Under-eye Filler guide

Myth or fact

Six things people believe about under-eye filler

Guess, then turn the card. Each answer comes with its source.

1. Under-eye filler sold under a special name, such as "light filler", is a different, lighter treatment.

   It dependsWe found no regulator, medical society or study that defines such names. The fillers the FDA has approved for the under-eye hollows are hyaluronic acid gels, so ask for the name of the product used. 345627

2. Filler gets rid of dark circles.

   MythMainly the kind caused by a hollow. Reviews name other treatments for pigment and visible vessels, and filler can make bags from fat look worse. 141518

3. Under-eye filler is permanent.

   MythIn the FDA trials, 60.5% to 81.4% of people were still improved at 48 to 52 weeks, and repeat injections are usually needed. The gel itself can stay longer than the effect shows. 1345619

4. It can always be dissolved, with no downside.

   MythHyaluronidase breaks down hyaluronic acid, and other fillers can be difficult or impossible to remove. Immediate allergic reactions to the enzyme are rare, with a reported incidence of about 0.1%, and at high doses it can remove the result too. 12324

5. Under-eye filler often causes blindness.

   MythVision loss is rare, and the under-eye area is a small share of reported cases: 1 of 60 in one review. When it does happen most people do not recover their sight, so any change in vision means getting help at once. 171012

6. Swelling under the eye always settles in a few days.

   MythMost swelling clears within one to two weeks, but across studies of filler around the eyes, 0% to 15% of people had swelling lasting more than four weeks. In one series of 583 patients, the 10% who had swelling had it for a median of four weeks. 361021