If you've noticed dark circles or undereye bags making you look tired, you're not alone. Most of us deal with some degree of discolouration or puffiness at some point. The good news is understanding the common causes can help you find the proper treatment.
Types of Dark Circles and Treatments
In some cases, simple solutions like getting more sleep or using a cold cucumber slice can help. Other times, stubborn dark circles and bags may require medical treatments. At DLK on Avenue, we offer personalized solutions like under-eye fillers or platelet-rich plasma.
Read on to learn more about the most common types of dark circles and treatments.
Causes and Types of Dark Circles
Dark undereye circles come in different shades and stem from various underlying issues. Identifying what's behind your condition is crucial in choosing the best under-eye dark circle treatment.
- Brownish circles are often caused by genetics or sun exposure. Aging can also be a culprit.
- Bluish dark circles usually indicate a lack of sleep or stress. It may also be due to thinner skin, allergies, or circulation issues.
- Very dark circles can border on purple. It can be superficial pigmentation but may represent other health problems.
Genetics
For many people, dark undereye circles run in the family. Genetics determine your skin thickness and how transparent your skin appears. Some people inherit more prominent blood vessels and thinner skin around the eyes. Structural features like deep-set eyes or a flattened tear trough can also cast shadows. These may lead to the appearance of chronic dark circles.
Note that darker skin types are more prone to hyperpigmentation, which may manifest as dark circles.
You can minimize shadowing and discolouration but can't change your genetics. Filler injections are ideal for plumping up hollow areas under the eyes. Advances in under-eye filler options create subtle, natural-looking results.
Age
We lose collagen, elastin, and fat pads under the eyes as we age. This leaves blood vessels closer to the surface, making the area darker and more transparent. At the same time, our skin loses elasticity. Instead of snapping back into place after smiling or squinting, loose skin accumulates below the eyes.
Applying eye creams with antioxidants and retinoids can help thicken and hydrate aging skin. However, only cosmetic procedures can truly turn back the clock.
Lifestyle Factors
Lack of sleep and poor diet deprives the skin of nutrients needed to repair itself. Dehydration also reduces blood flow to the area under the eyes, allowing blood vessels to show through and pool. This exacerbates the appearance of dark circles and eye bags.
Other poor habits like smoking and excessive alcohol consumption also contribute to dark circles. Smoking restricts blood flow and damages collagen. Drinking can cause dehydration and disrupt sleep patterns.
Hyperpigmentation
Dark skin under the eyes can also stem from excess melanin or pigment. Sun exposure, genetics, hormonal changes, and aging can all trigger increased melanin production. Since melanin blocks light, areas with higher pigment will appear darker. The result is brownish-discoloured patches under or around the eyes.
Allergies
Do seasonal allergies trigger itchy, watery eyes and dark circles for you? Rubbing your eyes and late-night allergy-induced insomnia is a recipe for darker skin. Of course, avoiding allergy triggers is the first line of defence, but that's often easier said than done. Over-the-counter antihistamines can help with allergy management.
Just as important is resisting the urge to rub your eyes, which will only worsen discolouration. Rubbing breaks tiny blood vessels, causing them to leak and form dark pools under the eyes.
Contact dermatitis, or a skin reaction to topical products, can also cause dark circles. In this case, you must identify and eliminate the irritant.
Preventing and Reducing Dark Eye Circles
While some discolouration comes down to age and genetics, healthy lifestyle habits make a significant impact. Here's how to minimize dark under-eye circles:
- Hydrate - Drinking plenty of water plumps up skin cells underneath the eyes. You should aim for at least eight glasses a day.
- Get enough sleep – Quality sleep allows cells to regenerate and restore themselves. It is recommended to get 7-9 hours of sleep each night.
- Avoid smoking – As mentioned earlier, smoking restricts blood flow and damages collagen, leading to dark circles. Quitting smoking can improve overall skin health.
- Wear sunscreen – Protect skin from UV damage that ages skin faster. SPF 30 is a good choice for daily use.
- Keep allergies in check – Manage indoor and outdoor allergens to prevent eye irritation and rubbing.
Home Remedies for Dark Eye Circles
Before considering professional treatments, give some DIY home remedies a try. These may not be as effective as medical procedures, but they are natural and inexpensive options worth exploring:
Cold compress – Apply a cold compress to reduce swelling and constrict blood vessels.
Cucumber slices – Cucumbers have astringent properties that help tighten and temporarily shrink dilated blood vessels. In theory, this should make circles less noticeable. The cool temperature also reduces puffiness.
Cold tea bags – Caffeine in black tea constricts blood vessels. And the chilled temperature reduces swelling. Green tea's antioxidants can help protect delicate skin.
How to Get Rid of Dark Circles
Home remedies provide temporary relief for light cases of dark circles. Moderate to severe cases require professional treatment for significant, longer-lasting improvements in appearance.
The latest advances in under-eye rejuvenation offer both non-invasive and minimally invasive options with little to no downtime. Schedule a one-on-one consultation to discuss which solutions are suitable for your needs.
We offer cutting-edge treatments to refresh the undereye area, including:
Injectable fillers – Hyaluronic acid fillers reinforce thin skin and refill a hollowed, darkened tear trough. Results last up to three years with no downtime.
PRP therapy – Platelet-rich plasma made from your blood stimulates new collagen. It's often combined with microneedling for enhanced results. There is no downtime here, but maintenance treatments are needed for longer-term effects.
Chemical peels - Medical-grade chemical peels with glycolic acid reduce pigmentation. This method works better if the root cause of your dark circles is hyperpigmentation.
Laser skin resurfacing – Precise lasers remove outer skin layers to improve tone and texture. Dark circle laser treatment does require 2-5 days of downtime, but the results last much longer.
Microneedling - Tiny needles create micro-injuries so the skin renews itself. Microneedling requires 3-6 sessions with minimal downtime for each.
Get Started Today
When topical products fail to deliver dark circle relief, these leading solutions can help turn back the clock. There's no need to live with dark under-eye circles that make you appear tired. Expert treatments like those offered at DLK on Avenue can help you look bright-eyed and refreshed! Dr. Kellett has over 25 years of experience.
