Dark Circles Under The Eyes: Causes, Symptoms, And Treatment Options

Dark circles beneath the eyes might seem like just minor irritation, but for many, it can be an indicator of a serious health problem.

These dark circles under the eyes are usually not a cause for great concern, but sometimes people might also want to reduce their appearance due to self-consciousness or other psychological reasons. Sometimes, dark circles under the eyes could also indicate a necessity for lifestyle changes, including improvements in diet or sleep habits. But there are more serious causes and symptoms of which these dark circles might signal and knowing them will help you seek medical attention when you might otherwise risk finding the condition unattractive and unsightly.

What Causes Dark Circles Under The Eyes?

One of the most common causes of dark circles under the eyes is lack of enough sleep. Although we spend a third of our lives in sleep, only a small percentage of us get the recommended hours of sleep each night. Also, our body needs time to recover from the stress of the day, so if we don’t sleep well, we tend to appear even older than we are. To remedy this, take time out to relax before bed and make sure you eat well during the day or at least eat healthy foods. Also, try drinking some warm milk or other cooling beverage, and give yourself a small amount of temporary relief from stress before you go to bed.

Lack of rest can also cause fluid buildup beneath the skin’s surface. When this occurs, it causes the skin to sag and forms those ugly bags beneath the eyes. If you often have trouble falling asleep at night, you might find that your eyes start to appear darker upon waking up. In order to resolve this, try taking a short nap or going for a short walk before you decide to go to bed. This simple move will help you rest better and reduce the appearance of dark circles under the eyes.

The dark circles are usually formed because of various reasons including aging, heredity, physical, or mental stress, hormonal fluctuations, lack of sleep, and vitamin deficiency. But whatever be the cause, one thing is for certain, they are caused by a depletion in the body’s antioxidant supply. The most common antioxidants found in our body are Vitamin A, C & E, while Melatonin is also very important as it regulates our sleeping habits.

Natural Ways To Minimize Dark Circles Under Eyes

If you are looking for the best ways to get rid of dark circles under your eyes, then read this article.

• Collagen Skin Care Products – Since collagen is a protein found in the skin, it makes sense that any product that contains collagen will help to reduce the appearance of circles under the eyes. However, most collagen products contain synthetic versions of the protein, which can cause more harm than good. The best types of products contain Functional Keratin, a type of protein that stimulates cell growth naturally.
• Vitamin E Skin Care Products – It is well-known that Vitamin E can promote the health of the skin. However, some products that claim to contain Vitamin E actually contain an excessive amount of toxins. These toxins can interfere with the blood vessels in the eyes causing dark circles to appear. Stay away from these products that contain large amounts of synthetic Vitamin E.
• Kojic Acid – A natural ingredient derived from tree bark, folic acid works to reduce skin discolorations and improve skin tone. This ingredient is also effective in reducing the appearance of wrinkles, scars, and sun damage. Unlike chemical bleaching agents, folic acid does not damage the collagen in your skin. In fact, it works to increase the collagen production in your body resulting in firmer, smoother skin.
• Aloe Vera – Also known as Aloe Vera, this skincare product is a natural moisturizer. It is also effective at helping to heal various skin disorders. Its unique properties include anti-inflammatory and anti-wrinkle properties. What makes aloe Vera so effective at reducing skin discolorations is that it contains enzymes that prevent free radical damage.

Dark Circles Under Your Eyes: Causes and Treatments

Are you concerned about dark circles under your eyes? Dark circles are often blamed on sleep deprivation or stress, but there are a number of likely contributors to this condition. You can learn other causes of dark eye circles and get valuable information on how to treat them in this timely and informative article.

What Causes Dark Circles Under Your Eyes?

Medically reviewed by Cynthia Cobb, DNP, APRN, WHNP-BC, FAANP Written by Kiara Anthony Updated on March 7, 2019 Causes Treatment Outlook We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission.

Dark circles under the eyes Dark circles under the lower eyelids are common in men and women. Often accompanied by bags, dark circles can make you appear older than you are. To make matters worse, they can be difficult to get rid of.

Though they can affect anyone, dark circles are most common in people who:

are elderly

have a genetic predisposition to this condition ( periorbital hyperpigmentation are from non-white ethnic groups ( darker skin tones are more prone to hyperpigmentation around the eye area) fatigue may seem like the most logical explanation for this condition, there are a number of factors that can contribute to dark circles under the eyes. In most cases, they are no cause for concern and do not require medical attention. Read on to learn more.

What causes dark circles?

There are a number of contributing factors for dark circles. Some common causes of include:

Oversleeping , extreme fatigue, or just staying up a few hours past your normal bedtime can cause dark circles to form under your eyes. Sleep deprivation can cause your skin to become dull and pale, allowing for dark tissues and blood vessels beneath your skin to show.

• Age

Natural aging is another common cause of those dark circles beneath your eyes. As you get older, your skin becomes thinner. You also lose the fat and collagen needed to maintain your skin’s elasticity. As this occurs, the dark blood vessels beneath your skin become more visible causing the area below your eyes to darken.

• Eye strain

Staring at your television or computer screen can cause significant strain on your eyes . This strain can cause blood vessels around your eyes to enlarge. As a result, the skin surrounding your eyes can darken.

