Priorities
Under-eye hollows
Shadows, hollows, and dark circles under the eyes, with treatment based on what's causing them.
Treatments from $249
The short version
Under-eye hollows cast a shadow that can make you look tired even when you’re well rested. The skin in this area is thin, so concealer often creases into fine lines rather than covering the darkness.
“Dark circles” are really three different problems sharing a name: a hollow, a pigment, or a bag. Each needs a different treatment, and one of them isn’t something we treat, so identifying the cause comes first.
Why it happens
What sits behind dark circles
Dark circles tend to come from one of three causes, or a mix of them: a hollow that shadows the area, pigment in the skin, or a pouch of fat that has pushed forward. They look alike from across the room but need different treatments.
A groove makes a shadow
As the under-eye skin loosens and thins, a tear trough can form, and it shadows the area even in good light.
Thin skin lets color through
Thinner skin shows the blood vessels beneath it, which reads as a blue or purple tint.
Pigment and pouches
Sun and genetics can add brown pigment, and fluid or fat can push the lower lid forward into a bag.
Your options
How we'd approach it
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Step 1We'd start with
PRF or PRP under the eyes
From $599
About PRF or PRP under the eyesIf the skin is thin and crepey and the shadow is a shallow groove, we'd start with PRP injections under the eyes: three sessions, four to six weeks apart, placed with a cannula by our nurse practitioners. It uses your own blood rather than filler, and we'll review results at three months. We can also discuss PRF at your consult.
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Step 2If you need a little more
Microneedling with PRP under the eyes
From $249
About Microneedling with PRP under the eyesIf the darkness is more about texture and dullness than a groove, microneedling with PRP under the eyes with our medical esthetician works on the surface. There's no heat involved, so it's the safer route for darker skin.
Side by side
Your options side by side
Here's how the under-eye treatments on our menu compare. A fat pouch is treated surgically, so it isn't listed here.
We'd start with
PRP or PRF under the eyes
From $599
- Best for
- A shallow groove with thin, crepey skin
- Appointment
- About 45 minutes, topical numbing, cannula
- Downtime
- Puffy day 1, slight fullness day 3, normal by day 7, bruise possible
- First results
- 4 to 8 weeks
- Sessions
- 3, about 4 weeks apart, then maintenance
If you need a little more
Microneedling with PRP under the eyes
From $249
- Best for
- Texture, dullness and pigment under the eyes
- Appointment
- 60 to 75 minutes including the draw and numbing
- Downtime
- Pink for 24 to 48 hours, light flaking by day 3 to 5
- First results
- Brightness in a week, texture in a few weeks
- Sessions
- 3 to 6, spaced 4 weeks apart
Under-eye filler
From $750
- Best for
- A deeper hollow with skin in good shape
- Appointment
- 30 to 45 minutes, numbing included
- Downtime
- Swelling and possible bruising for up to two weeks
- First results
- On the table, under the swelling
- Sessions
- 1, sometimes a refinement at 2 to 4 weeks
Prices are starting prices from our menu. Your provider will confirm the plan and total cost at your consult. Individual results vary.
What to expect
What to expect after PRP under the eyes
Day one is puffy from the fluid itself, which isn't your result. The change in skin quality shows at four to eight weeks.
Day 0 to 1
Puffy from the gel's own volume. This isn't the result.
Day 3
Slight fullness, with the early puffiness gone.
Day 7
Back to baseline. Any bruise has cleared.
Weeks 4 to 8
Skin thickens and smooths. Your second session is at week 4.
Month 3
Third session done. We'll compare photos against your baseline together.
Month 6 to 12
A maintenance visit as the effect softens.
Timeline for PRP under the eyes, from our treatment page. Individual results vary.
Our reasoning
Finding the cause of under-eye shadows
In window light, we’ll do three quick tests. First, we’ll press your cheek up: if the shadow lifts, it’s a hollow. Next, we’ll stretch the skin sideways: if the color stays, it’s pigment. Then you’ll look up while we watch your lower lid: if a pouch moves, it’s fat.
For a hollow with thin skin, we suggest PRP or PRF injections. The evidence is still early. A 2025 review of 96 papers found only a few studies compared PRP with PRF, all favoring PRF, in small samples, per Periodontology 2000. That’s why we plan it as a series, followed by maintenance every 6 to 12 months. Individual results vary.
For pigment and texture, we’ll suggest microneedling with PRP plus daily sunscreen. A deep hollow with good skin may be a candidate for filler. Galderma reports 93 percent of Restylane Eyelight patients with improved hollows at 18 months, per Restylane. It’s the slowest and most careful injection we do on the face.
A bag is orbital fat. A systematic review of under-eye treatments concluded surgery is the answer when laxity is the cause, per Dermatologic Surgery. In that case, we’ll recommend seeing a surgeon.
Your questions, answered
What does the under-eye area look like the next day?
Expect puffiness on day 1, and possibly a bruise on days 1 to 3 that fades to yellow by day 7. Sunglasses help cover it. If you have something important coming up, book your session at least a week before.
PRP or PRF, which one do you use?
The Lincoln Park booking menu lists PRP under eyes and microneedling with PRP under the eyes. PRF is spun slower without anticoagulant, sets into a gel, and releases more slowly, and you can ask about it at your consult. Our PRF vs PRP guide covers which one suits crepey skin and which suits dark circles.
How far before a wedding should under-eye PRP be done?
Plan your last session 6 to 8 weeks before the wedding, which means starting the series about four months ahead. If filler under the eyes is part of your plan, give it 4 to 6 weeks.
What causes hollow eyes?
Hollows form as the skin and fat under the eyes thin with age and a groove called a tear trough deepens. Genetics play a part too, so some people notice it in their 20s. We'll check whether it's a hollow, pigment or a pouch before recommending anything.
Will more sleep fix my dark circles?
Rest helps with puffiness and how tired you look, but it won't fill a hollow or fade pigment. If your circles are there even after a good week of sleep, they're likely structural, and that's where treatment can help.
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