Hollow Eyes

Hollow eyes, also known as sunken eyes, are when the under-eye skin appears dark and sunken, the socket appears large, and the eyes appear to be set deep in the socket. Some people just have hollow eyes, and have them from a young age (there’s a significant genetic component to this) but they’re also something that can develop and get worse with age.

Treatments:

Dermal Filler - Tear Trough

Skin Boosters

FAQ - HOLLOW EYES

Why do my eyes look sunken?

This is partly to do with the tear trough junction between the lower eyelid and the cheek and the smoother that junction is, the less hollow your eyes will look. Some people’s tear troughs become hollow as they age, others have puffy eye bags or pouchy bulges of fat, where the under-eye fat has slipped and descended from its original position. It is when this tear trough area becomes hollow that eyes can start to look sunken.

Eyes become more sunken with age due to the loss of periorbital fat and bone resorption.

• As you get older (usually starting in your early 40s) the fat pads in your face begin to shrink. You have around 20 of these fat pads in your face, some of them being under the eyes. These fat pads are known as ‘periorbital fat’ and are among the first to go. When this happens, the sunken-eye effect is made even more noticeable because the skin, no longer stretched over the same volume of fat, is looser and saggier and more likely to fold.

• We lose bone mass from the skull as we age, from the temples, around the eye sockets, along the jaw and chin, and around the mouth - in short, everything in the face begins to gradually collapse inwards. This means that the eye socket actually becomes larger with age than it was when you were younger. We can see this when looking at the skulls of younger and older women. your eye area actually does become more hollow than it used to be.

If you have darker skin, and pigmentation in the hollows of your eyes (dark circles) this can make the hollowness look even more severe because of how the light plays on the skin.

Does weight loss cause hollow eyes?

Generally, ageing and genetics are more likely to be the causes of hollow eyes. That said, when you lose fat, you lose fat from everywhere, including from your face as well as your body so significant weight loss can make the appearance of hollowness that bit worse.

How do you increase periorbital fat?

There is no way of increasing periorbital fat naturally.

The reliable way to adjust periorbital fat is to have an eye lift, a blepharoplasty, and have the fat pads above or below the eyes smoothed out and re-draped as part of the procedure.

When it comes to non-surgical options, you can go for injections of dermal filler but this won’t increase the amount of fat in the area, but it will replace some of the volume around the eye socket.

Can I use filler under my eyes?

Yes, you absolutely can and it can have great results. You can use dermal filler up to the orbital rim, but not beneath the skin of the lower eyelid. What you can use in that area is Polynucleotide Skin Boosters, which stimulates regrowth of skin tissues and strengthens the area.

It’s worth noting that if you have dark circles from hyperpigmentation, having filler injected into this area will not reduce the pigmentation as that needs to be treated with Skincare and Skin Boosters.

How can I permanently fix sunken eyes?

Unfortunately, in non-surgical terms, nothing can be done to permanently fix the appearance of sunken eyes. Surgically speaking, though, a lower blepharoplasty (also known as a lower-eye lift) can improve the look of the area. Cautious treatment with injectable fillers and boosters can improve the area for a 12-18 months.

Can I use skincare to treat sunken eyes?

No skincare cannot help to revolumise a face that’s starting to look gaunt. Some creams or makeup promise a ‘plumping’ effect, but what they’re referring to is plumping up the skin. This will indeed make the skin look softer and less wrinkly, but this will only make a difference of a fraction of a millimetre. Skincare cannot and will not do anything to replace the volume that has been lost beneath the surface, whatever its packaging might suggest.

Can I prevent sunken eyes?

While maintaining a higher body weight may help retain facial fat, particularly beneath the eyes, it is not a guaranteed solution as this fat may still diminish with age. Unfortunately, there are no definitive methods to prevent the occurrence of sunken eyes.

What are the best tear trough exercises?

There is some skepticism regarding the efficacy of exercises targeting the tear trough area, as the primary cause of volume loss around the eyes is attributed to a reduction in fat rather than muscle. While some proponents advocate for facial exercises aimed at the eyes, the evidence supporting their effectiveness remains inconclusive. Additionally, considering the natural bone resorption that occurs in the tear trough as we age, it is challenging to envision how any exercise could significantly enhance volume in this delicate region.

• Eye Squeeze: Close your eyes tightly for a few seconds, then relax. Repeat this several times to engage the muscles around the eyes.

• Eyebrow Raise: Place your fingers just above your eyebrows and try to raise them while resisting the movement with your fingers. This can help strengthen the surrounding muscles.

• Cheek Lifts: Smile widely while keeping your lips closed, and then try to lift your cheeks towards your eyes. Hold for a few seconds and release.

While some exercises are suggested for the tear trough area, their effectiveness is debatable. The primary issues of volume loss stem from fat and bone changes rather than muscle strength, making it difficult to see significant improvements through exercises alone.