As I answered the FaceTime call, I saw myself on the screen and gasped. I forgot to put concealer under my eyes, and without it, I feel like I’ve been up all night at best, or a boxing match at worst.
Think gray-purple dark circles giving way to hollowness with a hint of sagging, crepey skin and more than my fair share of fine lines and wrinkles for my 43 years.
I can’t even blame my two children because these days, aged six and nine, they both sleep through the night. The truth is, I left my baggage about never fully recovering from the lack of sleep I suffered when they were babies.
As a beauty editor, I’ve tried everything in an effort to turn back time, from retinol and caffeine eye creams to micro-needling facials and snail slime moisturizer .
But even I balked at the latest new “miracle” ingredient supposed to banish under-eye fatigue: salmon sperm.
Bethan King’s bags under her eyes before the injection
Bags under Bethan’s eyes after injection
Unlikely as it may seem, a revolutionary new injectable treatment, containing yes, a salmon sperm derivative, promises to banish dark circles, plump fine lines and rejuvenate the under-eye area. Ameela is a lightweight water-based gel and the treatment costs £450 per session. With results said to last up to a year, this is being touted as a game-changer for those who don’t want to go under the knife.
I’m not entirely sold on the idea, but timeless beauty Jennifer Aniston admits she’s tried a salmon sperm facial. And if it’s good enough for Jen, it’s good enough for me.
So how does it work? “Salmon sperm contains a very pure and light polynucleotide, a substance that triggers regeneration in the body,” explains aesthetic and general practitioner Dr Ahmed El Muntasar, who offers the treatment in his clinics.
“When Ameela is injected into the under-eye area, it stimulates cells called fibroblasts to naturally increase the production of collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid.
“So it doesn’t just help plump up the hollows under the eyes, that’s how tear filler works. Instead, it improves skin tone, thickens, brightens, and increases blood flow, which helps diminish under-eye bags and fine lines.
But why salmon sperm, in particular, and how do they extract it, I ask? He explains that semen is a by-product of the food industry, obtained from farmed salmon. Once the salmon’s reproductive organs are removed, the sperm is extracted, then processed and filtered to extract the DNA.
“Salmon sperm DNA is very similar to ours,” explains Dr. El Muntasar. “It has a higher and purer concentration of rejuvenating polynucleotides than other fish.” So while there are other fish sperm treatments available, you may need five sessions with, say, cod sperm derivatives, whereas with salmon you may see a significant improvement in the area under the eyes after just two or three sessions.
Until recently, tear filler, which costs between £300 and £500 per treatment, was largely the only non-surgical option for under-eye rejuvenation, but I have always avoided using it.
I know it can be risky; if not performed by an experienced practitioner, it can cause bumps under the eyes, scarring and, if mistakenly injected into an artery or blood vessel, even blindness.
It can also seem unnatural. If the filler migrates from the intended area, it may result in a bloated appearance. So Ameela appealed because the treatment not only fills in hollows under the eyes, but tackles purple discoloration and fine lines by encouraging the growth of new skin cells to combat the problem. And I’m promised it’s a much safer procedure too. Side effects may occur, such as swelling, pain, and bruising, but these should subside after a few days.
“The tear filler, which I also work with, only addresses the hollows. So if this is your only problem, this might be the best option,” says Dr. El Muntasar. “But if you have a combination of a little hollowness, dark circles, and thin, crepey skin under your eyes, Ameela is the best option.” Yet when I mentioned that I was considering treating my husband, he looked horrified.
“Salmon sperm?” How on earth could injecting this into your face be a good idea? he exclaimed. When I explained how it all worked – and how the sperm was extracted – his face was a picture.
I’m not entirely sold on the idea, but timeless beauty Jennifer Aniston admits she’s tried a salmon sperm facial. And if it’s good enough for Jen, it’s good enough for me
Disgust aside, I loved the idea that in two or three sessions, I would potentially wake up bright-eyed and refreshed. So I booked a consultation with Dr El Muntasar at his clinic in Mayfair. After examining my eye bags under a bright light, he delivers his verdict: “The skin under your eyes shows normal signs of aging for a person in their forties: there is some thinning of the skin in this area, fine lines under the eyes, a little skin.” hollow which gives a slight sunken appearance under the eyes and the beginnings of crow’s feet.
Most people need two to three treatments to get the best results. He suggests I would need two or two weeks apart, which would cost £900 in total.
I had my first treatment in February. And yes, my first question to Dr. El Muntasar was: “Will it hurt?” He explained that instead of using a needle to inject the Ameela gel around the eyes, he uses a thin cannula that is inserted once into the fleshy skin of the upper cheek to deliver the gel under the eyes.
So I would have two injection sites, one in each cheek. He says: ‘If Ameela is pointed around the eye area with a needle it can cause significant bruising, but with the cannula injection technique this is less likely.’
Dr. El Muntasar told me to expect slight discomfort when inserting the cannula and injecting the gel, as well as some slight swelling under the eyes and tenderness for a few days.
I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous. But I barely felt the cannula being inserted. When the Ameela gel was injected through the cannula, it tingled. But to be honest, I’ve had threading treatments that were more painful. It was also quick, about five minutes per eye.
The area under my eyes seemed swollen afterward, but there was only a small pinprick mark on each cheek where the cannula was. Pictured: Salmon sperm injected into Bethan’s under-eye area
The area under my eyes seemed swollen afterward, but there was only a small pinprick mark on each cheek where the cannula was.
Over the next few days, the skin under my eyes seemed a little more swollen. But after a week, everything was back to normal.
Two weeks later, at the time of my second treatment, I already noticed that the purplish tint that I always had under my eyes had faded slightly.
My eyes were even more swollen after the second treatment and it took a week to calm down. But after four weeks, I’m delighted.
For the first time since my twenties, I look well rested. The dark, purple circles are almost gone. The skin under my eyes is now a similar color to the rest of my face. I still have some fine lines, but the area looks much plumper. My husband said he was surprised the results were so good – I consider that a victory.
I’ve also received a few compliments from friends who say my skin looks amazing. I like that it’s hard to pinpoint what I’ve done. But if anyone asks me, I will be happy to reveal the truth. Come this time next year, I’ll definitely be saving myself for more salmon sperm. In the meantime, if you’d like a catch-up, feel free to contact me on FaceTime.