The eyes, the focal point of the face, are often the first things to give away our mood and how we’re feeling (tired, excited, hung over!) They’re also the first feature to show signs of fatigue, tiredness and ageing. We gather insights from top aesthetic doctors in Singapore on popular eye treatments to combat signs of ageing, and discover non-invasive ways to bigger and brighter peepers. Plus a few tips!
#1 360 Degree Non-Surgical Eye Rejuvenation
With age, the delicate skin around the eye loses elasticity and begins to develop wrinkles. As the underlying muscle weakens and sags, the deep fat pads start to bulge through. Volume is lost, creating hollows and resulting in visible eye bags. The solution? The Aesthetic Studio’s eye rejuvenation programme, which combines two non-invasive technologies: Ultraformer III (UF III) using High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) technology, and AGNES Radio frequency Needling.
Combining UF III and AGNES is a multi-layered approach that avoids surgery. UF III heats and stimulates the deeper layers of the skin, promoting collagen production and lifting effects. Done every six months, it tightens overlying skin, reduces drooping and keeps wrinkles at bay, without any downtime.
The AGNES eye protocol allows a combination of skin tightening as well as deeper fat melting, reducing under-eye bulge (eye bag) while firming up wrinkled skin around the eye. Downtime can range from two to seven days of mild swelling to bruising, depending on what you’re being treated for.
Psst… Enhance the effect with injectable fillers, which can be used in combination with this treatment to restore lost volume and fill any under-eye hollows.
Try it at:
The Aesthetic Studio
6737 1100 | 9067 8976
info@aestheticstudio.sg | aestheticstudio.sg
#2 Upper Lid Blepharoplasty
The most commonly performed eyelid surgery at Aesthetic & Reconstructive Centre is upper eyelid blepharoplasty, specifically for creating an upper eyelid crease or adjusting an existing one. Popular amongst younger patients, this surgical procedure gives the eyes a brighter look and creates space for eye makeup. For eyes that are small from side to side, there are two alternatives: medical canthoplasty to widen the corners of the eye nearer to the nose, and lateral canthoplasty to widen the opposite corners of the eye. However, canthoplasty should be approached with caution as it may result in dry eyes and visible scarring.
An upper blepharoplasty can also be performed to remove excess skin and fat in droopy upper lids. This can be a useful and viable option for older patients whose vision is obstructed by prominent upper eyelid hooding.
Psst… Over time, the eyes may become smaller due to age-associated eyelid ptosis (drooping of the upper eyelids) or the drooping of the brow. For the former, a tightening or reattachment of the levator muscle will help to open up the eyes. If your brows are droopy, consider a brow-lift, where the brows are repositioned to an optimal position for a more youthful look.
Try it at:
Aesthetic & Reconstructive Centre
3 Mount Elizabeth #13-08 Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre (Orchard)
6733 3712 | andrewkhoo.com
#3 PDRN Soluble Microneedle Treatment
Looking for a quick fix to lines, wrinkles and dull skin around the delicate eye area? Beaute Hub’s PDRN (Polydeoxyribonucleotides) Soluble Microneedle Treatment is a minimally invasive procedure that safely delivers beneficial, active ingredients like hyaluronic acid and peptides for cell renewal. The soluble microneedles particles surpass the skin barrier, enabling the PDRN serum to penetrate effectively into the treated area and work on repairing damaged tissue.
The intensive treatment concludes with a bio cellulose sodium DNA mask, which helps with skin regeneration. Originally manufactured solely for medical purposes like treating burns and chronic wounds, this unique mask also contains sodium DNA for rapid relief on trouble skin. Look forward to instant brightening and smoothening effects after just one session!
Try it at:
Beaute Hub International
Multiple locations island-wide
6555 1515 | beautehub.com
#4 Fillers
Suitable for those with dark under-eye circles, hollowness under the eyes and mild eye bags, this versatile aesthetic treatment works wonders on enhancing facial features and replacing lost volume in deficient areas.
Known for her approach to aesthetic medical treatments, Dr Yvonne Goh focuses on natural-looking results that combine prevention and cure. At her clinic, a soft filler is injected under the eye using a very fine blunt cannula, which minimises downtime, discomfort and the risk of bruising, while making it safer altogether. The results? Dark circles are masked and hollowed areas are filled, resulting in a natural-looking, fuller under-eye.
For optimal results, consider pairing fillers with Botox. Dr Goh stresses the importance of prevention through getting Botox done early enough, so that wrinkles don’t get a chance to set in. For an added at-home boost, Dr Goh recommends using her Eye Rescue serum, a lightweight hydrating formula that contains peptides to firm and brighten the undereye area.
Psst… Find out more about eye fillers in this informative video!
Try it at:
Dr Yvonne Goh Aesthetics
1 Orchard Boulevard #09-05
Camden Medical Centre
6462 2559 | dryvonnegoh.com
#5 Lower Lid Blepharoplasty
According to Dr Wong Chin Ho from W Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, eye bags should be reviewed alongside other signs of ageing, like sagging cheeks. A lower lid blepharoplasty is one way to tackle it.
Done via a discreet incision just below the lower lashes, eye bag fat is removed and redistributed into the deflated area directly below to correct tear trough deformity, which occurs when there is a hollow junction sitting between the lower lid and the cheek. At the same time and via the same incision, the cheek is lifted to correct sagging in that area. Finally, the excess skin is carefully removed before the incision is closed up. For patients with a significant loss of facial fat in the cheeks, some fat grafting may be performed at the end of the procedure to restore volume.
