon explained the under eyes typically require more than one treatment. Combine microneedling and fillers for the best results.
For more information or to determine which treatment is best for you, schedule a consultation with Dr. Anthony Buglino online or by calling (516) 864-0700.
