TREND HUNTER x Dr. Lara Devgan Scientific Beauty
Signature Procedure | Tear Trough Augmentation
Tear Trough Augmentation: What You Need to Know
Tear trough augmentation is a popular cosmetic treatment designed to address under-eye hollows, dark circles, and a tired appearance. This minimally invasive procedure can provide a refreshed, youthful look with little to no downtime. If you’ve been curious about how it works, what to expect, and whether it’s right for you, this post covers the essentials.
What Is Tear Trough Augmentation?
The tear trough is the area between your lower eyelid and upper cheek. Over time, this area can develop hollows due to aging, genetics, or lifestyle factors. Tear trough augmentation typically involves the use of dermal fillers to add volume, smooth out the area, and reduce the appearance of dark circles. Hyaluronic acid-based fillers, such as Restylane or Juvederm, are commonly used because they are safe, effective, and reversible if needed.
Benefits of Tear Trough Augmentation
Reduced under-eye hollows and dark circles
A more youthful, rested appearance
Immediate results with minimal downtime
Non-surgical and minimally invasive
The Procedure: What to Expect
The treatment is relatively quick, usually taking 15 to 30 minutes. Here’s a step-by-step overview:
Consultation – Your provider will assess your tear trough area, discuss your concerns, and determine whether you’re a good candidate for the procedure.
Preparation – Before the injections, the area may be numbed with a topical anesthetic to minimize discomfort.
Injection – The dermal filler is carefully injected into the tear trough using a fine needle or cannula. This process is done slowly and precisely to ensure a smooth, natural result.
Aftercare – After the procedure, you may experience mild swelling, redness, or bruising, which typically subsides within a few days.
Results and Recovery
One of the biggest advantages of tear trough augmentation is that the results are visible almost immediately. You may notice an improvement right after the procedure, with full results appearing after any swelling has resolved. Most patients return to their normal activities the same day, although it’s recommended to avoid intense exercise, alcohol, and excessive sun exposure for 24 to 48 hours.
The effects of hyaluronic acid fillers usually last between 9 and 12 months, depending on the individual and the specific product used. Maintenance treatments are needed to sustain the results over time.
Are You a Good Candidate?
Tear trough augmentation can be effective for people with mild to moderate under-eye hollows and dark circles. However, it’s not suitable for everyone. Those with significant under-eye bags, excessive skin laxity, or certain medical conditions may not benefit from fillers and may be better suited for surgical options such as blepharoplasty.
The best way to determine if tear trough augmentation is right for you is to consult with a qualified, experienced provider. They can assess your anatomy, discuss your goals, and recommend the most appropriate treatment plan.
Risks and Considerations
While tear trough augmentation is generally safe, it’s not without risks. Potential side effects include bruising, swelling, asymmetry, and, in rare cases, more serious complications like vascular occlusion. Choosing a skilled injector with a thorough understanding of facial anatomy is crucial to minimizing risks and achieving the best possible outcome.
Conclusion
Tear trough augmentation is a popular, minimally invasive solution for under-eye hollows and dark circles. With immediate results, minimal downtime, and long-lasting effects, it’s an appealing option for those seeking a more refreshed, youthful look. As with any cosmetic procedure, doing your research and choosing the right provider are key to a successful experience.
If you’re considering tear trough augmentation, book a consultation with a licensed, experienced injector who can guide you through the process and help you achieve your aesthetic goals.
Appointment Inquiries
For inquiries and appointments, please email appointments at appointments@laradevganmd.com or call 212-452-2400. You may also use the following button to schedule an appointment online. We look forward to hearing from you. Thank you!
Doctor's Notes | Does Filler Complicate Your Facelift Later?
Does Filler Complicate Your Facelift Later?
With Dr. Lara Devgan, Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon
This is one of the most common—and smartest—questions patients ask: If I get filler now, am I making surgery harder later? The short answer is it depends. The longer, more important answer is about which treatments, how they’re used, and who’s guiding your long-term plan.
Dr. Lara Devgan breaks it down.
1. What Treatments Can Cause Issues Later?
Not all injectables are created equal, and not all filler use is strategic.
The treatments most likely to complicate a future facelift include:
Excessive or repetitive filler placed in the wrong planes, especially deep or structural areas of the face where surgical dissection later occurs
Permanent or semi-permanent fillers, which can integrate into tissue and distort anatomy over time
Overfilled midface, jawline, or temples, leading to stretched skin, altered contours, or fibrotic tissue
The issue isn’t filler itself—it’s poorly planned filler. When filler is layered year after year without regard for anatomy, aging patterns, or future surgery, it can blur natural planes, obscure landmarks, and make surgical correction more complex.
