Last Updated on May 15, 2023 by Eve Dawes
Doctors say doing this 1 thing can make you look wide awake! I tried, this is what happened. An honest review!
Upneeq eye drops are trending on TikTok and Upneeq reviews and their eye opening before and after photos are all over the web. I’ve been trying everything for my drooping eyelids from RF microneedling to fibroblast, red light therapy and special eye serums. So as soon as my Optician offered me a free trial at my recent check up of course I said yes! I have low hanging lids AKA hooded eyes from aging more than anything else. While these eyedrops don’t work on hooded eyes exactly, Upneeq does claim to lift upper eyelids and make you look more awake. Which I was hoping would in turn help the hooded lids. At this price, I had high expectations, so what happened? Do they work? How much does Upneeq cost? Here’s everything you should know.*
Upneeq eye drop review | Before & after
Here’s the Upneeq eye drops in action so you can see the results for yourselves.
What are Upneeq eye drops
Upneeq eye drops are prescription eyedrops that are supposed to lift your lower lid to make you look more awake and fresh.
Upneeq is the only FDA-approved prescription eyedrop for acquired ptosis (low-lying lids) that lifts your upper eyelids to open your eyes.
Upneeq
FDA-approved Upneeq is a non-surgical eyelid lift in a once-daily drop, delivered to your door if prescribed. Flexible monthly and quarterly plans available – pause or cancel anytime.
Ro Co
How do Upneeq eye drops work
Upneeq (oxymetazoline hydrochloride ophthalmic solution), 0.1% is an FDA-approved eye drop that is intended to be used once a day, with one drop being put into each eye. You don’t need more and Upneeq comes in single-use vials that contain enough solution for 1 drop to be applied to both eyes. To be fair, there’s not much more than that in each vial anyway.
Upneeq contains the active ingredient and alpha adrenergic agonist ‘oxymetazoline’. It’s intended to work by stimulating the levator palpebrae muscle (AKA Muller’s or Mueller’s muscle). This causes your eye muscles to contract which in turn is supposed to raise your upper eyelid.
In clinical studies, the average amount of upper eyelid lift was 1 mm. While this minor lift will not give you the dramatic results possible with surgery, this small lift can be cosmetically and/or medically beneficial to many patients.
American Board of Cosmetics Surgery
The reason I normally pose to the side is because one eye is more hooded and closed than the other. It’s something that really bugs me and was one of the main reasons I wanted to try these drops.
How do you use Upneeq eye opening drops
To use Upneeq eye drops you simply put 1 drop in each eye and wait for them to take effect. If you wear contact lenses you need to remove them first. What I missed on my application the first time because it doesn’t mention it on the individual packs is to close your eyes for 60 seconds after you apply them to get the best results.
Then wait for them to take effect. They say it can work as quickly as 5 minutes but that you’ll see the full effect after 2 hours.
They also recommend not letting the tip of the Upneeq vial come into contact with your eyes or anything else and to throw the vial away after using it. The drops come in a single-use container which you dispose of after one use.
What is blepharoptosis
Blepharoptosis, a name I can never seem to remember, is when your upper eyelids droop which often creates a more tired look. There’s many reasons why this can happen but one of the most common is the weakening of your eyelid muscles over time. AKA the fun effects of aging!
Mine have got progressively worse pretty quickly over the last 5 years. I went from being able to do the perfect winged liquid eyeliner to it going across the creases in my lids. Which meant smudging or looking like a crooked line unless I come up from the bottom lash line and not the top.
Upneeq eye drops review | Before and after photos and videos
Have a look and decide for yourself on whether or not you can see a difference or not from my Upneeq eye drops before and after photos. Since you’re supposed to be able to see the results in as little as 5 minutes I took photos before, after 5 minutes, after 1 hour and after 2 hours.
Personally, I can’t see even the slightest difference!
Ignore the eye redness, that just tends to be my eyes in the morning and I didn’t want to edit the photos in any way so that you could see what they truly look like. The only thing used for these photos was a ring light and portrait mode.
Upneeq eye drops review conclusion | Do Upneeq eye drops actually work?
Upneeq reviews vary but I honestly can’t see a difference at all and followed the instructions to the letter. Including closing my eyes for 1 minute after applying the drops.
It does say in the clinical trials results were only seen in 84%, so I must be in that minority 16%.
84% of patients had some form of improvement in the lifting of their eyelids at 2 hours. 74% of patients had more than 50% improvement.
Ro.co
Don’t expect the results to be drastic though. The average results during trials were 1mm upper eyelid lift! I don’t want my eyes popping out of my head but 1mm really doesn’t seem a lot or even enough to be noticeable. My results were definitely nothing like the before and after photos on Upneeq’s website.
How much does Upneeq cost?
Obviously cost comes into play when doing an Upneeq review as to whether they’re worth it or not. The cost seems to vary greatly. I paid $50 for 10 packets but some online pharmacies show it for as little as $104 per month. Unfortunately, it’s not available under medical insurance at this time.
Since the vials are one-time use only it does make them pretty pricey. They’re then supposed to work for 6-8 hours which is perfect for an event or night out.
I like that they come as single-use vials of Upneeq not just for hygiene but because it makes them easier to travel with if you’re only going away for a couple of days.
Upneeq review | Are Upneeq eye drops worth it?
Even though it didn’t really work for me, I definitely think it’s worth trying if you have low eyelids or are considering Blepharoplasty. I was just trying to put off surgery as long as possible as the thought of cutting my eyelids scares me and it’s not cheap.
However, I won’t be trying them again. I’d rather spend my money on lid lifting serums and saving up for Blepharoplasty.
Is it a replacement for eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty)
In a nutshell, no it’s not a replacement or alternative to eyelid lift surgery. The results won’t be anywhere as drastic and are only temporary. They also don’t affect hooded eyelids, they are just intended to open the eyes more.
Where to get it
Upneeq eye drops are by prescription only, I got mine from my Optician but it can also be prescribed through:
- Dermatologists.
- Medical Spas.
- Aesthetics practices.
- Eye care professionals.
Upneeq eye drops review | What else do I need to know
There is some more information you should know. Especially if you use other medication prescription eye drops. As well as some possible common side effects, warnings and precautions to be aware of which are all listed on Upneeq.com.
Some of the side effects noted on the American Board of Cosmetics Surgery include eye inflammation, dry eye, eye pain, headaches, eye irritation, redness, and blurred vision.
*NB: I am not a medical professional. None of the information in this Upneeq eye drops review is intended to diagnose or treat any concerns but is my personal experience with Upneeq eye drops.
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As you can tell I’m on a mission to really try and slow down aging as much as possible and am always trying new products and anit-ageing treatments:
References:
Upneeq
American Board Cosmetics Surgery
ro.co