• Allergies

Allergic reactions eye dryness can trigger dark circles. When you have an allergic reaction, your body release histamines as a response to harmful bacteria. Other than causing uncomfortable symptoms including itchiness, redness, and puffy eyes histamines also cause your blood vessels to dilate and become more visible beneath your skin.

Allergies can also increase your urge to rub and scratch the itchy skin around your eyes. These actions can worsen your symptoms, causing inflammation, swelling, and broken blood vessels. This can result in dark shadows beneath your eyes.

• Dehydration

Dehydration is a common cause of dark circles under your eyes. When your body is not receiving the proper amount of water, the skin beneath your eyes begins to look dull and your eyes look sunken. This is due to their close proximity to the underlying bone.

• Sun overexposure

Overexposure to the sun can cause your body to produce an excess of melanin, the pigment that provides your skin with color. Too much sun particularly for your eyes can cause pigmentation in the surrounding skin to darken.

• Genetics

Family history also plays a part in developing dark circles under your eyes. It can be an inherited trait seen early in childhood, and may worsen as you age or slowly disappear. Predispositions to other medical conditions such as thyroid disease can also result in dark circles beneath your eyes.

How To Get Rid of Dark Circles Permanently

How to Get Rid of Dark Circles Permanently

Medically reviewed by Cynthia Cobb, DNP, APRN, WHNP-BC, FAANP Scott Frothingham Updated on March 7, 2019 Causes Remedies Treatment When to see a doctor Takeaway We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission.

Dark circles under your eyes dark circles a serious health problem? Not really, but many people feel that dark circles under their eyes make them look tired, older, or unhealthy.

There are a number of methods both natural and medically prescribed that people use to get rid of, or lessen the appearance of, dark circles under their eyes. Although not all of these treatments are permanent, with maintenance and consistency they will help reduce the appearance of dark circles.

Why do I have dark circles under my eyes?

Although dark circles under your eyes are most commonly caused by fatigue, there are other causes as well, including:

allergies allergic rhinitis atopic dermatitis contact dermatitis

heredity

pigmentation irregularities rubbing eyes

sun exposure

Another cause of dark circles is the natural aging process. When you age, you tend to lose fat and collagen, and your skin often thins. This can make the reddish-blue blood vessels under your eyes more prominent.

Also, as people age, they commonly develop puffy eyelids or hollows under their eyes. Sometimes these physical changes cast shadows that can appear to be dark circles under the eyes.

There are a number of ways that people report they’ve eliminated or reduced the appearance of dark circles under their eyes. Everybody is different, so some of these remedies might not work for you.

As with any treatment, it’s always a good idea to review your plans with your doctor before testing them out on yourself.

• Elevation

When you sleep, try extra pillows under your head to lessen the puffiness of fluid pooling in your lower eyelids.

• Cold

Sometimes dilated blood vessels can darken the area under your eyes. A cold compress can cause the blood vessels to constrict, which may result in a lessening of the dark circles.

Reduce or eliminate sun exposure to your face.

• Cucumber

Proponents of natural healing suggest chilling thick slices of cucumbers and then placing the chilled slices on the dark circles for about 10 minutes. Then rinse the area with water. Repeat this treatment twice a day.

• Almond oil and vitamin E

Natural healing advocates suggest mixing equal amounts of almond oil vitamin E and then, just prior to bedtime, gently massaging the mixture into the dark circles. In the morning, wash the area with cold water. Repeat the process nightly until the dark circles disappear.

Shop for almond oil.

• Vitamin K

2015 study showed that placing a pad (which contained a mixture that included caffeine and vitamin K) under the eye resulted in a reduction in wrinkle depth and dark circles.

• Tea bags

Natural healers suggest soaking two teabags use caffeinated tea in warm water and then chilling the bags in the refrigerator for a few minutes. Place a bag on each eye. After five minutes, remove the teabags and rinse the area with cold water.

Your doctor might offer a medical option, depending on their diagnosis of the cause of the circles under your eyes. That recommendation might include the following.

•  Elevating the head during sleep

People who experience darkening of the skin under their eyes in the morning that fades slightly throughout the day may have increased blood vessels or vasculature around their eyes. The darker color can also be the result of swelling.

elevating the head during sleep, blood will travel away from the head and face and may reduce swelling and lessen the dark color under the eyes.

• Minimizing sun exposure

People can reduce dark eye circles by protecting their skin from the sun. Ultraviolet radiation can worsen dark eye circles in some people . Protection with sunglasses, moisturizers with sunscreens, and hats can protect the skin from the sun and prevent worsening of dark eye circles.

• Vitamin C

Vitamin C can increase collagen production. Increasing collagen production under the eyes can reduce blood stasis, which may cause discoloration. Blood stasis refers to blood that pools in blood vessels.

People may notice an improved appearance of dark circles under their eyes when using beauty products with high concentrations of vitamin C.

• Retinoid creams

Retinoid creams, found in beauty stores, can also help promote collagen production and improve the appearance of dark eye circles. These vitamin A-derived creams also decrease the melanin content in the skin. Melanin is what gives skin its color.

Retinoids creams are not appropriate for everyone. People should talk to their doctor or another healthcare professional before using retinoid creams.