How can I improve spots, wrinkles, and sagging under the eyes with water light injections?

I asked, "Do aquaphor injections help with wrinkles and sagging under the eyes?"
Do the under eyes swell up after the aquaphoric injections?"
What agents do you recommend for under eye water light injections?"

Do you have these concerns or questions about under eye water light injections?

Hello. I am a doctor of cosmetic dermatology and Smart Skin Clinic.

In this article, we will discuss the effects, duration, side effects, risks and precautions, downtime, advantages and disadvantages, and recommended agents for "under-eye water light injections" from a medical standpoint.


*Please press the item you are interested in from the table of contents below to jump to it.

What are under eye water light injections?

Hydroxyapatite injection is a treatment that uses a device that injects nine ultra-fine needles per shot like a stamp and applies suction pressure while injecting, enabling the drug to be delivered evenly over a wide area deep into the skin.

The effect of the drug and the mechanism of skin regeneration called "wound healing" are expected to be effective.

Aqueous light injections can be performed under the delicate under-eye area.

The length of the needle can be adjusted according to the injection site, making it possible to inject at a depth suitable for under the eyes, where the skin is thin. In addition, the needle for aqueous injections is extremely fine and short, resulting in minimal damage.

For more information about water light injections, please see this article.

Effects of aqueous light injections under the eyes

Under-eye water light injections can be expected to improve various skin problems such as dark circles, wrinkles, and sagging skin under the eyes.
*The effects that can be expected vary depending on the formulation injected in the water-light injections.

Fine lines and wrinkles due to dryness

Shallow wrinkles and fine lines are caused by a decrease in moisture in the skin tissue. Mild wrinkles recover when the skin is hydrated.

When the needle stimulates the skin with water light injections, it activates fibroblasts and promotes the production of hyaluronic acid, which has water retention properties.

Sagging, dimpling, dark circles

Sagging and dimpling are caused by the deterioration of the skin and skin-supporting tissues.
The skin loses its firmness and elasticity due to structural changes in the skin caused by the deterioration of facial muscles, fat gain, and a decrease in collagen and elastin.

The stimulation of the needles increases collagen and elastin, which can be expected to improve sagging, dimpled, and dark circles.

Dark spots and dullness

Blotches are abnormal increases in melanin pigment.
Dullness can be caused by poor circulation or by melanin pigmentation.

To improve blotchiness and swelling, it is recommended to increase the metabolism of the skin through the effects of the drug. However, it takes about 5 to 10 continuous treatments to realize the effect.

The following article describes the efficacy of mesotherapy (≈hydro-optic injection) with vitamin C preparations for dark circles (hyperpigmentation) under the eyes.

Forty-five female patients with periorbital hyperpigmentation were randomly selected. The patients were divided into three groups: group A received CO₂ therapy, group B received chemical peeling, and group C received vitamin C mesotherapy. (omitted) The mesotherapy group reported more burning sensation after treatment than the other two groups, but also showed significant improvement in pigmentation and patient satisfaction compared to the carboxy group. (omitted) All three treatments were effective in reducing periorbital hyperpigmentation. However, mesotherapy showed significant improvement in pigmentation and higher patient satisfaction compared to the other treatments.

Naglaa A Ahmed, Salma S Mohammed, Mohammad I Fatani .Treatment of periorbital dark circles: comparative study of carboxy therapy vs chemical peeling vs mesotherapy. journal of cosmetic dermatology. 2019 Feb;18(1);169-175. doi: 10.1111/jocd.12536.

When do the effects start to show? How long do the effects last? How often is the treatment required?

The time of onset of effect varies slightly depending on the drug. The effect may be felt as early as a few days later.
Although a single injection can be effective, further results can be expected with repeated injections.

The duration of effectiveness varies from short-term to lasting up to two years, depending on the type of drug.

The frequency of treatment is recommended to be performed 3-4 times at roughly 2-4 week intervals. Taking into consideration the natural aging process, regular treatments are recommended.

Treatment time and procedure flow for under eye water light injections

Treatment Time

The treatment time for aqueous light injections is 30-40 minutes for the entire face, excluding the counseling session. It is much shorter for the eye area only.

Flow of treatment

Pain from under eye water light injections

The pain of a water-light injection is limited to a slight prick at the moment the needle is inserted. Since the injection is performed while applying suction pressure, the pain is less than that of ordinary injections.

In addition, the use of surface anesthesia reduces the pain of the needle. The degree of pain varies depending on the injected drug. Those who are very anxious about pain and needles may use "laughing anesthesia," which makes you feel fluffy when inhaled.

Downtime, side effects, risks, and precautions for water light injections

The area around the eyes is at high risk of side effects due to the thin skin, but the side effects of aqueous light injections are relatively mild.

Downtime period and symptoms

Redness and bumps at the injection site may occur, but in most cases will return to normal in about 24 hours.

Due to the nature of the treatment, subcutaneous bleeding may occur at the needle puncture site, although not always. If subcutaneous bleeding spots occur, they will gradually disappear over a period of 10-14 days.

