Does tear trough filler hurt? How much does tear trough filler cost? How are tear trough fillers done? You have so many questions about tear trough fillers, we thought we'd ask one of the UK's leading specialists on this treatment - the QUEEN of fixing eye bags - Dr Bibi Ghalaie, to give us the lowdown. Check out what Dr Bibi has to say in this brilliant video.
That little bit of thin skin under our eyes, known as the tear trough, can make the most alive, awake and fresh person look and feel as if they’ve just been exhumed. The main reason people seek out tear trough fillers is that they’re fed up with looking tired all the time and that £300 pot of eye serum is, well, pointless.
There is one cosmetic physician who is the QUEEN of fixing them, the amazing Dr Bibi Ghalaie. Dr Bibi’s tear trough fillers before and after photos are incredible! We were cock-a-hoop then, when the magical, inspirational, clever, impressive and beautiful Dr Bibi Ghalaie agreed to answer all of your questions on her area of expertise.
Are tear trough fillers safe?
It’s a very important question because as we know aesthetics is very unregulated industry, so tear trough fillers are incredibly safe if they are carried out in expert hands, and with somebody who has competence in this procedure.
The best advice I can give you is to make sure you go and see and medic and someone who carries out tear trough fillers regularly, and by that I mean somebody who is carrying out the procedure multiple times a week – not just someone who is doing it once a week or once a month. Someone who is carrying out this procedure regularly and can tell you about their complication rates and how effective their procedures have been and can show you a range of clinical cases they have done demonstrating the effectiveness and things that can go wrong.
But yes, they’re incredibly safe in expert hands!
How long do tear trough fillers take to settle?
It takes about 10-14 days from the time of the procedure. The results are instantaneous, but it usually takes about 2 weeks to settle.
They’re done using various techniques. Some clinicians use a needle, some use a cannula, some use a combination of the two. My procedure is the no needle technique – I make a puncture using a tiny needle by the cheek and then there’s no needle involved in the procedure at all, which actually makes it much more safe as there is a lot less trauma or damage to the skin and the underlying structure, including the vessels, the soft tissues, the muscles and the fat.
How much do tear trough fillers costs?
It depends on who you are seeing and where you are seeing them. This procedure varies in cost according to different areas of the country. In London you can expect to pay anything from £400-£900. At my clinic the starting price is £650.
Which filler is best for tear trough fillers?
This is an important question. In the UK, there is only one dermal filler that is licensed for use in the tear trough and that is Texoane’s Redensity 2, - that’s the only filler that carries the license and the one that I use and in my opinion the best one, but you will see different clinicians using different fillers. As long as it’s a hyaluronic acid filler it will be considered safe, however, the results are different according to which filler is used and that’s something that every patient should be discussing with their injector before they go ahead.
Should I have tear trough fillers?
That depends on your face, the area under your eyes – the tear trough – and how much hollowness there is and whether there is any puffiness or what we call fat-pad herniation – which is when there is kind of an ‘out-pouching’ of the fatty tissue under the eye. Also, the looseness and crepiness of the skin under the eye if very relevant to this procedure. It’s really something that is very dependent on the individual. My best advice is to have a consultation with an experienced injector and discuss with them if the procedure is appropriate for you. I always look at photographs before I ask the patient to come in, then I’ll take time to assess the face.
Can tear trough fillers move?
Yes they absolutely can unfortunately - tear trough fillers can migrate to other parts of the face. They can move downwards, sideways and even upwards. Unfortunately they can also move more superficially and cause a protrusion, so it’s really important patients are followed up and reviewed after two weeks to ensure that everything is stable and a good result has been achieved.
Click on the image to expand
Dr Bibi's before and after tear trough filler photos are amazing.
Can tear trough fillers cause blindness?
The short answer is yes, they can, and I always consent for blindness when I carry out the procedure. But in all honesty the risk is minimal. If you look at the evidence, of the cases of blindness, that have been caused by dermal fillers, worldwide, the most common procedure that causes that are procedures that have been carried out in the Glabella or in the middle of the brow, followed by nasolabial folds, and nasal fillers – and then tear trough fillers come much further down the line in terms of the frequency of blindness. So yes, it can cause blindness, but in very capable hands, especially when using a cannula, it’s a very safe procedure.
Do tear trough fillers hurt?
The all-time important question! The answer is no. They shouldn’t hurt. The treatment isn’t painful. It can be a little uncomfortable, there can be some tugging and pulling the skin, certainly at the start when the needle is introduced, it’s a little bit of a sting, but it’s not a painful procedure and in fact if it is something is not right and you should be very wary if you’re having it done and it’s painful, you should tell your injector that you’re experiencing pain – because there shouldn’t be any.
Can you treat tear troughs without fillers?
It’s difficult to get a really good rejuvenation without fillers, but there are other treatments such as PRP and radiofrequency which can help to tighten the tissues in the tear trough, and can benefit that area. But in my opinion, treating the undereye hollowness with dermal fillers is the gold standard.
What is tear trough filler?
It’s hyaluronic acid that is injected into the under eye and it improves hollowness and to a certain extent shadowing, and to help fill that area and rejuvenate it. Certain types of fillers that are used have other things added to them which actually help to repair the undereye skin as well as just filling it.
Who can do tear trough fillers?
There is a lot of debate around this, particularly given it’s an unregulated industry. I feel very very strongly that only medics should be carrying out this procedure, and by that I mean doctors, dentists, nurse prescribers, pharmacists who are prescribers and midwife prescribers. If someone doesn’t have prescribing rights they shouldn’t be carrying out this procedure, for safety reasons, simply because they then can not prescribe the medication that might be needed to dissolve the procedure should it go wrong. So I feel very strongly that only medical professionals should be carrying out these procedures, to keep patients safe and to keep industry standards high.
They shouldn’t really. If someone does develop a headache that’s a warning sign that something isn’t quite right.
Can tear trough fillers go lumpy?
They shouldn’t go lumpy. Your injector should check for lumps and if there are any they should be smoothed out. There certainly shouldn’t be any filler at a superficial level and if there’s any protrusion of the filler – that means the filler hasn’t been placed correctly. It would probably need to be dissolved. But no, it shouldn’t be lumpy, there should be a smooth transition from under the eye to the cheek.
How do you known if tear trough fillers have gone wrong?
It’s important to recognise the signs. Significant bruising – particularly if it’s spreading, pain, lumpiness – if you can see the filler, if it looks like the filler has moved. Also if there are any changes to your vision, these are all signs something isn’t right and you should speak to your injector.
Where is the tear trough area?
It’s the area under your lower eyelid towards the mid cheek. And in some people you see hollowness.
Are tear trough fillers Halal?
That’s an important question for Muslim patients and actually there isn’t anything in hyaluronic acid that is animal based, so in terms if it’s acceptable for product to be used by a Muslim, yes it is. Whether the procedure itself is acceptable in the religion of Islam, that’s a whole other topic and one that I will leave to the individual!
We hope you found this useful, a huge thanks to Dr Bibi whose clinic you can find here. If you'd like to book tear trough fillers with someone more local to you, why not see whose on Glowday here
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