Q & A: Dr. Finger in Savannah Ga. “Tear Troughs”
What is the “tear trough” and how is it corrected?
As we age, we “use up” the fat in our face causing our faces to deflate, unless, of course, we are significantly over-weight. Fat has minimal tolerance to trauma. An example would be bumping into a hard object leaving a permanent dent in our thigh – not as uncommon as you may think. In our face, we constantly smile, frown, squint, or just animate. This squeezes and compresses fat and causes it to atrophy and lose volume. The tear trough is one of the earliest areas where we lose fat. It is located between the inner part of the lower eyelid going diagonally downward and laterally (toward the outside of our face). It results in a much smaller “cheek bone” and it is a sign of aging. It also results in deeper smile lines, which most people hate. Of course, a face lift is one of the methods of correcting the problem, but even a face lift does not re-volumize the lost fat. In our Savannah, GA and Bluffton, S. C. offices, our favorite method of correction is with Sculptra, now called Sculptra Aesthetic, injections. This is an injectable material that stimulates your body to produce collagen and thus more volume. It can also be used in the puppet (Marionette) lines below the corners of the mouth, in the hollows beneath the eyes, the temples, and just about anywhere in the face. It can be used to create a larger cheek or a chin that has been deficient since birth. Sculptra injections usually require three sessions with only topical anesthesia and takes about 30 minutes to perform. Bruising and swelling can occur. The results usually last about 2 years, which is longer than other products. The duration of the correction does vary from patient to patient, and according to how much product is used. We have found that collagen is not as efficiently made in smokers. Sculptra has recently been approved by the FDA for cosmetic use. We have been using Sculptra for about five years and have seen its popularity increase. Dr. Finger has been a national trainer for the product since 2005 and has performed over 1500 cases.