In contrast to traditional eye bag surgery that only removes fat, by addressing the three aspects of ageing that occur in the cheek area – eye bags, sagging and loss of volume – a more complete rejuvenation can be achieved. Expect a total downtime of around 10 to 14 days.
Try it at:
W Aesthetic Plastic Surgery
#06-28/29 Mount Elizabeth Novena Specialist Center 38 Irrawaddy Road
6570 2528 | waesthetics.com
#6 Thermage
If you’re looking for a non-invasive solution without downtime, check out Thermage, a radio frequency-based procedure that helps to lift and tighten thin skin around the eyes. The heat is calibrated specifically to treat the fragile skin of the eyelids, resulting in increased collagen production that leads to fewer lines and smoothened wrinkles.
At Mizu Aesthetic Clinic, you’ll undergo a consultation to determine whether you’re suitable for Thermage. If so, numbing cream will be applied to the treatment areas for 20 to 30 minutes. Anaesthetic eye drops will then be instilled into both eyes, and protective contact lenses inserted to safeguard the corneas. During the actual procedure, which takes 20 minutes, the doctor will administer pulses of radio frequency, coupled with a cryogen cooling mist, to the treatment areas.
No downtime is involved, and you won’t be able to see any immediate effects, as collagen production takes time. Visible improvements – a lifted upper eyelid, fewer lines and tauter skin – should become apparent around two to three months after the treatment.
Thermage is commonly combined with Botox or dermal fillers for better results.
Try it at:
Mizu Aesthetic Clinic
#B2-12 Marina Bay Link Mall 8A Marina Boulevard
6634 4033 | mizuaesthetic.com
At home remedy
Also try…
Remescar Crow’s Feet ($52) Known as crow’s feet, pesky wrinkles around the eyes tend to be more noticeable than other facial wrinkles as the skin in the area is much thinner. They can be caused by sun exposure over time, together with the age-related reduction in collagen and elastin production. While there is no shortage of eye creams that aim to address fine lines and wrinkles, it usually takes time to see results.
Specially formulated for the delicate area around the eye, Remescar Crow’s Feet promises results that can be seen within minutes. In fact, a clinical, double-blind study concluded that the product can lessen the appearance of crow’s feet by up to 73 percent instantly, with just a single application a day. A combination of active ingredients such as plant silicones and clay minerals for an instant tightening effect, together with concentrated glucoside particles to increase metabolic activity in ageing skin cells, the potent formula should be applied by gently tapping and blending until it’s completely absorbed.
Try it at:
Major pharmacies including Guardian, Unity and Watsons.
Also available online at redmart.com.
Alternative solutions
Our editors test drive brow and lash treatments for naturally enhanced eyes
Full classic lash extension ($108, 90 mins)
My therapist Penny comes straight to the point, asking questions about J-shape, length, wings and so on. I’m pretty lost, so I just explain that I want longer lashes that go out at the ends. She gets me straight away, and explains the procedure of adding one false lash to each of my own.
I can already imagine my future fluttering eyelashes, and I’m ready. Penny gets to work, and with music softly playing in the background, I almost immediately fall asleep. Twitching myself awake occasionally, I hope I haven’t hampered Penny in her steady, careful handiwork, but when I see the finished product I’m delighted. I’ve gone from washed out, tired-looking eyes, to peepers that pop.
Penny gives me an aftercare pack, consisting of a soft brush and a sponge to clean my eyelids and lashes. To aid retention, I’m not supposed to get them wet for 48 hours, but I must admit I went to the gym (a very sweaty HIIT session) the next morning, and they came through that looking as good as new. I’m loving the less-subtle nature of these lashes compared to previous ones I’ve tried, and I’ve already booked in my refills ($60) for two weeks’ time.
– AMY BROOK-PARTRIDGE
If it’s your first time at The Lash Company, you can enjoy it at a special price of $90!
Try it at:
The Lash Company
#02-01, 9A Kampong Bahru Road
9753 2275 | thelashco.sg
(For appointments, text or WhatsApp only)
6D Eyebrow Embroidery ($1,388)
At first, I was fairly nervous about the eyebrow embroidery because it’s a semi-permanent process and there’s tattooing involved. However, I relaxed a bit when my therapist Cindy explained that she was going to draw them on first, and that only once we’d agreed on the shape and colour would we go ahead with the tattooing.
After creating and adjusting the shape to what I felt comfortable with, Cindy applied some numbing gel and I waited for about 15 minutes for it to take effect. As for the tattooing process, there were a few patches that were slightly painful, but it was bearable overall. I was there for two and a half hours, so you’ll need to plan ahead and make sure you’ve had your meal before arriving! You’ll be given saline solution and a special serum to use on your brows for the first couple of days.
The colour turned out perfect, and it’ll lighten after scabbing. They’re a lot thicker than my original eyebrows, but I love them. In a month’s time I’ll need to return to check if there are any gaps, but the effect should last for at least a year. I am really impressed with the results and would definitely recommend having it done here.
– REBECCA BISSET
This service comes with two complimentary touch-ups.
Try it at:
La Source Spa
#01-03/04 Thong Teck Building 15 Scotts Road
6732 1318 | lasourcespa.com.sg
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This article first appeared in the October 2018 edition of Expat Living. You can purchase a copy or subscribe so you never miss an issue!
