Dark Eye Circles Treatment in Singapore

Having dark eye circles often lead to common misconceptions, where people mistake one with dark eye circles to be tired and aged. There are in fact many different causes of dark eye circles. At Fusion Medical, we offer targeted treatments to remove your dark eye circles, bringing out your eye’s radiance and shine. 

What are dark eye circles?

Dark eye circles make your eyes look tired and aged, causing you to look older and less radiant than you actually are. This may result in others mistaking you as fatigued or unmotivated. While dark eye circles don’t pose a threat to your overall health, its appearance can be a hit to one’s self-confidence, causing frustration and distress.

What are the causes of dark eye circles?

It is a common misconception that lack of sleep is the main cause of dark eye circles. In reality, there are many more contributing factors to dark eye circles. Determining the contributing cause of your dark eye circles is key to treating the root cause of the problem. 

Skin Pigmentation

Skin pigmentation is the most common cause of dark eye circles. It is caused by the pooling of blood in the blood vessels under the eye. This occurs when red blood cells leak out of capillaries. Since the area under the eyes is the thinnest and most delicate part of the skin, the leaky blood vessels stain the skin with a dark blue-black colour. 

Thin Skin

Thin under-eye skin may cause dark eye circles to be more apparent since it exposes the bone structure in the under-eye area easily. It also exposes capillaries that are beneath the thin skin surface, increasing the prominence of dark eye circles. 

Ageing

As one ages, collagen in your skin starts to degrade, and there is also a reduction in the production of skin-boosting collagen, resulting in the thinning of the skin. Ageing also increases the chances of pigmentation, and this causes the capillaries to be more visible. 

Furthermore, ageing can result in increasingly sunken eyes, which is a result of the loss of fat in the under-eye area. Capillaries under the skin become closer to the skin, giving rise to dark eye circles. 

Sun Exposure 

Excessive exposure to UV rays, whether from sun exposure or other forms, can damage your melanocytes. This may cause an overproduction of melanin, resulting in skin pigmentation under the eyes.

This is further exacerbated in Singapore due to the year-round summer sun we are constantly exposed to. 

Eye Bags

Eye bags are caused by the accumulation of excess fat deposits in the under-eye area. When eye bags are formed, the capillaries under the skin are pushed closer to the surface of the skin due to the accumulation of fat deposits. Since the area under the eye is extremely thin, the blood vessels are more visible and result in discolouration. 

Prominent eye bags may also cause a shadow to be cast over the under-eye area, resulting in a more dull and dark appearance.

Lack of Sleep

The lack of sleep causes your blood vessels to dilate and increases the retention of blood and fluid around the eyes. Since the area under the eyes is the thinnest and most delicate part of the skin, the blood vessels become more visible, causing a darker appearance in the under-eye region. 

Genetic Predisposition

Family history has a part to play in the development of dark eye circles as well. Generally, people with darker skin tones have higher chances of getting dark eye circles. The skin tends to produce more melanin, resulting in higher chances of skin pigmentation. 

People who have genetically thinner skin may also have more prominent dark eye circles due to the increased visibility of the capillaries. 

Allergic Reactions

When allergic reactions occur, cells in your body release a chemical component that causes fluids to leak from your capillaries, resulting in a dark blue-black pigmentation in the under-eye area. 

Dark Eye Circles vs. Eye Bags

Dark eye circles are commonly confused with eye bags. While they often occur together, they are different. 

Dark eye circles appear in a dark, blue-black discolouration in the under-eye area because of excessive skin pigmentation. It causes a rather dull and dark appearance to the eyes.

On the other hand, eye bags often result in swelling or puffy looking eyes. They are formed due to the weakening of the muscles around the eye, resulting in a gravitational pull that causes a pouch to form. Over time, an accumulation of excess fat deposits in the pouch, producing the eye bags. 

Dark Eye Circles Treatment in Singapore 

There are a few options for the treatment of dark eye circles. Treatments would depend on the root cause of the dark eye circles but we will look at treatments that are non-invasive and with minimal or no downtime.

Dermal Fillers

Fillers are commonly used for facial sculpting, and to restore facial contours. They are designed to improve appearance by adding volume to areas on the face that are sunken in because of ageing.

An under-eye dermal filler fills up the hollow space of the skin between our eyes and cheeks. When that area is volumised, it reduces the appearance of the dark eye circle. 

What is the treatment procedure like? 

Treatment will start by applying numbing cream. After around 20 minutes, it is cleaned off and the different procedures can officially start. 

A blunt tip micro-cannula (flexible thin tube) is usually used to inject dermal fillers. This ensures that the filler is well distributed in the target area and minimises discomfort and bruising.

The treatment will take around 30 minutes to complete.

Is the treatment painful?

