This blog post is part two of a series in partnership with Elamar Skin Science. All services and products were complementary but all opinions and experiences are my own.

I have had dark circles under my eyes for as long as I can remember. I’ve tried everything–expensive creams, thick concealer, you name it. I chug water to make sure I’m not dehydrated because that only makes the darkness worse. Even when I don’t wear makeup, I feel the need to swipe concealer under my eyes–it’s that bad.

My friends at Elamar Skin Science convinced me to try dermal filler under my eyes. Spoiler alert: I LOVE it. Hello, bright eyes!

Dermal filler is a gel-like substance that can be inserted under your skin to plump up areas of your face.  It is a natural substance and is temporary, because it will eventually be absorbed by the body.

My Dermal Filler Experience:

The day of my appointment, I was super nervous.  I was afraid of the pain, and of coming out looking crazy-eyed.  The doctors at Elamar quickly informed me that it wouldn’t mess up, but if it did, there was a serum that could dissolve the gel.  Yay!

The technician came in first and applied a numbing cream to the area under my eyes.  After sitting for 20 minutes, Dr. Gill came in to begin the procedure.  I’m going to be completely honest and tell you that the first prick of the needle hurt.  Not super painful, but pretty uncomfortable.  The gel itself has a numbing agent in it, so after that initial prick, I didn’t feel a thing.  The entire process, including the 20 minutes with numbing cream, took about 40 minutes.

Following the procedure, Dr. Gill recommends that you sleep in a recliner or other semi-sitting position for two nights.  He prepared me for a small amount of bruising and/or swelling.  I didn’t experience any swelling and only had tiny bruises where the needles entered my skin.  (In the first reveal photo below, you can see the small bruises in my after photo!)

I am amazed at my results.  My mom told me the other day, “You just look so refreshed!”  And that is exactly what I was going for.  =)

The cost for under-eye dermal filler at Elamar Skin ranges from $400-595 and lasts for one entire year.  There is a 2-year filler option for $795.

Any questions?  I’ll be glad to try and answer them–just leave them in the comments!