Dark circles or eye bags? Different problem, different fix.
These two terms are used interchangeably online — but in clinic they're completely different findings that respond to completely different treatments. Filling the wrong one is the most common cause of an "overdone" under-eye result.
Dark Circles
Pigment, vascular shadowing, or a tear trough hollow casting a shadow. The skin looks dark but the under-eye is anatomically flat or sunken.
Usually treated with
- · Tear trough filler (when hollowing)
- · Polynucleotides (skin thickness)
- · Pigment-regulating skincare
Eye Bags
Forward herniation of the orbital fat pads or fluid retention. There is a bulge — pinch the area and it stands out.
Usually treated with
- · Lower blepharoplasty (gold standard)
- · Polynucleotides (skin support)
- · Not filler in the bag itself
Choose your pathway
Common questions
Are dark circles the same as eye bags?+
No. Dark circles are a colour problem (pigment, vascular shadowing, or hollow casting a shadow). Eye bags are a structural problem (fat herniation or fluid retention creating a bulge). They look similar but need different treatments.
Will tear trough filler fix eye bags?+
Only if the 'bag' is actually a hollow casting a shadow. True fat-pad herniation under the eye should not be filled — it usually needs surgical lower blepharoplasty or, in selected cases, polynucleotides for skin quality.
What about pigmented dark circles?+
These respond best to a layered protocol: prescription pigment-regulating skincare (hydroquinone, retinoid, vitamin C), occasionally chemical peels, and polynucleotides to thicken the under-eye skin so vascular shadowing is less visible.
How do I know which I have?+
Press gently below the eye and look in a mirror. If the shadow disappears with fingertip pressure, it's a hollow (filler may help). If a bulge remains, it's herniated fat (filler will not help). A consultation confirms.