Firming injections around and under the eyes: which one is right for me?
“I'd like an eye firming injection.” When someone comes in saying this, the first thing I do is look in the mirror with them. The dermis around the eyes is among the thinnest on the face, so the right injection depends on whether it's lines, hollowing or colour, and the wrong choice tends to show.
The short answer
There is no single injection called an ‘eye firming injection’. Crow’s feet that appear when you smile call for Botox around the eyes; thin fine lines and texture that stay when you aren't smiling call for a dermal injection such as CellReDM or Rejuran; the shadow of an under-eye groove calls for hyaluronic acid filler placed deep. If loose skin around the eyes feels like it's folding over, I look at radiofrequency such as the XERF eye effector. The combination I often suggest at Miso Clinic is eye Botox plus CellReDM (or Rejuran), and we don't use CaHA, which can't be dissolved, under the eyes. At Miso Clinic in Daegu, I look at your face smiling and at rest, sitting up and lying down.
What kind of eye concern do I have?
| Concern | Type of treatment | What we use at Miso Clinic | What to expect, and the limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crow’s feet when smiling | Botulinum toxin | Botox around the eyes | Usually 3–4 months. Does not erase expression entirely |
| Fine lines and thin texture that stay at rest | Dermal injection (skin booster) | CellReDM · Rejuran | Texture and fine lines. Does not add volume |
| Under-eye groove and shadow | Hyaluronic acid filler placed deep | Hyaluronic acid filler (can be dissolved) | Depth decides the result. A booster will not fill it |
| Loose eyelid skin folding over | Radiofrequency lifting | XERF eye effector (i05) | Firms the skin. Assessed at 2–3 months |
| Colour (dark circles) | Depends on the cause | If pigment is the main cause, I explain other options | Often not solved by injections alone |
Dark circles usually have mixed causes. In a study that classified 65 people, using ultrasound as well, 78% were the mixed type. Shadows change with posture and lighting while pigment stays the same, so in the clinic I look while changing the direction of the light.
→ Read more: Fine lines around and under the eyes: what works and what to avoid
Why is choosing harder around the eyes?
The tissue covering the eye area is thin, so the same amount is easier to feel, and going even slightly too shallow can make the surface look uneven. That's why depth and amount decide the result more than the product name does.
In a literature review of 830 people with under-eye filler, placing it above the periosteum caused almost no bluish show-through (the Tyndall effect), while shallower layers exceeded 30%. Same product, same amount, and the layer alone makes this much difference.
Even when I do a collagen injection over the whole face, the eye area isn't where the leftover product goes. I reduce the amount or leave it out from the start and plan the eyes separately.
→ Read more: Why we use less product around the eyes
Which boosters do I look at first?
For fine lines and thin texture around the eyes, a dermal injection with no particles or very fine ones fits. CellReDM has fine particles of about 75㎛, so I consider it first, and Rejuran works on the skin environment without adding volume, so I look at it alongside.
Gouri has no reversing injection, so around the eyes I reduce it or leave it out, and CaHA such as Radiesse has no dissolving agent, so we don't use it under the eyes. I couldn't find studies comparing boosters head to head around the eyes, so this order is my clinical judgement based on formulation and the data available.
→ Read more: Choosing a skin booster
Who I suggest each combination for
- Smile lines together with fine lines under the eyes → eye Botox + CellReDM (or Rejuran)
- A hollow under the eyes that looks tired → hyaluronic acid filler placed deep, with a separate dermal injection if there are fine lines
- Eyelid skin that is loose and thin → XERF eye effector + dermal injection, on different days
- First time, just one thing → Botox for lines when smiling, a dermal injection for texture you see at rest
In a 417-person phase 3 trial in China, eye Botox put 63.9% of people at the none or mild level of crow’s feet when smiling at day 30, against 5.0% on placebo. The manufacturer ran the trial, so in everyday practice I work from 3–4 months. The way your eyes move when you smile is part of your expression, so erasing it all isn't the goal.
→ Read more: Crow’s feet when smiling: should they go?
When I look at things differently
- If under-eye fat bulges out, covering it with filler can make it look puffier, so I also talk about a surgical consultation.
- If pigment is the main cause, as with brownish dark circles, injections won't solve it. Miso Clinic has no laser for pigmentation, so I tell you that and explain other options.
- Botox in the same area is spaced 3 months apart. I don't do it during pregnancy or breastfeeding, or with a neuromuscular disease.
- Tell us straight away about severe pain during or just after injection, skin turning white or purplish, or any change in vision.
- Ulthera, Thermage and Shurink are devices we don't offer.
→ Read more: The tear trough under the eyes
How does the consultation work, and how do I book?
On a first visit we take photos from the front, at 45 degrees and from the side, and together we pick the one concern that bothers you most. I'll ask about any medications you take, any metal or electronic implants in your face, and whether you might be pregnant, and then I split things into what we can do today and what can wait for later. It's completely fine to come in just for a consultation and go home.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Booking | Naver booking · KakaoTalk chat · Phone +82-53-428-2700 |
| Location | 4F Bombom Building, 125 Dongdeok-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu (Exit 1, Kyungpook National University Hospital Station, Line 3) |
| Hours | Weekdays 11:00–19:00 · Saturday 10:00–16:00, closed Sundays and public holidays |
Eye-area firming injection FAQ
What exactly is an eye firming injection?
