Non-surgical

Injectables, CO₂ laser & peels.

Fine lines, modest volume loss, and skin quality — treated without surgery, or alongside it.

In brief

Dr. Karlin’s non-surgical oculofacial treatments are neuromodulators, hyaluronic-acid fillers, CO₂ laser skin resurfacing, and chemical peels — used on their own or alongside surgery. Injectables soften lines and restore modest volume; resurfacing improves skin quality. They address volume and texture, not mechanical problems like excess skin or a drooping lid. Facial fat transfer is a surgical procedure and is covered with lower eyelid blepharoplasty.

By Justin Karlin, MD, MS ASOPRS-certified oculofacial surgeon · UCLA faculty — about the surgeon
Neuromodulators
~2 weeksTo full effect; last 2.5–3 months
Injectables
Minimal downtime
Resurfacing
Days to weeksDepth-dependent
Best for
Lines & skin quality
Consultation
$500Treatment quoted at your visit

Injectable treatments

Less is more. In the right amount, the right place, and the right patient, a subtle treatment with botulinum toxin or hyaluronic-acid filler can refresh the face without ever announcing itself.

Neuromodulators (Botox, Xeomin, Dysport) relax the muscles that crease the skin, softening frown lines and crow’s feet. They take about two weeks to reach full effect and last roughly two and a half to three months. Hyaluronic-acid fillers replace lost volume — most powerfully in the tear trough and orbital-rim hollow, and, in selected patients, the upper-lid hollow, the cheeks, and the jawline. Around the eyes the margin for error is small, which is exactly why it benefits from a surgeon who knows the underlying anatomy intimately.

One principle outweighs any product: filler belongs in small amounts. Over-injection looks unnatural, and its long-term effects can be difficult to reverse. The rule is the same as in the operating room — the smallest, best-placed amount that achieves the goal.

Laser resurfacing & chemical peels

Surgery repositions tissue; it does not change skin quality. Fine lines, crepey texture, and pigment around the eyes respond instead to CO₂ laser skin resurfacing and chemical peeling, which remove the outer layers of damaged skin and stimulate renewal. Depth is matched to the goal and to the recovery time you can accommodate — from light peels with minimal downtime to deeper resurfacing that addresses more.

Resurfacing and peels can be performed on their own, as non-surgical treatments, or combined with eyelid surgery — CO₂ laser resurfacing is often planned alongside lower blepharoplasty.

When non-surgical is — and isn't — the answer

Non-surgical treatment is the right tool for volume loss, fine lines, and skin quality. It is the wrong tool for mechanical problems: excess eyelid skin, a drooping lid, or a descended brow are structural, and only surgery corrects them. A consultation that is honest about this distinction — rather than stretching a non-surgical treatment past what it can do — is part of the care.

Facial fat transfer is not a non-surgical treatment. It is a surgical procedure — fat harvested by gentle liposuction, purified, and re-injected — most often combined with eyelid surgery and occasionally performed on its own. It is described with lower eyelid blepharoplasty.

The skill is not in offering everything; it is in recommending only what the problem actually requires.

Cost

A consultation with Dr. Karlin is $500. Because every plan is customized — built around your anatomy and often combining more than one procedure — the cost of treatment is discussed at your consultation rather than listed here.

Questions

Non-surgical, answered.

Is facial fat transfer a non-surgical treatment?

No. Facial fat transfer is a surgical procedure: your own fat is harvested by gentle liposuction, purified, and re-injected to restore volume in areas such as the tear trough, midface, and temples. It is most often combined with eyelid surgery and occasionally performed on its own. See facial fat transfer.

Can non-surgical treatments replace eyelid surgery?

Sometimes. Volume loss and fine lines often respond well. But excess skin, a drooping lid, or a descended brow are mechanical problems non-surgical treatment cannot fix. The consultation is about matching treatment to the actual problem.

Are injectables safe around the eyes?

The area is delicate and unforgiving of poor technique, which is why it benefits from a surgeon who understands the anatomy. Performed conservatively, with the right product in the right plane, injectable treatment around the eyes is safe; restraint is the priority.

Is there downtime with lasers or peels?

It depends on depth. Light peels and gentle laser may cause a few days of redness and flaking; deeper resurfacing needs a week or more. The plan is matched to your available recovery time and the correction you want.

How much do non-surgical treatments cost?

The consultation is $500. Because every plan is customized — built around your anatomy and often combining procedures — the cost of treatment is discussed at your consultation, once Dr. Karlin has examined you and a plan is agreed.

Surgery, non-surgical, or neither?

An honest plan starts by naming the problem — volume, texture, or structure — and recommending only what it requires.

Request consultation → Call 310-777-8880 →