Key takeaways
Eye bag surgery case: eye bags had bothered her for three to four years and needed covering with makeup every day. After an assessment by Dr. Kuo-Chun Liao, surgery was done under local anesthesia. She returned to work with tape on the third day after surgery, the foreign-body feeling under her eyes faded in about a week, and five months later her daily makeup time is about 20 minutes shorter.
Contents
- Makeup couldn't hide my eye bags; after three years of hesitation I decided to deal with them
- Overcoming my fear of needles and getting through surgery with gentle care
- Kind, gentle Dr. Liao and thorough aftercare at NAISS
- Looking back five months later: the best decision I made this year
- The sooner you do it, the sooner you enjoy it: give yourself a chance at a real change
"My name is Yi-Chieh, everyone calls me Kiki, and I work as an accountant. This time I had eye bag surgery. I'm not that fussy about my looks, but my eye bags really bothered me for three or four years. Almost every day, my makeup routine was all about covering them up..."
Makeup couldn't hide my eye bags; after three years of hesitation I decided to deal with them
I used to spend every day trying to cover my eye bags with makeup. But whenever I saw my bare face after a shower or removing my makeup, I felt self-conscious. I thought I looked tired, and I even had the anxiety of "not daring to be seen without makeup".
What really made me start seriously considering eye bag surgery was seeing an ad for NAISS CLINIC. What caught my attention wasn't the models' looks, but the natural, bright confidence they had after surgery. In that moment I thought: I want to look like that too.
Even so, I hesitated for three years. Not because I was afraid of surgery, but because I'm really, really scared of needles. Just the thought of an injection terrified me, so I could never get past that mental barrier.
Overcoming my fear of needles and getting through surgery with gentle care
When I actually lay down on the operating table, what made me most nervous wasn't whether the surgery would go well, but whether the injection would hurt. Afterward I realized I'd scared myself far more than the actual pain. I felt the needle, but it was over in a moment, and after that there was hardly any noticeable pain.
I had local anesthesia, and overall it felt like getting a vaccination. During the surgery, Dr. Liao kept gently telling me, "We're almost done, you're doing great." The nurses held my hand and comforted me the whole time, like I was their little sister. Being cared for like that cut my nervousness by more than half right away.
For me, the hardest part of recovery wasn't swelling or pain, it was not being able to sleep on my side. I'm a side sleeper and have some trouble sleeping, so that was really tough. I also couldn't run, squat, or do marathon training, which was a bit painful for someone who exercises regularly.
Apart from those lifestyle adjustments, recovery went very smoothly. On the third day, I went back to work with just two strips of tape. After about a week, the foreign-body feeling under my eyes disappeared and the contour became more and more natural. Every time I looked in the mirror, I could clearly see I looked more awake and brighter.
Kind, gentle Dr. Liao and thorough aftercare at NAISS
Part of the reason I chose NAISS is that my classmate's sister is a branch manager here, and having someone I knew there made me feel more at ease.
On top of that, Dr. Kuo-Chun Liao is the friendliest doctor I've ever met. He doesn't say much, but he's always smiling, and during surgery he kept telling me in a calm voice, "Almost done, just a little longer." That gentle encouragement really eased my nerves.
Also, whenever I had any problem after surgery, the branch manager always replied to my messages, even if I asked at one or two in the morning. I think that's the key to why I felt so reassured: it's not just good surgical skill, but the whole team taking great care of you before and after surgery.
Looking back five months later: the best decision I made this year
The change after surgery is super obvious! Friends, coworkers, even clients say as soon as they see me, "Hey, did you have something done? You look so different! You look so much more awake!"
Even my mom said she wanted to do it too after seeing me, and I couldn't help telling her, "At home, nobody's looking at your eye bags!"
The biggest change is in me. I used to spend at least 20 minutes covering my eye bags with makeup. Now it's really simple: just foundation and lip balm and I'm out the door. I no longer spend time covering the area under my eyes, and I'm not afraid of my bare face after removing makeup.
It's been about five months since surgery, and if I had to rate it, I'd give it a full 10 out of 10. The reasons are simple: the result is natural and doesn't look surgical, I spend 20 fewer minutes on makeup every day, my quality of life has improved, and I look noticeably more awake and less tired. Eye bag surgery was the most worthwhile decision I made this year.
The sooner you do it, the sooner you enjoy it: give yourself a chance at a real change
I only have one thing to say: "Do it! The sooner you do it, the sooner you get to enjoy it." Eye bags can't really be hidden; no matter how hard you work on your makeup or how much concealer you buy, it's only temporary. Surgery isn't as scary as you think, the pain is very minor, and the nurses and doctor are with you the whole time.
My only regret is that I hesitated for three years. If I'd done it sooner, I could have looked better sooner, saved time sooner, and become a more relaxed, confident version of myself sooner. If you're struggling the way I used to, my honest advice is: give yourself a chance. You'll like yourself after surgery more than you imagine.
This story reflects one patient's experience. Results and recovery vary from person to person; please consult a doctor in person about your own treatment plan.
