A friend called me over the weekend in full panic mode about her under eyes. People kept telling her she looked tired. She swore it was puffiness. I honestly did not remember her ever having puffy eyes, so I told her to FaceTime me.
The verdict surprised both of us.
It was not puffiness at all. It was hollowness. Indented. Slightly shadowed. The kind of thing that tricks the eye into thinking you are exhausted even when you are not.
And here is the good news. Hollowness is often fixable without surgery.
That is why this matters. Puffiness and hollowness are not the same problem, and treating the wrong one can make things worse. Let’s break it down like friends do, not like a medical textbook.
Puffiness vs Hollowness Why It Matters
Puffiness is fullness. Think fluid retention, fat pads that have shifted, allergies, salt, genetics, mornings after a bad sleep. Puffiness pushes outward.
Hollowness does the opposite. It caves inward. The tear trough deepens, light hits oddly, shadows form, and suddenly people ask if you are okay.
This distinction matters because filler helps hollowness, not puffiness. If you inject filler into true puffiness, you can end up looking heavier or swollen. Nobody wants that.
Why Hollowness Can Make You Look Tired
When the under eye loses volume, the skin thins and the area darkens. Even with perfect sleep, your face reads as fatigued. Makeup sits strangely. Concealer creases. Photos feel unforgiving.
My friend thought she needed ice packs and eye creams. What she actually needed was an expert eye to tell her what was really going on.
Filler Can Help But Only If You Are the Right Candidate
I asked Dr. Frohar, who is known for being exceptionally precise with under eye treatments. Her answer was refreshingly honest.
Not everyone is a candidate.
You have to be assessed properly. Skin thickness, anatomy, degree of hollowing, and how your face moves all matter. Sometimes filler is perfect. Sometimes it is not the right solution. Sometimes a conservative approach is everything.
That is why I told my friend to book a proper consultation instead of guessing in the mirror.
When filler is done well in the under eye, the change is subtle but powerful. You still look like you. Just rested. Softer. Brighter.
This is where before and after photos really matter. Not dramatic transformations. Just believable results that show what correction looks like, not exaggeration.
What If You Are Not Ready for Filler
Here is where makeup becomes your best friend.
Hollowness can be visually tricked with the right concealer technique. This is where most people go wrong.
They put concealer directly into the hollow.
That actually highlights the indentation.
The Better Trick
You apply concealer slightly below and slightly above the hollow. Not inside it. By brightening the surrounding area, you reduce the contrast that creates the shadow. The hollow becomes less obvious without being filled.
Think illusion, not coverage.
Use a lightweight, hydrating concealer. Avoid thick formulas that settle into fine lines. Set minimally. Too much powder makes hollows look deeper.
This technique does not replace filler, but it can make a noticeable difference, especially if your hollowness is mild. Make sure you do not go downwards with the concealer, go outwards, which essentially is straight across.
When to Book a Consultation
If people keep telling you that you look tired and you are not.
If concealer never quite works.
If eye creams feel like they are doing nothing.
That is when an assessment matters.
At KANDL, we see this all the time. People come in convinced they have under eye bags. They leave realizing it was hollowness all along.
And once you know what you are dealing with, the solution becomes much clearer.
The Takeaway
Under eyes are tricky. Puffiness and hollowness look similar to the untrained eye, but they are opposites. Treating the wrong one leads to disappointment.
The right diagnosis changes everything.
Sometimes the answer is filler. Sometimes it is makeup technique. Sometimes it is simply reassurance.
Either way, you do not have to guess. And you definitely do not have to live with looking tired when you are anything but.
If this sounds familiar, book a consultation. Let us look at your under eyes properly. Your face deserves that level of attention.
