Non-surgical eye bag removal uses AGNES and Secret RF, two radiofrequency devices, to shrink the pocket of fat that forms a bag under the lower eyelid, without any incision. A single session takes about 20 minutes and is followed by four to five days of mild swelling, with results that become visible from about eight weeks and typically last three to five years. The first session is $2,500 before GST. I perform every treatment myself at 50 Raffles Place.
Non-surgical eye bag removal in Singapore: at a glance
| Treats | The fat bulge under the lower eyelid, the bag itself |
| Method | AGNES insulated microneedle radiofrequency plus a Secret RF cannula, both placed into the fat pad |
| Time | About 30 minutes of numbing, then about 20 minutes of treatment |
| Downtime | Four to five days of mild swelling, with some bruising that concealer covers from day two |
| Sessions | Usually one, with a second for a larger bag decided at review |
| Results | Visible from about eight weeks |
| Lasts | Typically three to five years |
| Price | $2,500 first session, $1,800 for a subsequent session, before GST |
Who suits non-surgical eye bag removal, and who needs surgery
The treatment suits an eye bag that is present every morning and still present at night, sitting on skin that remains firm. Most of the patients I treat this way are in their thirties to fifties, and the bulge is fat that has pushed forward rather than skin that has loosened. Where the bag flattens under gentle pressure and the skin over it does not fold into a crease, the result is usually good. Where the upper lid is also heavy or hooded, the AGNES with Secret RF eyelid lift can be done at the same visit.
It is not appropriate for a large bag on loose, crepey skin, which requires scarless surgery, nor for a hollow under the eye, which requires filler rather than fat reduction. Dark circles are a separate problem with separate treatments. Every one of those pathways is available at the clinic, so no commercial incentive favours radiofrequency where the anatomy calls for something else. Where I do not expect a result that justifies the treatment, I say so at the consultation.
Eye bag types: five checks before non-surgical eye bag removal
Five checks at the consultation decide whether radiofrequency will work or whether the bag needs something else.
- Morning and night. A bag that is there every morning and still there at night is fat. One that is worst on waking and settles through the day is fluid, and no procedure removes fluid.
- Upward gaze. Fat pads push forward when you look up, so a true bag becomes more prominent and a hollow does not.
- Pinch test. Skin that springs back briskly will redrape over a smaller fat pad. Skin that returns slowly and crinkles has lost its recoil, and that bag needs scarless surgery.
- Grade. I grade the bulge from 1 to 4 in each of the three lower fat compartments, and each side separately. Grade 1 to 2 responds to AGNES with Secret RF. Grade 3 to 4 needs surgery.
- Stretch test. Darkness that stays when the skin is gently stretched is pigment. That is a dark circle, not a bag, and it is treated differently.
How AGNES and Secret RF remove eye bag fat
An eye bag has a shallow compartment just under the skin and a deeper, central compartment. AGNES uses very fine needles that are insulated along their shaft, so radiofrequency energy is released only at the exposed tip, inside the fat, and the thin skin over the bag is spared the heat that would otherwise mark it. Secret RF, used in this protocol, is an insulated cannula advanced along the deeper part of the fat pad to treat what AGNES cannot reach from above. The heat breaks down the treated fat cells, which are then cleared by the body over the following weeks, while the collagen in the surrounding tissue contracts as it heals. The contour therefore continues to improve for a month or two after the session rather than changing on the day.
I have used AGNES for eye bags for more than a decade, and adding Secret RF extended the protocol to the medium-sized bags that AGNES alone did not fully clear. The longer article on how the procedure works sets out the steps and the published evidence.
Non-surgical eye bag removal procedure: what happens on the day
At the consultation I examine the bag in several positions, press on the cheek to establish whether the bulge is fat or fluid, and pinch the skin to judge how much recoil it has lost. Where radiofrequency is the appropriate choice, treatment can proceed the same day. Numbing cream is applied for about 30 minutes and followed by a small local anaesthetic injection. The treatment itself takes about 20 minutes, a cold pack is applied afterwards, and patients leave the clinic immediately.
Recovery and results: swelling, 4- and 8-week reviews
Swelling lasts four to five days and is accompanied by some bruising, and most patients return to work from day two using concealer. Rubbing the area and hot saunas are avoided for a week, because heat and friction prolong the swelling. Review is at four weeks and again at eight weeks, and a second session for a larger bag is booked at review.
Some patients have dry eyes for one to two days, and occasionally a small firmness can be felt, but not seen, while the treated fat clears. Change is visible from about eight weeks.
Non-surgical eye bag removal vs filler vs surgery vs 4D laser
| Treatment | What it does to the fat | Suits | How long it lasts | Price at my clinic (before GST) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AGNES with Secret RF (non-surgical) | Shrinks the fat pad through the skin with insulated microneedle radiofrequency | Grade 1 to 2 fat bag on firm skin | Full result by 8 weeks, then typically 3 to 5 years | $2,500 first session, $1,800 subsequent |
| Scarless eye bag removal surgery | Removes or repositions the fat through an incision inside the lower eyelid | Grade 3 to 4 bag, or any bag with loose skin | Longer than radiofrequency | $2,988 plus facility fee $500 to $1,000; pinch excision $2,788 |
| Tear trough filler | Nothing. It fills the hollow beside the bag | A hollow under the eye, not a bag | 9 to 18 months | $1,200 a syringe |
| 4D and other long-pulse laser packages | Nothing. The wavelength is absorbed by water, not fat | Skin texture around the eye | No lasting effect on a fat bag | Not offered |
| HIFU | Nothing. The focused heat sits deeper than the lower eyelid | Skin tightening on the face and neck | No lasting effect on a fat bag | Not offered for eye bags |
Placed into a true bag, filler makes the bulge larger. My review of every eye bag treatment in Singapore compares all of them in detail.
