Tear Trough Filler: Treating The Under Eye Area

Tear trough filler is an advanced medical aesthetics treatment that can provide wonderful, rejuvenating results for the under-eye area.

By restoring volume loss, patients can instantly look less tired, more awake and refreshed, with little to no downtime. This is why tear trough filler has been increasing in popularity ever since the COVID “Zoom Boom” phenomenon.

We’ve received a lot of interest in tear trough filler training courses from aesthetics practitioners. This is why we’ve launched our Tear Trough Masterclass.

Training and practicing in tear trough filler

To help you understand where and when tear trough filler would best fit into your injectables repertoire, we spoke to three aesthetics specialists.

Harley Academy faculty members Drs Kalpna Pindolia, Raquel Amado and Harriet Jenkins gave us their expert insights. Here they discuss their experiences of learning and practising under eye revolumisation treatments…

When did you start offering tear trough correction?

Dr Kal: “About a year after completing my Level 7 when I was happy using a cannula…lots!’

Dr Harriet: “Two years after completing my Level 7.”

Dr Raquel: “One year after completing my Level 7.”

Why did you want to offer this treatment?

Dr Harriet: “Because it’s a really lovely treatment that can hugely benefit the right patient and make them look really refreshed.”

Dr Raquel: “I started to offer it because I wanted to compliment all the areas I was treating as part of a full face approach. Tear trough filler was one of my missing tools, so that’s why I started to offer this.”

Dr Kal: “Whilst many of my patients were happy with indirect treatment of the tear trough, with midface revolumisation, an increasing number of patients were appropriate for this treatment directly and I wanted to broaden my range of options.”

When did you know you were ready to start learning and offering this?

Drs Harriet & Raquel: “When we were comfortable doing cannula treatments.”

Dr Kal: “When I was happy with a cannula, I was ready. Having said that, I was ’nervously ready’ due to the awareness that these were more technically challenging. They also came with their own set of potential complications to manage.”

Which skills do you feel it’s important to master before starting tear trough filler training?

Drs Harriet and Raquel: “Definitely mastering the cannula, instrumentation and a very good knowledge of anatomy.”

Dr Kal: “It is good to have great awareness of the periorbital region aesthetic and its assessment in context. An awareness of facial anatomy and ageing is useful as well. Mastering consultations and cannula technique are definitely prerequisites.” 

How did you find learning about tear trough filler and do you enjoy performing these treatments?

Drs Harriet and Raquel: “We both enjoy performing the treatment but we’re very technical and sensitive so we’re very very careful.”

Dr Kal: “It was a journey. I attended multiple courses and was able to decide which techniques suited me from my accrued understanding. I am still learning and refining my approach, as we all do, from experience, and from my learned colleagues. I do enjoy performing the treatments – they bring much joy to patients!”

What are some of the pitfalls and mistakes associated with this advanced treatment?

Dr Harriet: “Potential pitfalls and mistakes: adequate filling., Product can swell and cause an overfilled result or oedema – so achieving a good result using minimal product for maximal effect can be challenging. Further pitfalls include not being in the right plane, and not assessing and treating all of the different fat pad compartments.”

Dr Kal: “The main pitfall I see is inappropriate patient selection. Complex tear troughs should be managed by experienced tear trough injectors, so when you start treating them…keep it to simple cases!’ If a patient is not suitable for treatment, it remains important to discuss this with them and consider alternatives.”

Learning how to administer tear trough filler safely

Tear trough filler is an advanced treatment that does require a certain level of skill and knowledge before new injectors should consider taking this next step.

From knowing your anatomy to understanding some of the nuances associated with this treatment – for example, accurate anatomical assessment of the various surface landmarks. Whilst quick to perform, tear trough filler is not a simple treatment.

It requires in-depth training that concentrates on all these areas of theory, practical and mentored injecting to build confidence.

Complications rates are high with tear trough fillers. Potential issues range from superficial filler malar oedema to vascular occlusion and blindness.

To find out more about learning the best tear trough filler techniques, speak to our courses team about our intimate Tear Trough Masterclass sessions.

This highly-focused, day-long event includes an education in the periorbital area and expert injecting demonstrations. A suite of dedicated eLearning, which you can use as a reference tool throughout your aesthetics career, is included. You’ll also treat your own tear trough patient, provided by us, under one-to-one expert supervision for real-time feedback on your techniques. There’s also plenty of time for questions, too, so you really get the most out of your day!

This Masterclass is for experienced aesthetics practitioners only. You must be a doctor, dentist, nurse, midwife or prescribing pharmacist who can show evidence of passing a Foundation Course in medical aesthetics. You may have completed this with Harley Academy, or another reputable aesthetics training school.

You may find it useful to book a call with our courses team for further details, at a time that’s convenient for you. They’ll be happy to answer all your questions, and get you on the road to delighting your patients with this advanced treatment.

With thanks to:

Dr Kalpna Pindolia, Harley Academy director of education and aesthetics specialist at STORY Marylebone.

Dr Raquel Amado, Harley Academy senior clinical trainer and facial aesthetics and skin rejuvenation specialist at her own eponymous practice.

Dr Harriet Jenkins, Harley Academy clinical lead, aesthetics specialist at STORY Marylebone.

Article last fact-checked: 31 January 2023