Everything you need to know about dark circles under eyes

dark circles under eyes

02 Sep 2020 / Posted by clinic skin essence

Dark circles are a common skin issue faced by both men and women. They can make you look tired, older, stressed, and unwell.

Indeed, it is frustrating to hear comments like ‘Are you not sleeping well, or Are you ill?’ even after having an adequate amount of sleep. The skin around the eyes is more delicate and thinner. Thus, it’s prone to aging-related changes earliest. In this blog, we will try to discuss all your queries related to dark circles.

Why do dark circles occur?

  • Role of genetics: People with a family history of dark circles are more prone to develop this condition. In such a case, dark circles can be seen at an early age. Also, both the upper and lower eyelids are usually involved.

  • Loss of subcutaneous: As we age, the fat padding below the eyelid skin, which keeps the area lifted and supple, gets depleted. As a result, the under-eye area starts looking sunken and wrinkled. This gives a shadow effect, and the appearance of dark circles takes place.

  • Fatigue and constant dehydration: Long hours of working on laptops coupled with endless cups of tea and coffee can lead to strain on the eyes, which makes the area look dry and dark.

  • Hay fever, allergies, and infections: Itching around the eyes due to skin allergies like atopic dermatitis resulting in rubbing the area can lead to the breakdown of small blood vessels in the under-eye area and cause darkening.

  • Unhealthy lifestyle: Stressful lifestyle, deadlines, and increased screen time lead to reduce sleep, which causes dark circles. Smoking and alcohol consumption in excess can lead to puffy eyes.

  • Acanthosis nigricans: People who are overweight can have dark and velvety skin around their eyes. This usually indicates an underlying condition such as diabetes or a hormonal disorder.

  • Nutritional deficiencies: Iron deficiency causes anemia, which is a common cause of dark circles in India. Deficiency of essential vitamins such as A, B12, C, E, and K can also cause periorbital melanosis.

  • Hormonal imbalance: Sometimes, hormonal irregularities during menstruation and pregnancy can also be the reason for the dark circles.

Many of our patients' commonly asked question is that ‘Is it possible to prevent the formation of dark circles?’

Yes, it is possible to prevent them to some extent as many of the causes are related to lifestyle habits.

Here are some of our recommendations:

  • Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables for balanced nutrition.

  • Drink plenty of water throughout the day to maintain hydration and keep the skin supple. It also helps to flush out the toxins.

  • Avoid alcohol consumption, caffeine, and junk foods to reduce the puffiness and oxidative stress on the eyes.

  • 6-8 hours of undisturbed sleep is important to reduce the stress on blood vessels around the eyes.

  • Reduce the screen time; take a 5-minute break from staring at the laptop screen after every 45 minutes to one hour. This prevents the pooling of blood in the under-eye and aids better circulation.

  • Exercise and maintain good overall health.

How to treat dark circles?

Your treatment is suggested based on the root cause behind dark circles. Often, the dermatologist recommends a combination of treatments for dark circles and lifestyle changes to ensure optimum results. Before that, there are a few home remedies that you can try to reduce under-eye puffiness and pigmentation.

  • Cold compresses: Apply a cold compress/ice pack on the under-eye for about 5 minutes in the evening time. You can also put two spoons in the freezer and then, after enough cooling of the spoons, gently press the back of the spoon over the dark areas. This helps to tighten the dilated vessels and reduce blood pooling.

  • Cucumber juice: Grate a fresh cucumber; squeeze it to get cucumber juice. Soak a cotton ball in this juice and apply it to the under-eye area. Leave for ten minutes and rinse with warm water. Cucumber has skin lightening and mild astringent properties. Thus, it can be used as a natural skin lightening agent.

  • Tomatoes and potatoes: Tomatoes are high in lycopene, which helps in soft and rejuvenated skin along with the reduced appearance of dark circles. Similarly, potato juice soaked makeup remover pads can be used to reduce eye puffiness and darkness.

  • Cold tea bags: Tea, especially green tea, contains caffeine and antioxidants, which help to relax the strained blood vessels and improve blood circulation. Dip tea bags in hot water for 10-15 minutes. Then refrigerate the tea bags for half an hour. When they get cold, they can be applied to the under eyes for half an hour to reduce puffiness and pigmentation. Similarly, cotton balls soaked in freshly brewed coffee can be refrigerated and used once cold.

Dermatologist recommended treatments:

If your dark circles are not showing improvement after all these measures, do visit your skin specialist. He or She can analyze the root cause of your dark circles and prescribe an effective treatment plan. We at Clinic Skin Essence have a plethora of treatments to address your concern.

  • Under-eye creams: Certain creams containing hyaluronic acid, vitamin K, kojic acid, vitamin E, and caffeine can be used to reduce dark circles and puffiness. These creams have to be used for a considerable time regularly to show optimum results. Ingredients like shea butter and cocoa butter can hydrate the dry, wrinkled skin to improve fine lines under the eyes. Retinol containing creams helps in the buildup of collagen in the under-eye area and helps to tighten the skin and improve the appearance.

Note: Please use any under eye cream only under the supervision of your dermatologist.

  • Chemical peels: Chemical peels exfoliate the upper layers of skin to reveal fresh, healthy skin, increasing tightness, and rejuvenate the under-eye area. We offer various under-eye peels, including Glycolic, Arginine, Lactic, Mandelic, Kojic acid, and Yellow peels to tackle dark circles. The choice of peel is made as per your skin concern and skin type.

  • Laser Toning: A treatment using Q Switched Nd: YAG laser based on the destruction of superficial and deep pigment cells can be done. It reduces the dark circles and tightens and rejuvenates the under-eye area. This is a painless procedure and gives good results after a few sessions.

  • Eye Microneedling and Mesotherapy: We at Clinic Skin Essence use a novel Dermapen4 to do a gentle microneedling at 0.2 to 0.3 mm depth in the under-eye area to create microchannels. This is followed by applying serums containing vitamin C, epidermal growth factors, and hyaluronic acid to create a brighter and less pigmented skin. The derma pen itself induces more collagen in the under-eye area to tighten the skin and reduce fine lines.

  • Growth Factor Infusion: Your own serum growth factors can be collected and injected in the under-eye skin using micro-injections to visibly reduce fine lines, dark skin, and tired-looking eyes.

  • Dermal Fillers: Fillers are pre-filled hyaluronic acid syringes. If your dark circles are due to fat loss in the infra orbital area and bone depletion leading to loss of the natural projection and cheek curves, dermal fillers are the answer. These are injected in the under eyes for an instant lift and brighter look. You look fresh, rested, and more youthful after the treatment. Please make sure that you visit an experienced injector for these treatments.

We hope that we were successful in solving your queries regarding dark circles. If you are suffering from this skin issue, do get in touch with our team at Clinic Skin Essence. If you are suffering from this skin issue, do get in touch with our team at Clinic Skin Essence.

Stay Safe Stay beautiful.

 

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