Why finding the cause comes first
Four different problems can produce the same tired look under the eye. Only one of them is a true bag of fat. Each needs its own approach, so treating the wrong cause can make matters look worse.
Please note what we do and do not do. Dr Sin Yong is an aesthetic physician. He assesses each case himself and offers non-surgical care. He does not operate on eyelids. If you have true herniated fat, he will refer you to a plastic surgery or oculoplastic specialist.
Four causes that look alike
This is a structural bag. Sleep does not resolve it.
A hollow casts a shadow, and the shadow reads as a bag.
This changes with sleep, salt and the time of day.
Loose skin produces crêpe and folding.
Eye bag removal in Singapore: surgery and referral
Removing fat is a surgical job. The operation is a lower blepharoplasty, including the transconjunctival approach that is sometimes called scarless. A plastic surgery or oculoplastic specialist performs it, not Dr Sin Yong. Recovery is longer and the surgical team guides it. Surgery does not change pigment, vessels showing through the skin, or skin quality. Large true fat bags are a poor fit for non-surgical care.
Non-surgical options we offer
A low-hydrophilicity gel for a tear trough hollow, placed deep near the bone beneath the orbicularis muscle, in small amounts. Hyaluronic acid is chosen partly because hyaluronidase can dissolve it.
Used for laxity and pigment. The approach is selected after examination.
Polynucleotides are one example. They act on skin quality, not volume.
Triggers are identified and managed. If swelling persists, a medical cause is checked.
Who non-surgical care suits
It may suit you if a tear trough hollow casts the shadow, or if your lower-lid skin is crêpey or lax. Thin skin may benefit from work on skin quality. Fluid-related puffiness may be helped once its trigger is managed.
Who should wait or be reviewed first
Pregnancy or breastfeeding, a stye, a cold sore, or an infected or inflamed area around the eyes.
Allergy to hyaluronic acid products or lidocaine, past filler reactions, a bleeding tendency or blood thinners. Festoons, very thin crêpey skin or fluctuating puffiness also call for caution.
A recent tan or a keloid tendency.
Thyroid eye disease, or swelling that is unexplained, new, one-sided or painful.
What non-surgical care cannot do
Fat sitting behind the septum stays put, whatever is injected or applied.
Filler over a herniation looks fuller and heavier.
Energy-based treatment does not reduce fat or fill a hollow.
Hyaluronic acid breaks down gradually, and the area keeps ageing. No duration is promised.
Risks and side effects
After filler, swelling, tenderness and bruising are common and usually settle. Less often there is a bluish tint from gel placed too near the surface, lumps, unevenness, ongoing swelling over the cheekbone, or an overfilled look. Hyaluronidase can address most of these. Vascular occlusion is rare but serious, and can harm the skin and affect vision. After energy-based or laser work, expect redness and swelling. Darkening, burns or blistering are uncommon.
Aftercare
For the first day, expect swelling or mild bruising. Cool gently if advised, sleep with your head slightly raised, and do not press, rub or massage the area. For the first week, avoid strenuous exercise, saunas and heavy make-up on the area if advised. Wear broad-spectrum sunscreen and sunglasses, and pause retinoids and acids near the eyes until told to restart. Seek urgent help for vision change, severe pain, pale or dusky skin, growing swelling, spreading redness or discharge.
Sessions and fees
Staging is discussed at consultation. Fees are not published. They depend on the cause found, the area, the product or device and consumables, whether one or several approaches are needed, and how the plan is staged. A written quote is given after examination at consultation. Surgical fees are set by the surgical team.