By contrast, appropriately placed, conservative hyaluronic acid filler, used judiciously and allowed to metabolize naturally, rarely causes meaningful problems during facelift surgery—especially in the hands of an experienced surgeon.
2. How Do You Maintain Youthfulness From Age 60 and Beyond?
A facelift is not a magic eraser—it’s one part of a lifelong strategy.
Patients who age best over decades typically follow a layered approach:
Early decades (30s–40s): Skin quality, collagen preservation, sun protection, subtle neuromodulators, light filler where needed
Midlife (40s–50s): Strategic volume support, energy-based skin tightening, biologic skin health, and restraint
Later decades (60+): Surgical lifting to restore anatomy, paired with conservative nonsurgical refinement
What matters most is preserving tissue integrity. Over-filling in place of lifting eventually backfires. Gravity always wins. A facelift works best when the skin and deeper structures haven’t been chronically distorted by excess volume.
Patients who transition thoughtfully—using nonsurgical treatments to support, not replace, surgical options—tend to look more natural, rested, and youthful long-term.
3. How Do You Use Nonsurgical Treatments Now Without Burning Bridges Later?
This is where physician choice matters most.
The safest way to enjoy nonsurgical procedures today without compromising surgical options tomorrow is to work with a board-certified plastic surgeon who performs both.
Why? Because they understand:
Facial anatomy at surgical depth
How today’s filler placement affects tomorrow’s dissection
When not to inject
When filler should be dissolved rather than layered
When surgery is the more honest solution
A surgeon-injector plans with the end in mind. They don’t chase trends or inflate faces. They prioritize balance, reversibility, and anatomical respect.
In many cases, Dr. Devgan recommends:
Using small amounts of hyaluronic acid filler, placed superficially and selectively
Avoiding permanent fillers entirely
Allowing filler to naturally metabolize as patients approach surgical age
Dissolving residual filler before facelift surgery when appropriate
This approach keeps surgical planes clean and results predictable.
The Bottom Line
Filler does not inherently ruin a future facelift. Poor planning does.
When injectables are used thoughtfully—and guided by a surgeon who understands both nonsurgical finesse and surgical precision—they can be part of a smart, long-term aesthetic plan.
The key is choosing a physician who isn’t just treating your face today, but is designing a custom roadmap for the decades ahead.
Seeing a board-certified plastic surgeon experienced in both surgical and nonsurgical procedures allows for exactly that: a fully personalized, intelligently sequenced future of care—without shortcuts, regrets, or burned bridges.
A youthful result isn’t about doing more.
It’s about doing the right thing, at the right time, with the right expert guiding the way.
Appointment Inquiries
For inquiries and appointments, please email appointments at appointments@laradevganmd.com or call 212-452-2400. You may also use the following button to schedule an appointment online. We look forward to hearing from you. Thank you!
Doctor's Notes | Neck Wrinkle Treatment
Neck Wrinkles: Why They Happen—and What Actually Works
The neck is one of the first places to show aging, and one of the hardest to treat. Skin here is thinner, oil glands are fewer, and it’s constantly in motion—looking down at phones doesn’t help. Add sun exposure, collagen loss, and gravity, and you get creases, laxity, and fullness that don’t respond to wishful thinking or random creams.
Dr. Lara Devgan’s approach is simple and unsentimental: match the treatment to the problem. Neck aging isn’t one issue—it’s several happening at once. Texture, lines, fat, and skin laxity each require a different solution.
Start With Skin Quality: Scientific Beauty Niacin Qualene Neck Cream
Great results start with great skin. Dr. Devgan recommends daily use of her Scientific Beauty Niacin Qualene Neck Cream to address the foundational issues: thinning skin, dehydration, and loss of elasticity.
This isn’t a face cream repackaged for the neck. It’s formulated specifically to strengthen the skin barrier, improve texture, and support collagen where the skin is most fragile. Used consistently, it helps soften fine lines and makes in-office treatments work better and last longer.
Neck Tox: Relax the Pull That Creates Lines
Vertical banding and tightness in the neck often come from overactive muscles, not just aging skin. Carefully placed neuromodulator injections—often referred to as “neck tox”—can relax these muscles, reducing visible banding and creating a smoother, more elegant neck contour.
This is a precision treatment. Done correctly, it softens without affecting natural movement or expression.
Horizontal Neck Line Filler: Treat the Creases, Not Just the Skin
Horizontal neck lines—sometimes called “tech neck”—can appear early and deepen over time. Skincare alone won’t erase them.
