Dark circles a serious health problem. Many people feel that dark circles under their eyes make them look tired, older, or unhealthy. Let’s know something about it.
What Are Dark Circles?
Dark circles or periorbital dark circles are a skin concern that arises when blood vessels show up through the delicate thin skin around your eyes. This can make your face look tired and dull. But, they are not necessarily permanent. Identifying the cause of dark circles can help treat them effectively.
What Causes Dark Circles Under Your Eyes?
1. Allergies: Allergies cause the skin to itch. Constant rubbing of the skin around your eyes can lead to dark circles.
2. Medications: Any medications that dilate the blood vessels can lead to dark circles under your eyes. Since the skin around your eyes is delicate, it can easily show up increased blood flow through the skin.
3. Anemia: Lack of iron in your diet makes you anemic and can show up in the form of dark circles. Pregnancy and menstruation can cause low levels of iron and lead underlying veins to become more prominent.
4. Aging: With the natural aging process, people tend to lose collagen in the skin under the eyes. This skin is thinner and ages faster than the rest of the skin due to excessive usage in activities like facial expressions.
5. Sun Exposure: The UV light from the sun triggers the production of melanin (brown skin pigment) making the skin under your eyes darker.
6. Periorbital Hyperpigmentation: This is a condition where more melanin is produced under the eyes, giving them a darker appearance.
7. Stress/Fatigue: A lack of sleep or stress can cause pale skin, making the skin around the eyes darker. The blood underneath appears more blue or darker.
8. Cigarette Smoking, Aalcohol And Caffeine: The toxins in cigarette smoke, alcohol and caffeine cause damage to the delicate structure of the skin around your eyes, making them darker.
9. Dehydration: Lack of fluids in the body can cause the blood vessels underneath your eyes to become more prominent. Result being dark circles around your eyes.
10. Your Genetic Makeup: Some people naturally have more melanin production under the eyes or less collagen. These factors contribute to dark circles under the eyes.
11. Eye Strain: Staring at your computer screens and mobile screens for prolonged periods cause dark circles. There is an increased blood flow under the eyes due to this stress, causing the blood to appear more blue underneath.
Prevention Tips
• Sleep well: Lack of sleep, fatigue and stress can cause dark circles. Get adequate sleep (6-8 hours) every night to prevent dark circles.
• Protect from sun: Limit your exposure to the sun. In case you have to step out, use sunglasses and apply sunscreen.
• Quit smoking and Alcohol : Smoking and alcohol accelerate the aging process and cause dark circles around your eyes.
Treatment
Home Remedies: There are some home remedies that can help to control under eye dark circle. Some of the more common methods include:
Apply a cold compress: A cold compress can help reduce swelling and shrink dilated blood vessels. This can reduce the appearance of puffiness and help eliminate dark circles. Wrap a few ice cubes in a clean washcloth and apply to your eyes. You can also dampen a washcloth with cold water and apply it to the skin under your eyes for 20 minutes for the same effect. Repeat this process if the cloth becomes warm or if the ice melts.
Get extra sleep: Catching up on sleep can also help reduce the appearance of dark circles. Sleep deprivation can cause your skin to appear pale, making the dark circles more obvious. Allow yourself seven to eight hours of rest to prevent dark circles from appearing.
Elevate your head. While sleep deprivation can play a part in producing those dark bags under your eyes, sometimes it’s how you sleep. Elevate your head with a few pillows to prevent fluid from pooling under your eyes which can make them look puffy and swollen.
Soak with tea bags: Applying cold tea bags to your eyes can improve their appearance. Tea contains caffeine and antioxidants that can help stimulate blood circulation, shrink your blood vessels, and reduce liquid retention beneath your skin. Soak two black or green tea bags in hot water for five minutes. Let them chill in the refrigerator for 15 to 20 minutes. Once they’re cold, apply the teabags to your closed eyes for 10 to 20 minutes. After removing, rinse your eyes with cool water.
Conceal with makeup: While makeup and cosmetics do not cure dark eye circles, they can help to camouflage them. Concealers can cover dark marks so they blend in with your normal skin color. However, as with any topical treatment or makeup product, use proper care. Some products can cause your symptoms to worsen and may trigger an allergic reaction. If you begin to experience irregular symptoms from any topical treatment, stop use immediately and schedule a visit with your doctor.
Medical treatments
For a more effective and permanent solution, some medical treatments are available to reduce the appearance of dark circles. Some of the more common methods include:
• Chemical peels to reduce pigmentation
• Laser surgery to resurface the skin and enhance skin tightening
• Medical tattoos to inject pigment into thinning skin areas
• Tissue fillers to conceal blood vessels and melanin that are causing skin discoloration beneath your eyes.
• Fat removal to remove excess fat and skin, revealing a smoother and more even surface
• Surgical implants of fat or synthetic products
Dr. Manju Keshari (Senior Dermatologist ) KEMPS Skin Clinic, Vaishali, Ghaziabad says that before deciding on any cosmetic procedure, discuss your options with your Dermatologist .