It isn't one injection. Botox for smile lines, CellReDM or Rejuran for thin fine lines, hyaluronic acid filler for a groove: it differs by concern.
Will a skin booster fill an under-eye hollow?
No. A skin booster isn't a treatment that fills volume. For the shadow of a groove, I look at hyaluronic acid filler placed deep.
If I get eye Botox, will the lines under my eyes improve too?
Under-eye hollowing and fine lines from thin skin aren't a movement problem, so Botox won't change them. We look at them separately.
Is Rejuran Eye different from regular Rejuran?
It's the version used for thin areas like around the eyes. I've written more about how much product we use around the eyes in a separate column.
How long does bruising last?
The skin around the eyes is thin with many small blood vessels, so bruising can happen. If you have an important event coming up, leave 2 weeks or more.
Where can I get a eye-area injection consultation in Daegu?
At Miso Clinic in Daegu (4F Bombom Building, 125 Dongdeok-ro, Jung-gu, Exit 1 of Kyungpook National University Hospital Station). You can book through Naver booking, KakaoTalk or by phone at +82-53-428-2700. Weekdays 11:00–19:00, Saturday 10:00–16:00, closed Sundays and public holidays.
Read next
Product pages
Who wrote this
Written and reviewed by Lee Chi-Hak, MD, director of Miso Clinic, Daegu. The treatment standards and injection design set out here are the ones we use in practice.
| Medical director | Lee Chi-Hak, MD |
|---|---|
| Address | 4F Bombom Building, 125 Dongdeok-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu, South Korea · Exit 1, Kyungpook National University Hospital Station |
| Phone | +82-53-428-2700 |
| Hours | Weekdays 11:00–19:00 (lunch 13:00–14:00) / Saturday 10:00–16:00 (no lunch break) / Closed Sundays and public holidays |
| Columns | All clinical columns |
| Reference library | All booster and device references |
References
- Phase 3 trials of Botox around the eyes — Miso Clinic column daegu-smile-eye-wrinkles: China, 417 people, at day 30 none or mild crow’s feet when smiling in 63.9% versus 5.0% on placebo. Japan, 300 people, 68.3% and 56.6% versus 8.2%. Both trials were run by the manufacturer.
- Under-eye filler depth and show-through — Miso Clinic columns eye-skinbooster-choice · daegu-under-eye-lines: in a literature review of 830 people, injection above the periosteum showed almost no Tyndall effect (bluish show-through), while shallower layers exceeded 30%. Under-eye hyaluronic acid filler, 23 papers and 2,048 people, satisfaction 85–90%. In a classification of 65 people with dark circles, 78% were the mixed type.
- Evidence on PN and PDRN — Miso Clinic column pn-pdrn-difference: the same substance (purified DNA fragments from salmonid fish) with different chain lengths (PDRN short, PN long); I could not find a human trial comparing the two directly; a systematic review of 9 studies and 219 people rated the evidence low to moderate; the main trial had 27 people.
- The XERF eye effector — Miso Clinic column daegu-eye-xerf: i05 effector, 5×10 mm (50 mm²), rated for 400 shots, from manufacturer data. The skin around the eyes has thin dermis and is narrow and curved, so a small tip is used.
- Cochrane review of botulinum toxin — Camargo CP et al. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2021;7:CD011301. PMID 34224576. 65 studies, 14,919 people.
- When results show — Miso Clinic column when-results-show: at day 90, 92% of doctors versus 42% of patients. In biopsies after collagen-stimulating products, no new collagen at 2 weeks, type III at 2 months, type I at 3–4 months.
- Korean medical advertising law — Korean Medical Service Act Article 56(2) (no treatment testimonials, no comparisons with other clinics, no superlatives). This is why this column carries no prices, reviews or before-and-after photos.
- Miso Clinic treatment policy — What we have: Density Noir (ALPHA · BOOST tips), XERF, Oligio Kiss; Lituo (Re2O), CellReDM, Reallo; Rejuran; the full Juvelook lineup; Gouri; Everwrinkle and Everwrinkle V; Radiesse; Byryzn; D-Classy; hyaluronic acid filler; Botox (all areas, skin Botox); ligament injection; dissolving threads. What we do not offer: Onda, Thermage, InMode, Ulthera, Shurink, liposuction. Hollow cheeks get dissolvable hyaluronic acid filler first, sagging gets lifting first; no radiofrequency that day with metal or electronic implants in the face, pregnancy or skin inflammation; threads are the dissolving kind, used conservatively over age 50; we decide by the change that bothers you, not by age; results are judged after 2–3 months with photos taken under the same conditions.
Everything in this column is general information and does not replace medical diagnosis or treatment. Effects and side effects vary with individual skin condition, age and underlying illness, and the same result is not guaranteed for everyone. Any decision to proceed should be made in an in-person consultation with a physician.