As long as I can remember, I’ve had deep hollows under my eyes that caused any dark circles or puffiness to stand out. I’ve tried every lotion and potion under the sun throughout the years, but finally it hit me – these hollows are completely genetic and no amount of topical cream was going to fix that. I heard about tear trough filler through a friend and knew it was totally made for me.
I began researching plastic surgery centers around the city, and ended up stumbling upon DC Plastic Surgery Boutique. The photos of the office immediately drew me in (the gold hardware, white fur, and touches of blush had me at first sight!), but it was what I learned about the doctor and her practice that prompted me to call on the spot.
Board certified Dr. Anita Kulkarni started her own practice around the mantra “for women by women,” which is so up my alley. After reading the mission statement below, I knew it was the perfect place for my first experience with fillers.
We believe in enhancing a woman’s natural beauty.
We believe in slowing the aging process.
We believe in restoring your post-baby body.
We believe in rebuilding breasts affected by cancer.
We believe in fulfilling your aesthetic desires with subtle, natural enhancements.
Your journey to your best self begins here.
I was so moved by the mission of DC Plastic Surgery Boutique that I decided I wanted this whole process to be documented on the blog. For some reason physical enhancements have always been very taboo, looked down on, and disparaged. Because of this I originally was going to keep all of this on the DL, but DCPSB’s inspiring words really encouraged me to share the whole journey and just own it! Not only did I want to document everything with those of you who are interested in experimenting with injections, but I also knew all of you would be just as in love with Dr. Kulkarni and her practice as I am.
Full transparency here, I decided to slide into @dcplasticsurgeryboutique‘s DMs to see if they’d be interested in collaborating. I only ever partner with brands/organizations that I fully love, and I will always be honest with you guys and give my true opinions. I knew this was going to be a match made in heaven, and thankfully they thought so too and the partnership was born!
We decided to do my tear trough filler, along with some forehead Botox where I was starting to see noticeable fine lines. The thing about Botox that I didn’t know is that it’s totally preventative – so if you start to see wrinkles when you’re not making a face, it’s a good time to start a regimen to prevent those wrinkles from deepening over time.
I went in a little nervous, but I had heard such great things about both services so I was mostly just really excited to see my results!
Walking into the DC Plastic Surgery Boutique office was like walking into a dream. Honestly I don’t even think Dream Chloe could have designed it better, haha! Aside from the white, blush, and gold color scheme that originally hooked me in, the office also features modern design elements, huge windows with natural light and beautiful DC views, whimsical chandeliers, fresh flowers, and candles. Any anxiety I had immediately melted away because I truly felt at home! Well, maybe someone else’s home – like one of the (chicer) real housewives or my dream home if I didn’t live with a boy.
When I posted that I was about to get Botox and filler, I think I got more DMs than ever before – most of the questions being about price, pain level, and exactly what I got. We started out with the Botox, and I got 25 units along my horizontal forehead wrinkles, the lines between my brows, or “11s,” and one in the arch of each brow to keep them from being pushed down from the forehead Botox. They charge $15 per unit, which is pretty standard. As for the pain, it was a lot easier than I thought! It was way easier than a shot in your arm, and honestly the worst part was the sound (which I quickly got used to). Botox generally lasts 4-6 months, depending how fast your body degrades the product.
For the filler, I got a syringe of Vollure distributed between both tear troughs. They charge $750 per syringe, which also seems to be standard across the board. The pain was significantly more than the Botox, but still not unbearable by any means. It’s a little disconcerting having the needle so close to your eye, but Dr. Kulkarni does a great job of taking your mind off what’s going on and then it’s over before you know it. Fillers last anywhere from 6 months to 2 years, depending which filler is used.
The above photo is right before I got my filler. As you can see, I have two dark hollows underneath my eyes, which really deepen when I smile. They’re completely genetic, and no amount of creams or jade rolling was ever going to help them. I always said if there was one makeup product I could never give up, it would be undereye concealer, because it honestly made such a difference in how I looked and in turn, my confidence. I hated being so reliant on a product and feeling like I needed to wear makeup every day!
This photo was taken immediately after I got home. The results are legitimately instant, but I wanted to wait a bit for the redness to go down from the needle and the ice. As you can see, my undereye area is instantly flatter, less dark, and has way less wrinkles. Magic!
This photo was taken the next morning. I was completely shocked that there was no swelling at all! Dr. Kulkarni used a special method that she said would lead to less bruising and swelling, and she was so right. As you can see, I had a little bit of bruising only on the left side of my face where the needle went in under my eye, and a bit where I got my forehead Botox. But the bruises were easily covered with makeup, and I was so excited that the filler results were so instant! The Botox, however, takes about a week to kick in.
The above photo was taken exactly one week later. There’s still a tiny bit of bruising on my forehead from the Botox, but the results from that are really kicking in now and you can see how smooth my forehead is. My undereye bruise has completely subsided, and my bags look like I took a smoothing photo tool to them – but no Facetune needed here!!
This last photo was also taken one week later, but after I did my makeup. My bags and hollows are even more non-existent, and I could not be happier with the results.
As silly as it sounds, I feel like I’m finally feeling like myself, and it’s so freeing to not have to be a slave to undereye concealer every day. As taboo as facial enhancements are, I honestly don’t see it as any different than getting your eyebrows microbladed or even eyelash extensions. You’re just enhancing your natural beauty, and there’s nothing wrong with that! I’m going to own it, and so should you.
If you’re concerned about getting addicted and opening up a plastic surgery Pandora’s box, you don’t have to worry about that with Dr. Kulkarni. I know many plastic surgeons are kind of like used car salesmen and try to convince you of everything you “need,” but I had the exact opposite experience at DC Plastic Surgery Boutique. I actually went in with a note on my phone of every question I’ve always wanted to ask a plastic surgeon about my various flaws and insecurities, and you guys, she legit turned down 95% of them. Everything I mentioned, she would reply “nah, you don’t need that.” Hearing this from a professional sort of allowed me to accept things I don’t like about myself, and it really impressed me that she would give me such an honest opinion – even if it meant losing out on money for her.
This all isn’t to say I think everyone needs to change things about themselves with injectables or plastic surgery of any kind, but if you have something that has bothered you for years and years, there is no shame into looking into fixing it. We’re all unique and beautiful the way we are, but I don’t think there’s anything wrong with enhancing your natural beauty so you can live life as confidently as possible.
If you’re interested in visiting DC Plastic Surgery Boutique for yourself, you can get 10% off if you tell them Chlo & Tell sent you! The consultations are always complimentary, so you can also go in and ask as many questions as I did before pulling the trigger. Happy to answer any inquiries on my end as well, so head over to insta if there’s anything I can help with before you schedule your appointment!
Thanks so much to Dr. Kulkarni & the DCPSB team for making my first experience so easy, (relatively) painless, and yes, even fun!
Learn more about DC Plastic Surgery Boutique here, see some of their amazing before & afters on their Instagram here, and call 202.335.4700 to book an appointment.
