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The Difference Between Dark Eye Circles And Eye Bags
The Difference Between Dark Eye Circles And Eye Bags

The Difference Between Dark Eye Circles And Eye Bags

Eye bags and dark eye circles are often seen as the same thing. However, they are actually two different concerns that are closely interlinked to one another. Eye bags are the swelling or sagginess below the eyes while dark eye circles are the darkening of the under-eye skin which can affect your appearance.

There are plenty of treatment options available to treat these conditions. People may go for non-surgical procedures, like laser and eye fillers, etc, or choose to undergo eye bag removal surgery for longer-lasting results.

This article includes everything you need to know about dark eye circles and eye bags. There is a complete discussion about the differences between these two and their causes. It also covers the non-surgical and surgical eye bag removal treatments available in detail.

What Are Eye Bags And What Are Their Causes?

Eye bags are characterized by mild swelling or puffiness under the eyes that come with age. The muscles and tissues around your eyes weaken as you get older. As a result, the periorbital skin loses its tension and fullness leading to the formation of eye bags. Swelling can get worse when fluid accumulates in the space below your eyes.

Eye bags are mostly mild and harmless. Several factors contribute to it, such as:

  • Fluid retention (particularly after a salty meal or upon waking up)
  • Inadequate sleep
  • Heredity (eye bags could run in the family)
  • Smoking
  • Allergies

What Are Dark Eye Circles And What Are Their Causes?

Dark eye circles, as the name indicates, are the darkening of under-eye skin. They can affect anyone and are often accompanied by eye bags. They are common in men and women. They can affect your appearance i.e. you look more tired and older than your actual age.

Several factors cause or contribute to the formation of dark circles. For instance;

  • Fatigue
  • Age
  • Eye Strain
  • Allergies
  • Dehydration
  • Sun overexposure
  • Genetics – Dark eye circles can be an inherited trait and can occur from some medical conditions like thyroid disease.

What Are Some Quick Tips For Dealing With Eye Bags And Dark Eye Circles?

Certain home remedies can help in reducing dark eye circles. One of the best is to apply cold-soaked tea bags to the target spot. This is helpful because caffeine and antioxidants found in tea can help in stimulating blood circulation. It also reduces the liquid retention beneath the skin.

If you are dealing with both eye bags and dark eye circles at the same time then here are some quick tips to improve your appearance. These include;

  • Applying a cold compress – It will help in reducing the puffiness, and also eradicate dark circles by shrinking dilated blood vessels
  • Adequate sleep – lack of sleep makes your dark circles more noticeable
  • Elevating your head slightly during sleep –could prevent the fluid from accumulating around your eyes and decreases the chances of dark circles in the morning
  • Concealing the eye bags and dark circles with makeup

Small adjustments in your daily habits can reduce your eye bags. These includes:

  • Reducing salt quantity in your diet
  • Quitting smoking
  • Cutting down on fluids before bedtime
  • Preventing allergy symptoms from worsening eye bags

What Are Various Non-Surgical Eye Bag Removal Treatment Options Available In Singapore?

If home remedies are not producing results for you, there are some eye bag removal without surgery and dark circle treatments you can undergo in Singapore.

Dark Eye Circle Treatments

  • Filler Injection conceals the appearance of eye bags and also plump sunken under-eye areas, reducing unwanted shadows.
  • Botox Injections tighten the skin beneath the eyes and reduce the appearance of puffiness
  • Mini- Threads add volume to sunken grooves and also tighten skin for a tauter and smoother under-eye appearance.
  • Laser Treatment lightens dark circles caused by pigmentation and also encourages collagen renewal.

Micro-needle Radio-frequency Treatment melts excess fat and stimulates new collagen to reduce puffiness and improve skin tautness.

Non-Surgical Eyebag Removal

While non-surgical eye bag removal and dark circles remain a popular option due to low to no downtime properties, a number of sessions or repeated treatments will be required to achieve optimal results. Results from the treatment are subtle and they prevent worsening of the eye bag conditions. However, if one prefers to treat the root cause of eye bags and dark circles or prefers more drastic improvements, surgical options would be ideal.

What Are Various Surgical Eye Bag And Dark Eye Circles Removal Treatments Available In Singapore?

Here is the list and details of eye bag removal surgery and dark circle treatments you can undergo in Singapore;

Nano Facial Fat Grafting

Nano Facial Fat Grafting

Nano facial fat grafting, also known as fat injection, is a surgical technique that extracts unnecessary fat from several zones of the body like the abdomen, buttocks, and thighs to implant it into the face, such as the under-eye area.

This technique can be used to treat eye bags and improve dark eye circles. Unlike the conventional Cannulas used for fat extraction, a thinner Cannula is utilized to extract pure fat and then transferred to the deficient areas of the face like saggy and sunken eye bags. Your overall face dimension could be improved by this technique along with amplifying anti-aging benefits for younger looks.

This procedure is recommended when you are having an uneven and sunken eyelid or you want to get rid of wrinkles and lines to get a more youthful look.

