For as long as I can remember, I have struggled with deep lines under my eyes. They extend from the inside of my eye near my nose and come out in a diagonal line to the center of my cheeks. Each year they get worse. These lines cause me to look far older than I really am, making me feel extremely self conscious. I always look tired!
Five years ago I decided to see a Dermatologist regarding these lines. She basically told me I was out of luck, they were genetic, and there was nothing she could do aside from recommend I find a really good concealer. My heart was broken. From there, I set out to find and try nearly every eye cream on the market that was created to reduce lines and dark circles.
None of them worked. Not. A. Single. One.
In the meantime, I followed every YouTube tutorial I could find regarding covering them up. It didn’t matter if I used the least expensive concealer or spent a small fortune on the one touted as “top of the line,” the lines were still there. Still noticeable. Still making me feel like one of the ugliest people alive.
My husband, bless his heart, continued to tell me I was beautiful and that he never notices my eyes. They say we are our harshest critics, and I 100% believe that.
Since I was so self-conscious about these lines and how old they made me look, I stopped making tutorials and live videos for the Facebook portion of this blog. I know it sounds really simple, but when you have the potential to reach 10 million people, you definitely want to try to look your best (or at least, I did).
I started researching surgical options and learned that what I have are deep tear troughs. The surgical options led me to a less invasive procedure — dermal fillers. I figured that would have the least amount of downtime and probably be the less expensive option, so I researched further to find the best plastic surgeon in my area. I made an appointment and sighed a breath of relief. I was going to do it. I was going to figure out what was going on with my eyes, and hopefully find a solution (temporary or permanent).
The day of my appointment came and I was so excited. The whole hour-long drive to the clinic had me giddy. I arrived a half hour early for my appointment! I could not wait.
When I met the Doctor I had selected, I felt even more at ease. I explained to him what my issues were and what I had tried, he spent a while studying my face. He let me know that what is going on is, in fact genetic, but it is not impossible to fix. What I have is a build-up of fat forming under my eyes, creating the heavy bags and the deeper lines that will only get worse as I age. The best possible fix? Surgery. I asked him what else we could do and he said injections can fill them in, but stressed they’re only temporary.
So, I bit the bullet and said, “Let’s do this!”
The nurse came in and spread lidocaine all over my face, from my eyes down to my chin, and let it sit for 15 minutes so. The feeling was so weird — tingly, cold, and my face slowly went numb.
(Lidocaine on my face)
The first few injections around my right eye went super smooth. I did not feel a thing, but heard the Restylane fluid go through the needle. As he started to get closer to my cheeks, that’s when I started to hyperventilate. I suddenly remembered how much I HATE needles. Whenever I get blood drawn, I have to lay down and then there’s still a chance I will pass out. My body has an insane fight or flight response when it comes to needles. I thought to myself, “What on Earth am I doing?”
He moved onto the second eye. Again, closer to the eye was not painful at all, but out towards my cheeks was. I got sweaty. I couldn’t breathe. My vision blurred. My speech slurred a bit. The Doctor was wonderful and laid me down right away (You have to sit up for the procedure) and his nurse came in to help fan me with cool air. She brought me a water, as well. After a few minutes, I was good to finish.
I also got my smile lines done that same day, because my eye fat is causing a weakness in my cheek muscles (or so I understand), which makes me look like an old woman (in my opinion). The first few pricks weren’t to bad, but then I felt the last few. I had to be laid down again, but it wasn’t as worse as my eyes.
The entire procedure took about 15 minutes (not counting the breaks from my body overreacting to a situation) and I could see the results right away.
I was told to avoid caffeine and not lay down for 4 hours after the procedure. My face stayed numb for about 45 minutes after I left the office, but that didn’t affect my ability to talk, drive, or drink.
(Before and 3 hours post-procedure)
The next day, I was really swollen, which was to be expected. Google said I could do ice on my face, 10 mins at a time, to help with the swelling. The points where the needle was inserted were sore when I smiled or laughed.
By day 3, I was perfectly fine. However, I am seeing where I could have used a little more filler in a few areas now that the swelling is gone and the filler has settled as much as it is going to. But, a good majority of my issues have been resolved. The filler should last 9-12 months, but it’s up to what I notice if I would like to go back sooner for more injections. I notice when I drink a lot of water during the day, the areas fill themselves out, and according to Google, that’s typical for Hyaluranic Acid — it binds to water to expand.
(Three days post-procedure. It felt so amazing when I put makeup on!)
I love the way I look. I can tell I have a lot more confidence. I’m taking photos more and just happier in general. While I may be only 33 years old, I feel as though I made the best decision I could to make myself feel a lot better on a personal level. I know each person is different, but I want to let you know that it’s okay to do something for yourself. Getting these dermal injections were my way of practicing self-care, which is something every mama needs. You need to take care of YOU.
When I posted in our group about my dermal fillers, a lot of you were wondering how much they cost. I received two syringes – one was Restylane for my eyes & I cannot remember the name of the product he used around my mouth) and it cost less than $1,100 for the entire procedure. I did receive a 20% discount they were offering for November, so don’t be afraid to ask what specials they are currently promoting! A lot of you may think that price is insane, but I promise you I have spent a lot more than that just trying to figure out eye creams & makeup!
What is something you do to practice self-care? Let us know in the comments!