Dr. Devgan may recommend micro-aliquots of filler placed directly into these lines to smooth creases and restore continuity to the skin. The goal isn’t volume—it’s refinement. When done properly, results look natural and seamless.
Kybella: Address Fullness Under the Chin
Submental fullness can blur the jawline and make the neck look heavier, even in younger patients. Kybella is an injectable treatment that dissolves excess fat under the chin, improving definition and contour over time.
This option is best for patients with good skin elasticity who want improvement without surgery.
Submental Liposuction: When Fat Is the Main Issue
When excess fat is more significant—or when faster, more dramatic results are desired—submental liposuction may be the better option. This procedure physically removes fat beneath the chin and along the upper neck, immediately restoring sharper definition.
It’s a targeted solution for patients whose skin quality is still strong but whose neck contour has been compromised by fat.
Surgical Neck Lift: The Gold Standard for Laxity
When skin laxity and structural aging are advanced, no injectable or topical can fully correct it. In these cases, Dr. Devgan considers a surgical neck lift the definitive solution.
A neck lift tightens underlying muscles, removes excess skin, and redefines the neck and jawline with results that are both dramatic and long-lasting. It’s not about looking different—it’s about restoring what time has taken.
The Bottom Line
There is no single fix for neck aging—and that’s the point. Dr. Devgan’s philosophy is layered, precise, and honest. Skin care supports procedures. Injectables refine specific issues. Surgery is reserved for when it’s truly needed.
The best neck results come from choosing the right tool, at the right time, for the right anatomy. And when that happens, the neck doesn’t just look younger—it looks intentional.
Appointment Inquiries
For inquiries and appointments, please email appointments at appointments@laradevganmd.com or call 212-452-2400. You may also use the following button to schedule an appointment online. We look forward to hearing from you. Thank you!
Doctor's Notes | The Identity Threshold
The Identity Threshold: Dr. Lara Devgan’s Philosophy of Subtle, Identity-Preserving Aesthetics
There’s a line in aesthetic medicine that most people can feel, even if they can’t quite articulate it—the point where enhancement shifts into alteration. It’s the moment someone stops looking like themselves. Dr. Lara Devgan has built her approach around staying on the safe side of that line. She calls it the identity threshold: refining a face without ever erasing the core of who a person is.
Understanding the Identity Threshold
Every face has a visual signature—micro-asymmetries, character lines, proportions, and expressions that make someone unmistakably them. The identity threshold is the limit of how far you can push an enhancement before that signature begins to fade. Cross it, and results look artificial. Stay within it, and the outcome feels striking yet natural.
This isn’t about holding back. It’s about intention, restraint, and precision.
Why Dr. Devgan Stays Subtle on Purpose
Subtle work ages better, photographs better, and protects the patient’s individuality. When treatments respect anatomy, proportion, and expression, the results don’t scream “procedure.” Instead, they whisper: I look rested. I look sharper. I feel more like myself.
Dr. Devgan’s philosophy is rooted in elevating what’s already there—strengthening bone structure, sharpening light reflexes, balancing facial thirds, and restoring youthful volume—without rewriting a face’s fundamental identity.
Tools That Respect Your Face’s DNA
Whether she’s using surgical techniques or non-surgical treatments like injectables, lasers, or medical-grade skincare, the goal stays the same: enhancement that still looks like you.
A few principles drive that outcome:
Start with the patient’s innate architecture—never work against it.
Add structure where it once existed, not where trends suggest it should be.
Maintain natural expressivity; nothing should interfere with how a person emotes.
Focus on cumulative, incremental refinements rather than a single dramatic shift.
This is how subtle work becomes powerful.
The Role of Skincare in Identity-Preserving Aesthetics
Skincare is one of the most identity-friendly ways to improve the face. Instead of altering shape or structure, it restores health: luminosity, smoothness, bounce, and clarity. That’s why Dr. Devgan formulates products like a surgeon—targeted, evidence-based, and designed to support the face’s natural strengths.
Healthy skin amplifies your features without changing them.
Why Patients Respond to This Approach
People don’t come to Dr. Devgan because they want to become someone else. They come because they want to look like the best version of themselves—sharper jawlines, brighter eyes, more uniform skin, but still entirely recognizable.
The identity threshold honors that desire. It reassures patients that their uniqueness isn’t something to fix—it’s something to preserve.
Staying You, Just Elevated
Great aesthetic work should never be detectable. Friends shouldn’t comment on what you had done—only that you look incredible. You should feel confident in your reflection, not confused by it.
That’s the heart of the identity threshold: the belief that beauty isn’t created by changing who you are, but by refining the qualities that make your face unmistakably yours.
