You know people can tell you look like you have’t had much sleep last night, because of the dark undereye circles? Maybe your toddler was fussing and that kept you up all night, or you were unwell and just needed more rest? The concern people show when you look like you’ve been run over by a truck is heartwarming – but only when you were really tired. I faced the same “What happened? You look tired!” almost everyday, from different people I meet. And that annoyed me, because my dark undereye problem was something I have always had since the beginning of time.
So I decided to visit the SW1 Clinic. I had heard that all of their doctors were formerly from the award-winning Sloane Clinic and decided to find out if they had any solutions for me.
The SW1 Clinic
The SW1 Clinic is located at Paragon Medical Level 13, Units 01-06. They have a total of 21 rooms, including 4 large treatment suites where their doctors perform procedures and a hair room where their Keramax Scalp Treatment is performed. Apart from these, they also have 3 good-sized consultation rooms and also 2 operating theatres used by their Plastic Surgery Department and another recovery room.
First of all, this is probably by and far the largest aesthetic and plastic surgery clinic in Singapore. I saw quite a number of patients walking in and out of the clinic but to my surprise, I did not see anyone apart from the staff and doctors the whole time I was there. Perfect, because no one really wants to meet people at an aesthetic or plastic surgery clinic.
The layout of the place was surprisingly well-thought. I only spent a couple of minutes at the main waiting area and once my details were registered, I was politely whisked to my own private suite. Apparently every patient has their own “waiting room” which is called a Suite and each is named after an iconic figure in alphabetical order. I was taken to the “Olivia” suite, named after Olivia de Havilland. I changed into a clean robe and slippers provided, and before long, began my consultation with the doctor.
Apparently my dark undereye circles was due to hollowing caused by my tear troughs, and the doctor noted that the skin in the undereye area was a little thin and dehydrated looking, accentuating the problem. For those who don’t know, the tear trough is an under-recognized cause of perpetually tired-looking eyes. An anatomical issue rather than a true dark circle in the skin, this common congenital depression lies below the inner corner of the eye, hence casting an unwelcomed dark shadow. The hollowing often worsens with age due to deflation and sagging of the face.
He suggested I try their Revitalift Eye treatment, placing of very soft and natural hyaluronic acid fillers to fill the sunken hollows beneath my eyes. The doctor also explained that as we age, our collagen, fatty tissue and even bone recedes; causing loss of facial definition and accentuating the wrinkles and loose, saggy skin as the underlying supportive volume deflates away with passing decades or sudden weight changes. This is where natural fillers come into play – they restore that structural support, “lifting” sunken areas, and therefore helping to hold up the saggy skin and soften the laugh lines and wrinkles without freezing facial expressions. Fillers can also be used to return (or add) shape and definition to the cheeks, chin, nose bridge and especially around the lip area. K-Pop stars are renowned for using fillers to “sharpen” their features.
But can injecting something into my face ever look and feel natural? The mention of fillers triggers images of the oddly inflated famous faces or of Meg Ryan, Lindsay Lohan and Courtney Cox. Hence, I’ve always been skeptical of natural fillers despite its “natural” claims. Well, I guess I will just have to hold my breath, take the plunge and find out for myself.
I Had Revitalift Eye – Here’s What Happened
The doctor explained very patiently that baby drop fillers was used to fill my tear troughs superficially. You can see that there are hardly any pin pricks! A blunt cannula was used to place the filler just under the skin, to minimize the number of needle pricks required and to avoid bruising. I was surprised to learn that only a very small amount of filler was used for both undereye areas and was secretly pleased that the results were so natural both to look and to touch.
The next day I went back to work, half expecting my colleagues to ask what I had done. Instead, I was greeted with the usual “hello” and one of them even said, “Something happened to you, I can’t tell, but you look great”. And that really made my day.
