Bags vs hollows vs dark circles — why they look similar but require completely different approaches.
Under-eye concerns are among the most common requests in aesthetic dermatology — and among the most frequently misdiagnosed. The under-eye area has multiple overlapping anatomical issues that look similar but require completely different treatments.
True under-eye bags are caused by forward movement of orbital fat — producing a convex bulge. Adding filler to this area would make it worse. The appropriate treatment is fat repositioning technique or surgical lower blepharoplasty.
Hollowing (tear trough deformity) creates a concave shadow — producing the appearance of tiredness or dark circles. HA filler placed precisely at the correct depth corrects this shadow and produces a refreshed appearance.
Some dark circles are caused by actual pigmentation rather than shadows. Pigmentation-based dark circles require laser treatment, not filler — and misidentifying the cause leads to wasted treatment.
An in-person assessment is required — photographs are rarely sufficient to distinguish fat prolapse from hollowing from pigmentation. Book a consultation at STAR for a clinical assessment.
HA filler can be safely placed in the tear trough zone by an experienced injector who knows the correct anatomical plane and technique. STAR's 20-year specialist experience means this is done with appropriate precision.