Dark Circles Under Eyes: Causes and Treatment | ClearSkin
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What are the causes and treatment of under eye dark circles?

Jul 1, 2021

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Dark Circles: Why They Occur And How To Treat Them

Worried about your skin condition? Get in touch with best of our skin specialists in Pune. For a skin treatment, book an appointment with our dermatologists near you +919584584111

Dark Circles Under Eyes: Causes and Treatment

How to Prevent Dark Circles?

Home Remedies

Lifestyle changes

Dark Circles: Why They Occur And How To Treat Them

Do you look into the mirror and find a person staring back at you, who looks older than you actually feel in mind or body otherwise? Has the “I’m tired” look become the norm for you? Do the bags beneath your eyes leave you with low self-esteem and insecurities?

Well, it’s not you, but the dark circles that stand guilty. Dark circles are a telltale sign of ageing, exhaustion and sleep deprivation and it can affect your appearance significantly.

Dark Circles Under Eyes: Causes and Treatment

Dark circles are mostly caused due to exhaustion or prolonged exposure to the computer screen. Others may have a genetic predisposition to this condition also called periorbital hyperpigmentation, though fatigue and lack of rest are more plausible explanations for the formation of dark circles under the eyes. 

While fatigue is the most common reason for dark circles, there may be other underlying factors as well, let’s take a detailed look at what causes dark circles – 

  • Hereditary: Yes, of all the things that could possibly be inherited, dark circles are one of them. They appear in childhood, and while some children outgrow them, some don’t.
  • Age: Ageing is one of the major under eye dark circles causes. Growing old is as inevitable as time, as is reflecting the skin signs of this dogmatism. The skin beneath the eyes is thinnest, and it grows even thinner with age; plus, we also lose the fat and collagen from around the eyes, making the skin seem translucent and the dark circles more prominent and permanent.
  • Sleep deprivation:
  • While it’s the most common reason for dark circles around eyes, and also the easiest to prevent or rectify, the catch is that oversleeping too can lead to developing dark circles. Sleeping on your stomach especially gives your face a puffy look and makes the bags appear bigger since they cause more blood and fluid to pool to the face during the night.
  • Allergies, Asthma and Eczema:
    Nasal congestion can dilate the blood vessels that drain from the area around eyes, darkening them. Also, anything that causes the eye or the area around it to itch, become red or painful, points towards an allergic reaction. And when your eye feels itchy, the scratching and rubbing of skin around them can contribute to darker circles.
  • Anemia:
    Iron deficiency is the most common cause, and more than half the female population suffers from it in a country like India. Insufficient oxygen gets delivered to the eye tissues, discoloring the surrounding area, and also making the veins more visible.
  • Living on the edge.
    Excessive indulgence in smoking, alcohol, caffeine, amphetamines, etc and suffering from stress, physical, psychological, or emotional, could all manifest in the form of dark circles under the eyes.
  • Fluid retention: As seen in pregnancy, weight gain, increased salt intake, and other conditions can increase the puffiness around the eyes, casting shadows and making the dark circles more conspicuous.
  • Medications:
  • Some medications can contribute to the many reasons for dark circles under eyes. Any medicine that causes blood vessels to dilate, will cause the dark circles to darken. 
  • Periorbital hyperpigmentation:
    Here, more melanin is produced around the eyes, darkening the area. This is seen on excessive exposure to the sun and in skin pigmentation abnormalities.
  • Other factors: Shadowing effect under the eyes due to depression, skin laxity, rubbing, scratching and cosmetics like Kajal if not cleaned properly can be other reasons contributing to under eye pigmentation. 

Although genetics and aging remain indisputable, resolving the remaining causes, making lifestyle changes, and caring for your skin is your best bet in fighting off dark circles.

Here’s how to battle under eye dark circles causes:

How to Prevent Dark Circles?

Everyone wishes to have a youthful-looking skin over the face and around the eyes. Here are a few tips to help you prevent dark circles

  • Apply sunscreen daily 2–3 times a day. Sunscreen should be applied 15–20 min before you step out of your house and get exposed to sun rays. Use broad-spectrum sunscreen with the SPF of 30 or SPF 50. Don’t forget to apply over your eyes with fingertips.
  • Wear wide-brimmed hats and sunglasses when you go out so that you can avoid sun exposure. Try to stand under the shade whenever it is possible.
  • Try to avoid sun-exposure on-peak hours from 10 am to 4 pm.
  • Protect your skin from pollution & environmental factors.
  • Avoid frequent friction to your eyes.

Home Remedies: 

The consistent application of dark circles remedies at home for a month or more can mitigate the darkness under your eyes while improving the complexion of the skin beneath. These home remedies address a variety of causes, including genetics and aging; and while they may not completely eliminate the enemy, they certainly improve its appearance.

