For years, dark circles were one of my biggest physical insecurities, and I tried everything from concealers and retinol serums to moisturisers laced with peptides and ceramides to fade them.
I’ve pressed chilled spoons and cold tea bags under my eyes, splurged on pricey brightening creams and prioritised getting seven hours of sleep (on most nights), but the bags under my eyes refused to budge.
By the time aesthetician Suzie Vaughan emailed to ask if I’d be interested in trying out a new treatment that celebrities like Jennifer Aniston swear by, I was desperate for a solution.
Suzie, who founded SV Aesthetics in London’s Bond Street in 2018, said her clients were raving about the new-age injectable that had completely transformed their complexion - including dramatically improving the appearance of dark circles.
I've never had Botox or fillers, but I knew I had to try it when Suzie told me the results lasted up to a year, mentally tossing my orange colour corrector in the bin - until she added that the ‘miracle’ ingredient in the treatment was ‘salmon sperm’.
More specifically, DNA extracted from salmon sperm, known as polynucleotides with properties that Suzie was confident would rejuvenate my under-eye areas.
'Polynucleotides are made from purified salmon or trout DNA fragments and work by supporting the skin’s natural repair processes, helping to improve collagen production, hydration and elasticity,' Suzie said.
The treatment not only lightened my under-eye area but also brightened my complexion
Salmon milt (or testes tissue) is collected as a by-product of the food industry obtained from farmed salmon. The sperm is then extracted, processed and filtered to extract the DNA.
Unlike tear trough fillers, which Suzie doesn't offer at her clinic because of 'uncertain results', polynucleotides like Nucleofill don't just plump out hollow under-eyes.
They focus on improving the skin from the inside out, she continued, adding that polynucleotides are better suited to concerns such as dehydration, fine lines and poor skin elasticity.
'I personally don’t recommend filler for the under eyes due to how it might look a few years down the line,' Suzie said.
'The skin around the eyes is so sensitive, and it has to be treated with the correct knowledge of how the skin might look down the line - not just the immediate results.'
There are also real risks to getting fillers in the 'tear troughs' if the procedure is not carried out by an experienced aesthetician.
In some cases, it can cause lumpiness, scarring and, if it's mistakenly injected into an artery or blood vessel, even blindness.
Instead, the £350-per-session Nucleofill treatment is 'really about encouraging the skin’s own regenerative processes', Suzie said.
Before (top) and after four rounds of the treatment
Polynucleotides are also cheaper than tear trough fillers, which was previously one of the few non-surgical options for the under-eye. Prices can go up to £950 depending on how many millilitres of the filler are injected.
Most crucially for me, the treatment involves minimal downtime, and so I asked Suzie to book me in for my first session at her clinic - despite my mother's horrified reaction when I told her what I had signed up for.
Before my first appointment, Suzie advised against drinking alcohol for 24 hours and to avoid blood-thinning medications like fish oil for three to five days before the appointment.
Suzie also told me not to use any skincare products that contain active ingredients like retinol or AHA/BHA acids for two to three days before the treatment.
Luckily, the treatment is quick, only lasting about 15 minutes, because it is not pain-free. As someone with multiple tattoos, I always believed I had a high tolerance - and Suzie is as gentle as can be - but I was quickly humbled by the injections.
Ten doses of the polynucleotides treatment are deposited with a stinging sensation that forced my eyes closed.
When I opened them, I noticed tiny, raised bumps at the site of the injections that Suzie promised would go down within 24 to 48 hours, as I left her clinic wearing big sunglasses to cover the slight bruising. So far, so Hollywood.
The swelling went down two days later, and the skin under my eyes was back to normal within a week.
Although Suzie had been realistic about the treatment being a slow-burn rather than an overnight fix, I noticed the purplish tinge under my eyes had faded slightly when I returned to her clinic for my second appointment three weeks later.
One year later, it would turn out to be the best decision I made. Apart from the four sessions, I haven't had any touch-ups, but I can still get away without using concealer under my eyes - even on dates, sometimes!
The same colleagues that were aghast at the thought of injecting fish sperm into the face have had to admit the difference it's made to my skin - and are even considering it themselves.
Even my mother had to admit my skin looks clearer and healthier now, which I count as a real win.
For others who might be excited by salmon sperm's magical properties, Suzie said expectations should always be discussed at initial consultation, as results can vary from person to person.
But I am a firm believer - especially considering the compliments I get about my skin even when I'm not wearing makeup.
I look well-rested for the first time in a decade and, one year after the treatment, I still only have the faintest hint of what used to be deep and purple dark circles.
Which reminds me, it might be time to pay Suzie another visit.