Treatment of the tear trough deformity with hyaluronic acid

Abstract

Background: Volume loss and muscular hyperactivity are two major components of the aging process that contribute to the formation of the folds and wrinkles. Tear trough deformity is one of the most difficult depressions to correct surgically. Objective: The authors evaluate the results of periorbital filling with hyaluronic acid (HA) in a small series of patients. Methods: Between June 2008 and December 2009, 25 patients were treated with HA to correct tear trough deformities. The HA was administered into the preperiosteal tissues with a serial puncture technique and approximately 0.1 mL was injected at each pass. Each patient's before and after photographs were reviewed by three surgeons; to objectively assess the outcomes, a quantitative scale was used to grade the pre- and postinjection results. The significance of subjective aesthetic evaluation of the photographs was evaluated with the Mann-Whitney U-test. Differences were regarded as significant if probabilities were less than 0.05. Results: The mean (SD) volume per side needed to achieve correction was 0.54 (0.27) mL on the right and 0.61 (0.30) mL on the left. Complications included some degree of bruising, erythema, and local swelling. Most patients (88%) had cosmetic improvement according to the independent evaluation. Conclusions: All patients were very satisfied with their results. During the course of the study, the authors determined that the ideal candidates for this treatment are young, with thick skin and a definite hollow. © 2011 The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Inc.