For more information about the downtime of hydroxyapatite injections, please also see here.

risk

The following risks are associated with under-eye water light injections

• Pain during treatment.
• Noticeable downtime symptoms
• Risk of allergy due to ingredients.
• Risk of infection.

Postoperative pain and swelling will subside over time and within a few days. If symptoms intensify, there is a possibility of infection. If the pain and redness do not subside after a week or more, or if they intensify, please consult the clinic.

How to speed up the downtime of under eye water light injections

To speed up the downtime of under-eye water light injections, avoid any activities that may cause irritation or intensify symptoms after the procedure. Cooling will also reduce redness, swelling, and pain, as well as internal bleeding.

• Avoid post-treatment irritation, such as rubbing the skin
• Avoid long baths, saunas, and exercise strenuous enough to make you sweat.
• Cool the affected area intermittently.

To enhance the effectiveness of under eye water light injections

There are several points to consider in order to enhance the effectiveness of under-eye water light injections.

• Choosing a Reliable Clinic
• Treatment after satisfactory counseling
• Moisturizing measures
• Measures against ultraviolet rays

Since each clinic has a different track record and pricing, it is recommended that you also check their website, SNS, and word-of-mouth sites. Once you have narrowed down your choices to a few, have a consultation, share your concerns and ideals, and receive proposals for suitable treatments and drugs. Based on the continuing treatment, we will confirm your concerns until you are satisfied with the treatment.

Even if the procedure goes well, neglecting aftercare can lead to the risk of new skin problems such as hyperpigmentation. After the surgery, follow the clinic's advice and engage in appropriate skin care such as moisturizing and UV protection.

Advantages and disadvantages of under eye water light injections

The following are the advantages and disadvantages of under eye water light injections.

Advantages

• Short treatment time
• Less pain, pain relief is possible with anesthesia
• Reliable delivery of the drug to the desired depth of injection
• The eye area is injected into the shallow skin area, so there is less risk and downtime.
• Effects can be felt quickly.
• Ingredients can be selected according to your concerns

Demerit

• Tingling pain during treatment
• Non-zero downtime.
• Effects are not permanent.

Drugs recommended for under eye water light injections

The following is a list of recommended agents for under eye water light injections.

Although each has different ingredients and mechanisms of action, they are expected to activate fibroblasts and promote the production of collagen and elastin, thereby producing firmness and elasticity, and to have an effect on sagging and dark circles. Preparations containing hyaluronic acid are also expected to have an immediate effect on skin moisture retention and on fine lines and wrinkles.

drug	Component
Juvelook	Preparations containing non-cross-linked hyaluronic acid and polylactic acid
REJURAN	Preparations containing polynucleotides Rejuran i" is exclusively for the eye area.
SUNEKOS	Preparation based on non-cross-linked hyaluronic acid and 6 amino acids
Exosome	Preparations containing growth factors, amino acids, vitamins, etc.
JALPRO (Classic)	Preparation containing non-cross-linked hyaluronic acid and 4 amino acids as main ingredients

FAQ

What is the difference between aqueous injections and dermapen?

In both cases, the wound healing mechanism is used to promote skin renewal by wounding the skin with a needle.

The difference is the ease of drug penetration. In hydroxyapatite injections, the drug is injected directly into the skin.
Dermapen has the disadvantage of being more difficult to penetrate than direct injection because it is applied over a drilled hole.

Are under-eye water light injections painful?

Depending on the drug, water-light injections cause a prickling needle pain.
It is not unbearable and can be alleviated with the use of anesthesia.

Does it work after just one visit?

Although a single session is effective, we recommend 3 to 4 sessions at approximately 2 to 4 week intervals.

Can I wear makeup on the day of the procedure?

Makeup can be applied the next day.

Downtime symptoms can be covered with makeup such as foundation and concealer.

Will it be bumpy?

Uneven injection volume can cause unevenness, but because the machine injects the injections uniformly, there is basically no unevenness.
Rarely, fine bumps may appear, but they usually settle by the next day.

Who is recommended for under-eye aquatic light injections?

Under-eye water light injections are recommended for those who suffer from "fine lines and wrinkles due to dryness," "sagging and hollowing," "dark circles," and "dark spots and dark circles" under the eyes.

For under eye water light injections, go to Smart Skin Clinic.

Although the area under the eyes is prone to side effects, the relatively short downtime of aqueous light injections makes them an easy treatment to receive.

At Smart Skin Clinic, our doctors can suggest the best drug for each patient's condition. We offer popular drugs such as Jubelq, Rejuran, SUNECOS, Exosome, and Jalpro (Classic).

Please feel free to inquire about the eye area as well as various symptoms and agents of concern. Counseling is free of charge.

Reference

Naglaa A Ahmed, Salma S Mohammed, Mohammad I Fatani .Treatment of periorbital dark circles: comparative study of carboxy therapy vs chemical peeling vs mesotherapy. journal of cosmetic dermatology. 2019 Feb;18(1);169-175. doi: 10.1111/jocd.12536.