Under-eye patches...a quick solution for circles or a temporary effect?

With the popularity of under-eye patches as part of your skin care routine, questions are increasing about their effectiveness in reducing puffiness, dark circles, and improving the appearance of dryness and fine lines. While it provides an immediate feeling of freshness and hydration, its results vary depending on its formula, the ingredients it contains, and the nature of the problem it targets.

Lebanese skin care expert Pierre Ashkar explains that these patches can give the skin temporary hydration, in addition to improving the appearance of fullness and reducing puffiness, thanks to their insulating nature that helps keep the ingredients in direct contact with the skin, and their effectiveness is concentrated in cases of fatigue, mild puffiness, dryness and lines resulting from a lack of hydration. When choosing under-eye patches, Al-Ashqar points out the importance of focusing on the ingredients according to the target problem.

In cases of dryness, you can look for ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, glycerin and collagen, while ingredients such as caffeine, green tea extract, cucumber extract and peptides feature in formulas designed to deal with puffiness. As for dark circles, ingredients such as vitamin C, niacinamide and kojic acid are included in some formulations that aim to lighten the appearance of the area and unify skin tone.

If the main problem is fine lines and wrinkles, ingredients such as retinol and peptides can be found in some products. Al-Ashqar explains the mechanism of action of these ingredients, explaining that the patch acts as an insulating barrier that helps lock in moisture and keep the serum in close contact with the skin, which contributes to the ingredients reaching its surface layers.

It also explains that hyaluronic acid acts as a moisture attracting substance, and helps attract water to the superficial layers of the skin, giving it a fuller and smoother appearance. As for caffeine, it can contribute to temporarily reducing puffiness through its effect on blood vessels, in addition to its anti-inflammatory properties, which may help reduce the appearance of shadows resulting from puffiness.

Niacinamide also contributes to calming inflammation, improving the appearance of pigmentation, and unifying skin tone, while peptides act as chains of amino acids that send signals to the skin, and with regular use, they can contribute to supporting the production of collagen and elastin and improving the appearance of skin firmness and elasticity. Duration of use and results There is no single ingredient that can be considered best for all cases, as the effectiveness of the ingredient depends on the problem being targeted, in addition to the composition of the product as a whole and its suitability to the skin.

The duration of use usually ranges between 10 and 20 minutes, as the skin absorbs most of the ingredients during this period. With regular use, most results remain superficial and temporary, especially with regard to hydration and reducing puffiness, but continuing to use it can contribute to a limited degree to improving the skin’s basic hydration level and supporting its protective barrier over time.

In terms of results, Al-Achkar explains that under-eye patches can improve skin hydration, reduce puffiness for a short period, and improve the appearance of fine lines caused by dryness, as well as temporarily brightening the area. But he stresses that these products cannot permanently treat structural problems, such as deep under-eye hollows or dark circles linked to genetic factors.

When choosing a product, there are four basic factors to focus on: What is the difference between under eye patches and filler injections? Filler injections target a structural problem by adding volume to areas with deep hollows, and can therefore change the appearance of shadows caused by volume loss.

As for the patches, they provide temporary hydration and a short-term improvement in the appearance of puffiness and lines associated with dryness. Therefore, it cannot be considered an alternative to fillers when the underlying cause of the cavity or shadows is related to loss of volume.

Finally, for those with sensitive skin, Al-Ashqar advises avoiding products that contain synthetic fragrances, harsh alcohols or volatile alcohols in high concentrations, essential oils, and strong exfoliating acids such as AHA and BHA, in addition to retinoids in high concentrations, given the sensitivity of the under-eye area compared to the rest of the face.