  • Cold compress: Using either a cold washcloth, bag of frozen peas, cold tea bags, or cooled cucumbers can be soothing and improve circulation beneath the eyes. Massaging the eye area with ice cubes also works.
  • Applying topically natural ingredients rich in vitamins A, C, E, and K would also help to lighten the dark circles and maintain the skin integrity. Lemons, papayas, tomatoes, cucumbers, kiwis, berries, almond oil, olive oil, eggplant, and banana peel are some examples.
  • Coconut oil: Labelled as one of the most effective home remedies for lightening dark circles under eyes fast, coconut oil also moisturizes the skin, thus, preventing wrinkles and reducing fine lines under the eyes.

Lifestyle changes:

May initially be difficult to incorporate but would be worth the effort by not only gifting you with flawless, glowing skin, but also a healthier outlook overall, and renewed vitality for life.

  • Sleep: Quality sleep is important for eradicating dark circles, and also for your immune system, memory, heart health, and other functions. Sleep for at least 8 hours a day, in a position that best affords you restful sleep. Prefer sleeping on your back, with head elevated with an extra pillow to avoid pooling of fluid beneath your eyes.
  • Vices: Quit smoking and limit alcohol. Nothing dehydrates the body more than alcohol. Control your alcohol intake. If you are consuming alcohol on a given day, remember to drink at least two glasses of water before going to bed. 
  • Caffeine: I know most people can’t function without a few glasses of caffeine in the morning, but this severely dehydrates your skin and makes dark circles more prominent. Instead, applying it topically has a mild constricting effect on the blood vessels, making them less prominent.
  • Stay hydrated: The skin under the eyes is thin and is prone to dehydration. Drink lots of water so that you are not dehydrated. Also, too much salt in your diet, while not having enough water will make your eyes look puffy and result in dark circles.
  • Combat stress: With yoga, meditation, counseling, hobbies, etc.
  • Itch: Get your allergies treated with antihistamines and other medications.
  • Avoid sun exposure, use sunscreen (SPF 30) daily.
  • Moisturise: The skin under the eyes is delicate, and often less oily than on the rest of the face. To prevent it from drying, which would make the dark circles worse, moisturize frequently. Apply at night so that the skin can absorb it and repair itself.

Make-up:

Make-up can be used to conceal, if not cure dark circles. Start with a moisturizer, build-up with foundation make-up and then use a blush or concealer with a brush. Apply with a light hand to avoid the cakey appearance, which makes dark circles seem worse, and avoid powder makeup for dry skin.

Medical and surgical correction:

To treat dark circles under eyes there are many treatments available. It is recommended to go for medical treatments for dark circles only when home remedies do not work for you efficiently. Medical treatments are mostly based on the reason for dark circles around eyes. They are – 

  • Topicals: Topical creams containing alpha hydroxy acids and depigmenting creams can help thicken the skin around the eyes and reduce pigmentation, around the eyes.
  • Chemical peels: They remove the outer layer of skin, leaving behind a smoother, fairer look. The peels are available in three strengths, depending on the depth of penetration: superficial, medium, deep. Because the periorbital skin is so delicate, we use the weakest variant, superficial, containing chemical compounds like glycolic acids or alpha hydroxy acids to treat dark circles.
  • Fat transfer: This also helps plump up the area, by restoring volume and reducing the hollowed eye appearance; and the effects last longer than seen with fillers.
  • Microdermabrasion: Exfoliates the outer layer of skin, encouraging new cells to grow. Both chemical peels and microdermabrasion are particularly effective when the cause for dark circles is hyperpigmentation.
  • Electroporation: Electroporation is the treatment that is used to increase the penetration of a drug/serum or even moisturizer applied over the skin bypassing a slight current.
  • Laser skin resurfacing: It destroys the melanin that darkens skin, tightens loose skin, removes excess skin responsible for the ‘baggy’ appearance, and stimulates collagen to thicken skin, thereby reducing dark circles. However, it is expensive, painful, takes a few weeks to heal, and with possible risks of scarring. So resort to it only if none of the above measures have worked, and if you’re really willing and determined to be rid of them.
  • Intense Pulsed Light (IPL): This treatment uses light, too, like lasers to rejuvenate skin and remove dark circles; but rather than damaging the outer layer of skin, it closes off any capillaries or vessels beneath the skin surface, causing them to fade. Several treatments will be required to achieve noticeable results.
  • Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP): It is a natural non-surgical treatment for dark circles. The doctor separates plasma from the patient’s extracted blood and then injects it under the eyes. This helps the tissues to repair and rejuvenate themselves. 
  • Eyelid surgery: This involves removing excess (lax)  skin around the eyes and reshaping skin.

Is PRP effective for dark circles?

How can I remove my dark circles?

For treating your skin condition, feel free to get in touch with one of our best dermatologists in Pune. You can also call on +919584584111 to book an appointment at one of our skin clinics near you.

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About the Author: Dr Dhanraj Chavan

Dr. Dhanraj Chavan is a globally trained, young, and dynamic dermatologist. He is a Consultant Dermatologist and Varicose Vein Specialist at Clear Skin, VeinMD, and HairMD.

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