I Tried Radio-Frequency For Dark Circles — Here's What Happened

Over the past few years, we've seen a spotlight on skin barrier function and an emphasis on scalp health. This year in beauty, I believe we'll start to give the eyes a similar level of much-deserved attention—I'm talking about the whole eye area, not just the skin underneath.

To be clear, this technology doesn't treat the eyeball but rather the under-eye and eyelid. The goal is to use heat to loosen up oil clogged in the meibomian glands. When these clogs happen, the tear film that keeps your eyes hydrated evaporates quickly. 

"Radio-frequency helps to unclog and release the oil glands to stimulate more tear production while simultaneously building collagen to tighten the skin and improve blood circulation around our eyes," explains ophthalmologist Jennifer Tsai, O.D.

In turn, she says, this provides rejuvenation to reduce under-eye bags, dark circles, and even droopy eyelids. Most notably, it soothes dry eyes and helps prevent them in the future. Constantly itching your dry, inflamed eyes can also lead to microtears in the skin and wrinkles down the line (plus, it's just uncomfortable), so the radio-frequency treatment really takes a skin longevity approach.

The ideal cadence for this treatment is four to six sessions total, spaced out by two to four weeks. "The results are usually long-lasting and could provide benefits for up to a year or more depending on each candidate," Tsai says. 

While some forms of radio-frequency are available in ophthalmology offices, elective treatment isn't widespread at medical spas quite yet. Compared to noninvasive facial treatments like hydrafacials or microneedling, for example, it's still in the early stages of availability. 

I booked the Glass Skin + Bright Eyes Package at Equinox Hotel Spa—a combination treatment that included radio-frequency healing for eyes, plus a microinfusion facial and infrared sauna treatment.

The radio-frequency lasted about 15 minutes in total and was completely painless. The wand delivers a warm sensation that runs over a conductive gel layer.

Ahead of my treatment, I'd been battling dry eyes brought on by the frigid air in New York City this time of year. Every morning over the past month, I felt like my eyes were cracking open, covered with crust, and dehydrated throughout the day. 

If you struggle with chronic dry eyes or you're met with resistance to treating dark under-eye circles, this could be for you. However, Tsai warns that those who have pacemakers, metal implants around the eyes, are currently pregnant, or have a history of epilepsy should likely steer clear.

If you can't get the radio-frequency treatment, there are plenty of ways to support eye health at home—start by using high-quality eye creams (our favorites here) and eye drops approved by your ophthalmologist.

Radio-frequency for the eyes helps to release the oil glands to stimulate more tear production while simultaneously building collagen to tighten the skin and improve blood circulation around our eyes. In turn, multiple treatments can support hydrated eyes, brighter under-eyes, and reduce bags.