EYE, SKIN & FACIAL CONDITIONS

Tyndal Effect

The Tyndall effect is used to describe the scattering of light by particles in a light transmitting medium. It is the phenomenon that makes the sky appear blue, but can also be the tell-tale sign of poorly placed dermal filler, particularly seen around the eyes and tear troughs.

Our surgeons at FaceRestoration teach other healthcare professionals the safe application of dermal filler to tear troughs in their training academy and also provide support and treatment for patients as well as medical practitioners encountering this problem with their patients.

ABOUT THIS CONDITION

INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR SYMPTOMS

The Tyndall effect is named for the 19th-century Irish physicist John Tyndall, who first studied it.
As a complication of aesthetic treatment, it may be visible immediately after treatment or a few days later and without corrective treatment may last for years. It is more likely to occur where the skin is thin.

The skin around the eyes is the thinnest in the body, in places less than half a millimeter in thickness. When hyaluronic acid soft tissue filler is placed in too high a volume, or with the incorrect product for the area being treated, placed in the incorrect depth, or a combination of all three, the Tyndall effect may be seen. This incorrect placement under the thin eyelid skin results in a visible blue appearance of the filler due to light scattering by the gel under the skin. Blue light is scattered about 10 times more than red light when passing through very small particles, the pool of hyaluronic acid filler beneath the skin scatters more light of shorter wavelength and has a bluish discoloration. The Tyndall effect may also be seen following treatment to perioral lines and nasolabial folds, and are all tell-tale signs of poor aesthetic treatment and results.

Our aim is to ensure that you are supported through the management of this complication and appreciate how distressing this can be for you. We aim to offer you a solution that allows you restore the beauty of this area and be your best self. Contact us at FaceRestoration today and we would be pleased to guide you.

What is the treatment for the Tyndall Effect?

The tear troughs are a technically difficult area to treat and need careful assessment and expertise to improve. Once Tyndall is present, a careful assessment is also required to find the best treatment. The blue hue in the tear trough can be very difficult to disguise with camouflaging makeup and can become worse with time. This may involve dissolving the filler with the enzyme hyaluronidase if the complication is as a result of hyaluronic acid filler, and retreating gently with hyaluronic acid placed correctly or by surgical removal.Ideally a Tyndall result can be avoided by seeking only those experienced in advanced aesthetics and the delicate anatomy of this area, for your tear trough treatment. If however, you are left with a Tyndall and unable to find a satisfactory solution to this, we are able to help.Surgical options allow a more permanent solution to the tear trough following complications in this area, particularly around the eyelid-cheek junction when there is also prolapse of fat in the eyelids. This may be combined with filler reversal using hyaluronidase.

How long will Tyndall effect last?

In some cases, the Tyndall effect is visible immediately after treatment, but it can also appear after a few days. Without treatment, the Tyndall effect can last for several months or even years.

How we can help

Contact us for a consultation

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Booking with us

Arrange a consultation with us using the button below at a time of your choosing. This may be held through video chat dependant on COVID guidelines at the time.

your consultation

Your consultation

We will then discuss with you your symptoms and advise you on how best to proceed with helpful guidance on treatments through our expert knowledge and training.

treatment aftercare

Treatment after care

Once an appointment has been arranged, we will then begin treatment and support you along the process, including specialised aftercare.