Of all the places on the face where the signs of aging start to show first, the under eyes are often the first area to succumb to the effects of aging. Fine lines, crepey skin, wrinkles, and little bunches of loose, saggy skin can appear, leaving your once-fresh and vibrant eyes looking a little older and worn. For years, the only way to correct aging under the eyes was with fillers, aggressive lasers, or surgery. Thanks to the advent of platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) treatments, you can improve the under-eye area and achieve remarkable results.
Treating the Under-Eye Areas with PRF
PRF is a dramatic under eye rejuvenating treatment. It utilizes growth factors and a high concentration of fibrin derived from your blood, which help to heal damaged tissue and prompt regeneration. PRF is highly concentrated and has more of a liquid-like consistency (PRP is more gel-like), making it ideal for pairing with microneedling.
One area where PRF works well is on the delicate tissue under the eyes. Whether applied topically to the skin or injected, PRF can thicken the skin under the eyes while helping to erase the look of lines and wrinkles. The treatment can take years off the undereye area by stimulating collagen production and new cells as part of a wound healing response. This is an essential benefit of the treatment because, with age, collagen production levels start to dip, and the existing collagen in your skin begins to break down faster. Boosting natural collagen levels with PRF also provides preventative benefits to delay the signs of aging.
Unlike some eye-rejuvenating treatments that are not for everyone, PRF works for a wide variety of people, making everyone a suitable candidate. Since it uses your blood, there’s no risk of migration, lumps, bumps, or other contraindications. All you’ll see under the eyes is less puffiness and darkness, fewer lines and wrinkles, and a skin-tightening effect.
PRF Under-Eye Treatment Details
PRF works similarly to PRP, but there are a few main points of differentiation. Whereas PRP releases a flood of growth actors immediately after the procedure, PRF extends those benefits and continues distributing them for as long as one week for increased benefits.
The first step in a PRF under eye treatment is to schedule a consultation where you can discuss your concerns and goals with our team. At your appointment, we will draw blood from your arm and spin it in a centrifuge, separating the fibrins from the other components in the blood, creating the fibrin-rich serum, which must be used quickly. Next, the PRF serum is applied or injected into the undereye area like filler (either on its own or following microneedling) to deliver growth factors and fibrin into the skin, plumping hollows, brightening dark circles, and improving the overall skin texture by stimulating new collagen and elastin. During the injections, there may be some minimal discomfort and stinging that’s similar to getting filler or other injectables. If necessary, we can apply topical numbing cream to help minimize any discomfort.
After your PRF under eye treatment, which takes about 45 minutes from start to finish, there may be some redness and minimal swelling for a few days, which will subside on its own. The treated areas shouldn’t be painful, and you won’t need to take any time off from work or your regular schedule to recover. A few weeks after the first session, you’ll start to see improvement in the under-eye area, but to reap the full benefits, you’ll need about two to three treatments (if not more) every six weeks. From there, annual maintenance appointments may be recommended to help keep the under eyes looking fresh and youthful. On average, the results from PRF last upwards of two years, although every patient is different.
PRF vs. Filler
Under eye fillers offer immediate results, but there are some downsides to using hyaluronic acid fillers under the eyes. The most significant risk of injecting fillers under the eyes is the potential for the skin to become blue due to its thinness. If the filler is placed too superficially or the wrong filler is used, it can show through the skin, leaving it looking bluish, known as the Tyndall effect.
PRF injections provide a more gradual result that looks much more natural. While improvement to the undereye can be seen over time, the results are longer-lasting. Whereas filler can’t fully address dark undereye circles or thinning skin, PRF can. It relies on growth factors and fibrins to stimulate collagen production, improving skin quality and softening the typical age-related changes under the eyes.
What Else You Need to Know About PRF Under Eye Treatments
Although PRF may sound somewhat scary, it’s safe and highly beneficial. The injections are well tolerated and not painful, and patients appreciate PRF’s natural results. To enhance the results further, PRF can be combined with other anti-aging treatments, like under-eye fillers.
Most patients choose PRF to treat common under-eye concerns because they like the idea of a zero-risk, natural treatment. While reducing fine lines and wrinkles is a significant benefit, a boost in collagen production improves the skin’s health and elasticity. Dark circles and hollows lessen with PRF, and uneven skin texture improves, too.