Dermal filler treatments are generally not painful, although the amount of discomfort you experience may vary depending on your pain tolerance, but this can still be tolerated well though topically applied anaesthetic cream.

Though rare, you might have slight bruising, swelling, and redness around the injection sites. They are all temporary and would usually clear within a week.

Lasers

There are different types of lasers, all with different wavelengths. They can be used to treat various skin conditions such as, acne, acne scars, skin lumps and skin tones.

Not all lasers are suitable for treating dark eye circles, consult your doctor to find out which is suitable for you.

Pigment lasers such as PicoPulse target melanin pigments that darken the skin. It breaks down the pigmentation into smaller molecules, after which the body’s immune system will absorb and eliminate them. On top of that, PicoPulse tightens the skin and generates new collagen to volumize the under eye area, thus reducing the appearance of dark eye circles.

What is the treatment procedure like? 

Treatment will start by applying numbing cream. After around 20 minutes, it is cleaned off and the different procedures can officially start. 

A probe is placed on the targeted area and delivers laser energy to tackle skin concerns. The wavelength and lenses are customised to the patient’s skin type and desired result.

The treatment will take around 30 minutes to complete.

Is the treatment painful?

Pico Laser is very tolerable and most patients do not feel much pain. After the treatment, there might be some redness and swelling but they usually clear within a few hours. Tenderness is also quite common as it is the skin’s normal reaction. It is an indication that the skin is responding to the treatment.

Exilis Elite 360

Dark circles under your eyes are made worse due to loosening of the skin in the undereye area. Loss of collagen causes the skin around the eyes and cheeks area to sag. 

Exilis Elite 360 uses a combination of radiofrequency (RF) and ultrasound energy to heat the deep layers of the skin whilst protecting the outer layer. The heat causes the collagen-supporting tissues to remodel, thus stimulating and strengthening the collagen network to improve skin laxity and texture.

With Exilis Elite 360, the appearance of dark eye circles are reduced through:

• Tightening of the skin under your eyes to reduce loose skin
• Tightening up of your cheeks to lift up cheek fat to reduce the hollows below your eyes

What is the treatment procedure like? 

Treatment will start by applying numbing cream. After around 20 minutes, it is cleaned off and the different procedures can officially start.

As with other radio frequencies (RF) and ultrasounds, a gel will be applied to act as a bond between the skin and applicator. The gel helps prevent air pockets that may disrupt the sound waves.

During the treatment, the applicator is used to massage the treated area gently. You will feel a warm, but tolerable sensation. Exilis Elite 360 uses a cooling technique to protect the skin while delivering RF energy to various depths in the skin tissue. The device comes with a built-in thermometer, allowing our doctors to precisely control the level of heat, which protects your skin from damage. Changes in cooling and heating during the treatment allow tissues to be heated all the way down to the subcutaneous tissue from the superficial layer of the skin.

The treatment will take around 30 minutes to complete.

Is the treatment painful?

During the Exilis Elite 360 treatment, you will feel a warm, but tolerable sensation. As with other treatments, the numbing cream that is applied prior to treatment usually helps to make the treatment well tolerated. 

There might be some swelling and redness but it usually clears within a few hours. The area will also be quite tender for a few weeks but that is a sign that it is responding to the treatment.

FAQ About Dark Eye Circle Removal In Singapore

Which treatment am I suitable for?

There are a few options for the treatment of dark eye circles. The treatment option you’re suitable for would depend on your condition and the root cause of the dark eye circles. We recommend that you consult an experienced doctor for a proper diagnosis, and they can recommend the best course of treatment for your specific needs.

How many treatment sessions are required? 

The number of treatment sessions really depends on your condition. Do consult your doctor for a proper diagnosis before starting any treatment.

For fillers of the under eye (also known as the tear trough), one treatment can last from 10-12 months. 

For lasers, people may need up to 6 sessions to see any results. This highly depends on your condition and expectations.

As for Exilis Elite 360, you can usually see some results from the treatment a week after the second session. It is recommended to have 2-4 sessions every 7-10days days. Results will generally last for 6 months to 1 year. That said, you can repeat the treatment every 6-8 months to maintain the results.

With all these variables, it is really important that you consult an experienced doctor that can recommend the best course of treatment.

Is there any downtime required for treatment?

All treatment options are minimally invasive and do not require much downtime. Rarely, you may experience slight bruising, swelling, and redness around the treatment sites. They are all temporary and would usually clear within a week.

How long do the results of the treatment last?

For fillers of the under eye (also known as the tear trough), one treatment can last from 10-12 months. 

For lasers, people may need up to 6 sessions to see any results. This highly depends on your condition and expectations.

As for Exilis Elite 360, you can usually see some results from the treatment a week after the second session. Results will generally last for 6 months to 1 year. We recommend that you repeat the treatment every 6-8 months to maintain the results.