 |  |  |  |  |
|---|
OCURX - Under eye filler treatment
Have you noticed hollowed lower eyelids, dark circles around the eyes, or a deep ridge between your lower eyelid and cheek? The area around the lower eyelid and cheek is extremely delicate and is usually one of the first areas to show common indications of aging. A simple procedure called OcuRx™ at Athré Facial Plastics can help reverse these signs of aging and add volume to the cheek/lower eyelid.
Basic Anatomy and Aging of the Lower Eyelid and Cheek
The area between the lower eyelid and cheek is composed of skin, muscle, and fat. The cheek has a tissue layer and a pocket of fat, called the cheek fat pad, that are both deep within the skin. The cheek fat pad is also known as the “apple of your cheek,” which creates the full youthful area when you smile.
​
As we age, we lose collagen and elastin. These building block fibers provide support and serve as a scaffold for our face. As this scaffold support mechanism degrades, strength is lost. The result is skin and deep tissues tend to migrate downward with the force of gravity. Relax, there is something we can do!
​
One of the first areas to show this aging is the junction between the lower eyelid and the cheek. As support is lost, the cheek fats drifts south and leaves behind a hollowed lower eyelid. Patients mistakenly sometimes see excess fat in the lower eyelid, which causes them to see a plastic surgeon for eyelid surgery in the Houston area. However, the problem is not excess fat in the lower eyelid, and removing this fat will actually make the patient look hollowed and older. The actual problem is a loss of volume caused by the downward descent of the cheek fat pad.
​
The solution to the problem is to replace the volume with the OcuRx procedure.
How is it done?
Lost volume is replaced with an injectable filler such as, Restylane®. The entire procedure takes less than 30 minutes and can last 8 to 9 months! Restylane is a filler made of hyaluronic acid and is used to fill the trough or ridge. The area of the lower eyelids is anesthetized first with topical numbing cream. Then, Restylane is injected and sculpted to even out the ridge formed under the eyelid and the area between the lower eyelid and cheek.
​
OcuRx takes about 30 minutes and is done in the office. The procedure is done under local anesthesia with no pain or discomfort and normally lasts upwards of 8 to 9 months.​