Dark Under Eye Circles

Why do we get them?

With every passing birthday after age 29, the already delicate skin around our eyes loses its tone and thickness. “Dark circles usually become a problem around age 35,” confirms our derm, Dr. Lisa Kellett, founder at DLK on Avenue in Toronto. “Dark circles are usually attributable to a vascular (blood vessel) bed beneath the skin, which make the area appear darker.”

To add insult to injury, as we get older we also lose fat in the under-eye area, which makes dark circles look even more prominent, says Dr. Kellett. The fat pads underneath the eyes disperse, forming hollows that houses shadows, accentuating the darkness and making us look perpetually pooped.

Other factors that can cause under eye flaws such as dark circles and puffiness include allergies, food sensitivities, lack of sleep, a poor diet and genetics. For instance, if you’re darker than Julianne Moore, you’re even more prone: “Certain ethnicities have an olive-based skin tone, which imparts a yellowish or brownish hue to the area and can get worse with sun exposure,” says Dr. Kellett.

In rare cases, dark and swollen under eyes accompanied by weight gain and excessive sweating can indicate an underlying health condition such as a thyroid or adrenal disorder, adds Dr. Kellett who sees every patient before having any cosmetic procedure at her clinic to ensure that they are fully informed.

I got a chance to watch someone get treated with Redensity (II), the latest filler for under eye circles at Dr. Kellett’s clinic when I brought in Bina, a reader who wrote in seeking help for her sunken-in circles. Video below.

What it is

From Swiss-based Teoxane Labratories, Teosyal PureSsense Redensity (II) is an injectable gel made up of hyaluronic acid, which replaces lost volume and retains skin hydration, mixed with reparative ingredients (amino acids, antioxidants, vitamin B6, and the minerals zinc and copper) to redensify eye circles, hallow tear troughs, and the horizontal groove under the eyes. Like other modern fillers, Redensity (II) has also contains Lidocaine (an anesthetic) in it to minimize patient discomfort. Bina was smiling throughout the procedure – hooray for Lidocaine!

Results

Phillips tells me that the cosmetic outcome of Redensity (II) is predictable and long lasting: “With any injectable we tell our patients that there is a risk of the product not settling well or that they may like more or perhaps less after they see the results. We always start with a less is more approach.” A clinical trial showed Redenisity (II) can last one year and 72% of this patient sample did not require touch ups after the initial injection – something that Bina can attest to. It’s been a month since the video was shot and she hasn’t felt the need to return to the clinic nor to smack on concealer on her under eyes. Here are Bina’s results taken one week after treatment. Not only are the dark circles significantly lighter, the hollowness is more elevated when touched.

Another rave review

After filming the treatment video, I sent out an Instagram about Redensity (II) and was pleasantly surprised to get a thumbs up emoji from a former colleague who I never suspected to be interested in this kind of stuff. So I prodded her via email for more details on her experience with it. She wrote back saying she tried Redenisity (II) last summer before her wedding to replace some lost volume due to weight loss. In her own words,

“What I loved about R is that I had dropped about five or ten pounds pre-wedding and some of the volume beneath my eyes had disappeared and I was touching bone (as gross as that sounds). Once it was injected beneath the eyes I had a renewed glow and subtle volume there that just made me look much more fresh and youthful. It was extremely subtle, no one would ever be able to put their finger on it, but I could see a noticeable difference, having examined my face in the mirror so intently as I lead up to the big day, HAHA!”

With two real testimonials and now having had witness the quick procedure myself (and not squirming too much from the sight of the cannula), I’m totally game for Redensity (II) when my own under eye circles grow big enough to have their own IG account.

Is your complexion looking listless? Click here to read about Redensity (I).

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