Transconjunctival Eye Bag Removal

Transconjunctival Eye Bag Removal

In this technique, fat tissue present in the inner part of the lower eyelids is removed. This will reduce the puffiness caused by the accumulation of fat under the eyes. You should go for this procedure if there are early signs of the formation of eye bags and mild puffiness.

The recovery time after this procedure is 7 to 10 days. The main advantages of this procedure include:

  • No visible scars were left on the face
  • Faster recovery
  • Better preserve the eye shape
  • Causes less trauma around the eyes
  • Causes less swelling and staining

Incisional Eye Bag Removal

Incisional Eye Bag Removal

This procedure is used to remove excess fat tissue and skin by an incision along the lower lash line. The technique is recommended if you have moderate puffiness, excessive skin and wrinkles along the under-eye area. The recovery time after this procedure is 10 to 14 days.

The main advantages of this procedure include:

  • A more even and less wrinkled appearance on the under-eye area
  • Smoother under-eye contour
  • More effective treatment for serious eye bag conditions

Eye Fat Repositioning Surgery

Eye Fat Repositioning Surgery

In this surgical technique, excessive skin and fat are removed and uneven grooves are improved by repositioning and redistributing the fat present in the under-eye skin. Even distribution of fat creates a flat and smooth under-eye contour.

This technique involves a recovery time of 10 to 14 days and is recommended if you have:

  • Significant and excess fat in the lower eyelids
  • Deep or multiple grooves under the eyes
  • Visible blood vessels below the eyes
  • Dark circles – formed due to sunken areas that lack enough fat
  • Sagging skin in the lower eyelids

Are There Any Risks Or Side Effects Of Eye Bag Plastic Surgery? 

As for any surgical method, there are some potential risks or side effects including:

  • Bleeding
  • Swelling
  • Cysts where the skin was sewn together
  • Infection
  • Numbness
  • Skin discoloration
  • Drooping skin
  • Necrosis of fat tissue under the eye
  • Wounds that won’t heal well 

 

It is important to look for an experienced plastic surgeon as treatment by trained professionals can minimize the risk associated with the procedure.

What Is The Aftercare Of Eye Bag Plastic Surgery?

Eye bag surgery in Singapore is an outpatient procedure. The instructions and prescriptions for care include:

  • Sleeping with your head above your heart level
  • Applying cold compresses during the first 48 hours after surgery
  • Applying ointments and eye drops to help prevent infections
  • Wearing darkly tinted sunglasses to protect your eyes from excessive light exposure

The swelling and bruising will decrease significantly after about 10 to 14 days. You should see the doctor if feel any of these symptoms:

  • Bleeding
  • Fever
  • Pain that worsens instead of getting better over time

What Is The Cost Of Eye Bag Surgery in Singapore?

The cost of eye bag plastic surgery varies by technique, the experience of the surgeons, operating facilities, anesthesia, and some other factors. However, the average eye bag surgery cost in Singapore is between $4,500 to $7,500.

What Are Some Preoperative Instructions For Eye Bag Plastic Surgery? 

You should schedule your procedure when you are ready for it. But before undergoing the surgery, you need to take some preoperative measures. Your doctor will tell you about these instructions beforehand.

Some preparing measures for eye bag surgery include:

  • Basic instructions before surgery like what you should eat or drink a day before surgery.
  • Eye drops or other medications, you need to take before surgery
  • A caregiver to bring you home after surgery
  • Have these items with you
    • Cloths and ice packs for cold compresses
    • Sunglasses to protect your eyes

How To Find A Good Doctor For Eye Bag Plastic Surgery In Singapore?

Here are a few tips on how you can go about finding a plastic surgeon.

  • Get a referral from your family physician.
  • Ask about the before and after photos of the patients whom the doctor has treated to see the results
  • Ask those who have undergone such treatment.
  • Ask the doctor about his/her years of experience and how many such treatments he/she has done so far.

Bottom Line

Eye bags are mild swelling or puffiness under the eyes whereas Dark eye circles are the darkening of the under-eye skin accompanied by eye bags. These can be removed by both surgical and non-surgical techniques. Nano Facial Fat Grafting, Transconjunctival eye bag removal, Incisional eye bag removal, and eye fat repositioning surgery are various surgical eye bag removal in Singapore. They have short downtime, recovery period, and minimal risks of side effects.

About Dream Aesthetics and Plastic Surgery

Bespoke surgical for cosmetic or medical reasons is what Dream covers to bring out the beauty in every individual. Going beyond the aesthetics and working on physical anomalies are what we value the most in leading our patients to cherish self-improvement and confident lifestyles.

Derived from Associate Professor Vincent Yeow’s long-standing experience performing plastic surgery in Singapore, our treatment plans deliver physical remodelling in our patients’ favour. One of the notable remodellings is droopy eyelid correction. The ptosis surgery used for treatment eventually fixes drooping eyelids, improves vision and enhances appearance.

Most importantly, as a trustworthy plastic surgery and aesthetic clinic, we treasure positive and natural outcomes for each individual. We will ensure to deliver the beauty refinement of your dream without compromising your safety and privacy.