The COVID-19 pandemic wruck havoc on people's lives all over the world. Because of radical lifestyle changes, everyone's biological clocks were reset, causing subtle but noticeable physical changes. One of the more obvious tell-tale signs of stress, fatigue or aging is sunken eyes, also referred to as under-eye hollow eyes.
This condition is the result of the "delicate skin under the eyes losing elasticity and collagen as they get older," according to WebMD.com. Dr. Michelle Marie Supapo, who specializes in aesthetic medicine, revealed the high demand for under-eye treatments during the past two years.
“When the restrictions were lifted, and people started going out with their masks, they became more conscious of the eye area, which is the only thing you see,” she told PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal).
What are the treatments for sunken eyes?
The faster alternatives, according to Dr. Supapo, are “botox, fillers, and threads just to add volume.” While a lot of Filipinos still rely on eye creams, the market for those who prefer injectables is growing.
“These things, the aging, we can’t control, so that’s why we offer these non-surgical procedures because not every patient is open to going under the knife. But those who have tried the fillers are happy. They see the results faster. They spend less time on maintenance.”
There's also threading or the eye thread lift, which is the insertion of special surgical threads into the skin near the eye area to lift and tighten the eye bags. Dr. Supapo's clinic offers “a new Korean technology called thread in a bottle, which is a lipid product equivalent to thousands of threads."
She added, “You just need a small amount to get the desired effect. It’s a 20-minute procedure. The lipid thread lasts for 18 months.”
What causes sunken eyes?
Meanwhile, if you want to delay (not avoid) the effects of aging, Dr. Supapo advised looking into these four factors. One is hydration, so drink water. "Hydrate because one of the reasons why some people experience hollowness is because of dehydration."
Two: Weight loss and weight gain “So you need proper diet and exercise. Sometimes, when you lose weight or you gain sudden weight, you also see it in the eyes.
Three: Sleep deprivation.
Four: “It’s really genetics.”
What are the treatments for wrinkles?
Dr. Supapo said, “There are so many skin-lifting, skin tightening procedures now.” The most popular in her clinic is Botox injection, which can treat fine lines, deep wrinkles, and excessive sweating.
How? According to MayoClinic.org, it can “block certain chemical signals from nerves, mostly signals that cause muscles to contract. It can actually relax the facial muscles.” Its longevity: Three months.
Dr. Supapo added, “We have lasers for patients who don’t like needle injections. They’re effective for three to four weeks. “We also have machines which are non-invasive.”
For all the treatments, the downtime may be cause by the bruising and swelling. Lastly, what if you stop the treatments? Dr. Supapo answered, "There’s a misconception that when you stop doing the treatments, the wrinkles will get worse, no, not necessarily."
This story originally appeared on Pep.ph. Minor edits have been made by the Preview.ph editors.
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