A decades-old beauty trend of injecting mysterious substances under the eyes is making a dangerous comeback.
Called mesotherapy, it is a cosmetic procedure in which a technician uses small needles to inject a liquid mixture of vitamins and minerals under the skin to smooth and tighten wrinkles and decrease fat, all in an effort to eliminate bags under the eyes. eyes.
It has been around for decades in other countries, but has gained popularity in recent years in the United States. It can be performed anywhere there is skin and is also popular on the hands and stomach.
But before you see any potential benefits, the procedure leaves small bumps under the skin immediately after the injection, giving it a honeycomb appearance before it settles. Some even say it makes people look “reptilian” immediately after injections.
But this is a temporary side effect. Doctors say mesotherapy, which is advertised as a painless procedure with little recovery time, carries serious risks and may not have the desired effect.
New York-based dermatologist Dr Viktoryia Kazlouskaya told DailyMail.com: ‘The risks of under-eye mesotherapy go beyond minor side effects, especially when people go to inexperienced technicians or do so in home.
“Patients may experience long-lasting bruising, severe allergic reactions, skin necrosis due to product placement in blood vessels, or even permanent eye damage.”
Additionally, each practitioner has their own unique mixture of fluids that they use in mesotherapy, so patients do not know what dosage they are receiving, as the substance is not regulated or tested like Botox.
The small bumps that appear during mesotherapy will dissipate over time if the procedure is done correctly, Dr. Tripathi said. However, the thin skin under the eye is easily damaged, and if a professional is not experienced or skilled, they risk creating scar tissue under the eye.
Dr. Kazlouskaya added: “While mesotherapy may be legal in some other countries, the lack of regulatory oversight in the United States means patients could be exposed to counterfeit or unverified products.”
Mesotherapy was developed in 1952 in France to treat blood vessel and immune system disorders, and has since been suggested as a treatment for everything from hair loss to psoriasis, according to Dermnet.
The injections combine vitamins, enzymes, hormones and other nutrients. Some mixtures include prescription medications such as antibiotics or medications that relax blood vessels, depending on health line.
Today it is most commonly sold as a way to eliminate stomach fat, erase wrinkles, and tighten skin.
Influencers have been sharing photos of the procedure online and there has been speculation that celebrities such as Jennifer Aniston, 55, have used some type of injections in various parts of their body.
The FDA has not approved any mesotherapy mixtures for facial treatment, but the ingredients used in the mixtures are supposed to be approved by the FDA.
However, there is no way to confirm this, Dr. Tripathi, a California-based plastic surgeon, told this website.
He said: “Like the multi-billion dollar supplements industry, it is unregulated so sometimes you may not know what you are getting.”
The companies sell their unique brand of mesotherapy liquid online, ranging in price from $45 to $349.
Dr. Tripathi explained that the technique spread largely because it is cheap, easy to do, and requires little training to perform, and many TikTok videos show people performing the procedure themselves.
But inexperience can be a problem that leads to unpleasant results, Dr. Tripathi said.
This includes risks of developing granulomas: small collections of blood cells and tissues that form when the body’s immune system reacts to a foreign substance.
Additionally, as with any type of medical procedure, there is a risk of infection, which could cause death or long-term tissue damage, Dr. Kazlouskaya said. Some people may also have allergic reactions to the products, which can cause scarring.
Some people online say the procedure makes them look like reptiles immediately after the injections.
Jennifer Aniston is widely praised for her youthful appearance and has been open about receiving peptide injections, which can be considered a form of mesotherapy, into her face. She also shared that she got a salmon sperm facial and has a rigorous skincare routine.
The concept of under-eye treatment is complicated because there are many different causes of under-eye bags, including fat migration under the skin, pigmentation, and loss of skin elasticity or fat.
This is primarily a symptom of aging, but could also be exacerbated by long-term sun damage or dehydration.
If someone wants a solution for the lower part of the eyes, the treatment must be tailored to their particular anatomy. Not all dark circles are created equal, Dr. Tripathi said.
For some people, darkness under the eyes may be due to too much pigment. In this case, using skin care products to balance the discoloration or plasma injections may be helpful, Dr. Tripathi said.
For others, eye bags may be more visible because the skin has become thin, wrinkled and crepe-like, which Dr. Tripathi says laser treatment can be helpful in some patients.
In others, fat pads under the eye may migrate forward on the face, giving a puffier, droopier appearance. This can be fixed with a surgery known as blepharoplasty.
In theory, Dr. Tripathi said, mesotherapy could work for people with sunken eyes, but studies have not supported that it works.
So while in the right circumstances it might provide some benefit, Dr. Hannah Kopelman, a New York-based dermatologist, recommends making sure it’s the right path before insisting on treatment.
Dr. Kopelman said, “As a dermatologist, I always emphasize the importance of a personalized approach to addressing dark circles, starting with identifying the underlying cause and exploring evidence-based options that provide safe, predictable results.”