Fillers

Tear Trough Filler in Seoul: Planning Your Visit

A planning guide for visitors considering tear trough filler at RESUM in Gangnam: time needed, how visible the first days can be and when filler is not the right method.

Plan a consultation

Published: 2026-10-15

Updated: 2026-10-15

At a glance

The injection takes 20-30 minutes under topical anaesthesia, and daily activities can resume right after.
No more than 0.5-1ml is used for both sides combined in 1 session.
Filler treats shadow caused by hollowing, not pigmented dark circles or fat protrusion.

Tear trough filler in plain words

Tear trough filler places a small amount of cross-linked hyaluronic acid (HA) under the hollow below the eye, so that the groove known as the tear trough casts less shadow. A soft product with a low G' is used because the skin here is thin.

The first step is finding out why the area looks dark. At RESUM Plastic Surgery Clinic in Gangnam, Seoul, Dr. Jin-Young Kim checks whether the shadow comes from hollowing, pigmentation, thin skin, the orbicularis oculi muscle or fat protrusion, and goes ahead only when filler fits the cause.

How long does tear trough filler take?

The injection takes 20-30 minutes, after the consultation and the topical anaesthetic. Bruising shows easily under the eyes, so plan the appointment with 3-5 quiet days after it if you can. The usual plan is to begin with less and add more after 4 weeks, so tell us your travel dates and we will say whether a second step is realistic on this trip.

Treatment time	20-30 minutes
Anaesthesia	Topical anaesthesia
Back to daily activities	Right after the treatment
How long it lasts	About 6-12 months

Which dark circles filler cannot treat

Filler does not treat pigmented dark circles or shadows caused by protruding fat. For those, the doctor may suggest laser, a PN booster or fat repositioning surgery instead. Adding more filler is not a solution either: too much leaves a puffy contour and nodules, and taking filler out is more of a burden than putting it in.

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Purpose & suitability

The doctor finds that your under-eye shadow comes from hollowing.

A marked tear trough makes you look tired.

Your dark circles are a shadow, not a change in skin colour.

You want to improve the under-eye contour without surgery.

An earlier under-eye treatment looks unnatural and you want it refined.

Treatment process

Consultation. The type of dark circle, the degree of hollowing and the thickness of the skin are assessed to decide whether filler is suitable.
Plan. The area, the amount, the soft product and the depth above the periosteum at the orbital rim are set.
Numbing and injection. After topical anaesthesia, a cannula is used to place small amounts slowly in the deep layer.
Before you leave. You are told how to manage swelling, what the Tyndall effect looks like and when a top-up after 4 weeks could be considered.

Time & recovery

Swelling and bruising are common for the first 1-2 days. They usually calm down within a few days but can last about 1 week.

Keep the first 3-5 days light. The skin under the eyes is thin, so a bruise is easier to see here than elsewhere.

The change is visible right after treatment and the contour settles after 1-2 weeks. Judge the result once swelling and bruising have cleared.

Limitations & precautions

Tear trough filler is not performed during pregnancy or on skin with an active infection or severe inflammation.

The Tyndall effect, a bluish shadow that appears when filler sits too close to the surface, has been reported in rare cases, as have nodules, asymmetry and hypersensitivity reactions. For this reason the filler is kept deep and out of the orbicularis oculi muscle.

Vascular complications are reported very rarely. The angular artery runs close to the under-eye area, so a cannula is preferred, the injection is slow, and a dissolving enzyme (hyaluronidase) is kept on hand.

Results vary between individuals, and a specialist consultation is required before treatment.

Frequently asked questions

Can I have tear trough filler on a short stay in Seoul?

Yes, but allow for visible bruising. The injection takes 20-30 minutes and daily activities can resume right after, yet swelling and bruising may show for about 1 week, so 3-5 light days after the appointment are advisable.

Will filler remove my dark circles?

Only if the dark circles are caused by hollowing. Under-eye shadow can also come from pigmentation, skin thickness, the orbicularis oculi muscle or fat protrusion, and filler does not correct pigmented dark circles or protruding fat.

What are the alternatives if filler does not suit me?

Laser, a PN booster or fat repositioning surgery may be suggested instead of tear trough filler. Which one fits depends on the cause of the shadow, which the doctor assesses in the consultation.

How much filler is used under the eyes?

The amount is kept within 0.5-1ml for both sides combined in 1 session. If more is needed, it is added after 4 weeks, because overfilling under the eyes causes a puffy contour and nodules.

When can I judge the result after returning home?

Judge it after 1-2 weeks. The change is visible right after tear trough filler, but swelling and bruising in the first days hide the final contour. The result lasts about 6-12 months.