A tear trough deformity is actually caused by a groove that lies beneath the lower eyelid. When light hits this area of the face, the groove creates a shadow, hence, the dark circles. If the area under the eyes is puffy or baggy, this exacerbates the problem. While the puffiness under the eyes cannot be eliminated without surgery, the tear trough groove can be treated with fillers to eliminate the look of dark circles.
In our practice, we use Restylane to correct a tear trough deformity. Restylane, hyaluronic acid filler, is much like the hyaluronic acid in your own body—it attracts water to the surrounding collagen fibers, plumping them up. It’s this plumping that eliminates the hollow.
The effect lasts from 6 months to a year before it needs to be repeated. Our patients with tear trough deformity swear by this solution as the way to maintain a youthful, bright-eyed appearance.