Non-surgical eye bag removal cost in Singapore
The first session is $2,500 and a subsequent session is $1,800, before GST, with the consultation and both reviews included. For comparison, under-eye filler for a hollow is $1,200 a syringe and treats a different problem, and scarless surgical eye bag removal is $2,988 plus a day surgery facility fee of $500 to $1,000. The eye bag removal cost page compares every option. Where the bag requires surgery, that is what I say at the consultation rather than beginning with a session of radiofrequency. My review of every eye bag treatment compares them all.
Is non-surgical eye bag removal permanent?
The fat cells that AGNES with Secret RF destroys do not grow back. In my practice the result typically lasts three to five years. The ageing that produced the bag carries on, so a new bag can form over time. Surgery removes more fat in one procedure and lasts longer, while radiofrequency avoids the operation and its recovery. I explain why results change, and who keeps them longest, in how long non-surgical eye bag removal lasts.
Who performs non-surgical eye bag removal in Singapore
Dr Gerard Ee, MBBS (UK), MRCS (Edinburgh), PGDip Practical Dermatology (Cardiff), Medical Director of The Clifford Clinic. I perform the non-surgical AGNES and Secret RF treatment, and scarless surgical eye bag removal is performed by Dr Shen or A/Prof Vincent Yeow at The Clifford Surgery, at the same address, so the recommendation follows the anatomy of the eye bag rather than the single device a clinic happens to own. The treatment is done at The Clifford Clinic.
More about the training is on the about page, and the published work is listed on the publications page.
Non-surgical eye bag removal at Raffles Place, Singapore
50 Raffles Place, #01-01 Singapore Land Tower, Singapore 048623. Telephone 6532 2048. Raffles Place MRT is a two-minute walk.
Monday to Friday, 10am to 8pm. Saturday, 10am to 5pm.
Dr Gerard Ee consults and performs this treatment at The Clifford Clinic, 50 Raffles Place, Singapore.
Non-surgical eye bag removal FAQ
Is there a way to remove under-eye bags without surgery?
Under-eye bags can be removed without surgery where the bulge is fat rather than loose skin. AGNES and Secret RF shrink the fat pad through the skin with no incision and no scar. A bag carrying a significant amount of loose skin still requires surgery.
What is the most effective non-surgical treatment for eye bags?
For a fat bag on firm skin, radiofrequency delivered inside the fat pad is the treatment that reduces the bag itself. Filler disguises a bag by filling the hollow beside it, and skin-tightening devices tighten the skin over it. Neither removes the fat that forms the bulge.
Can HIFU remove eye bags?
HIFU tightens skin and can help a mild, skin-related puffiness, but it does not reduce the fat that produces a true eye bag, because its energy is focused into tissue planes deeper than the thin lower eyelid and cannot reach the herniated fat. I use HIFU on the face and neck, not as an eye bag treatment.
What is 4D eye bag removal?
4D eye bag removal is a marketing name some clinics use for combining several treatments, usually filler, radiofrequency, skin tightening and laser, into one plan. No device called 4D exists. The question that decides the outcome is whether the plan treats the fat, the hollow or the skin that is producing the bag. My full 4D eye bag removal review sets out the anatomy and the evidence.
Is non-surgical eye bag removal permanent?
The fat that is treated does not grow back, and in my experience the result typically lasts three to five years. The ageing that produced the bag continues, however, so a new bag can develop over time. Surgery removes more fat in a single procedure and lasts longer, whereas radiofrequency avoids the operation and its recovery.
Does it hurt?
With numbing cream and a small local anaesthetic injection the treatment is uncomfortable rather than painful, and patients describe a warm pressing sensation lasting about 20 minutes.
What is the downtime?
Downtime is four to five days of mild swelling with some bruising. Concealer covers the area from day two, and most patients take no time off work.
How much does non-surgical eye bag removal cost in Singapore?
The first session is $2,500 at my clinic and a subsequent session is $1,800, before GST, with the consultation and both reviews included.
Is it safe for Asian skin?
The protocol is safe for Asian skin. The needles and the cannula are insulated so the skin surface is not heated, and it is that sparing of the surface which protects more pigmented skin from post-inflammatory marking. Settings are chosen for the skin in front of me rather than from a preset.
Fillers or radiofrequency?
Filler for a hollow and radiofrequency for a bag are two different treatments for two different problems. Some patients need both, in which case radiofrequency is performed first and filler once the swelling has settled. Filler placed into a bag makes the bulge larger.
Is non-surgical eye bag removal worth it?
For an eye bag caused by fat, yes. One session of AGNES with Secret RF at $2,500 shrinks the fat pad, with results visible from about eight weeks that typically last three to five years. Tear trough filler at $1,200 lasts 9 to 18 months and does not reduce the fat. It is not worth it where the bag is mainly loose skin or very large. Those patients are referred for scarless eye bag removal surgery with Dr Shen or A/Prof Vincent Yeow at The Clifford Surgery.
Book a consultation with Dr Gerard Ee at The Clifford Clinic
Dr Gerard Ee consults and performs non-surgical eye bag removal at The Clifford Clinic, 50 Raffles Place, Singapore. Consultations are by appointment. Message the clinic on WhatsApp, or call 6532 2048.
