Most of us blame dark circles on lack of sleep, exhaustion or staring at the computer screen for hours. But the truth goes deeper than those dark pools you’ve tried so hard to fight. Experts and studies have linked dark circles to graver problems like anemia, liver disease and dehydration. Dr. Satish Mehta, Ophthalmologist from Moolchand Eye Clinic gives us an insight into the darker reasons of dark circles.
First, let’s understand how dark circles appear. We have tiny blood vessels, which are like a web under the skin. But these capillaries are so fine that the red blood cells queue up to pass through; in the process some of them leak in the surrounding area. Enzymes are produced during the cleaning up session. The breaking down of these red blood cells leaves them black and blue. The reason why this is so visible is that the skin around the eyes is the thinnest.
Cause: Stress
When you are stressed more of your blood is directed to you main organs where your body needs it most rather than to your face which is left looking drained and a bit pastier. The contrast between the rest of your skin and the circles beneath your eyes, can make the darkness appear more noticeable.
Cause: Broken capillaries
The thinnest area of skin around your face is also just underneath the eye. This is also the most sensitive part of your face and the capillaries beneath this thin dermis are often prone to breaking, often through stress or through sun damage. The blood cells which spread out of these spaces tend to gather just underneath the surface of the skin and oxidise and form dark purple hue.
Cause: Genetics
Unfortunately, there are some people who are just more prone to develop dark circles. If you have naturally very pale skin in particular then the darker pigmentation and any broken capilleries are more likely to show through.
Cause: Iron Deficiencies
Dark rings can be a sign of an iron deficiency such as anaemia. For people with less iron in their systems, haemoglobin, the red pigment which carries oxygen to cells, is more easily broken down and can make the skin below the eye appear dark or bruised.
Aging – The skin under the eyes is thin and delicate to begin with. As we grow older, skin around the eyes becomes thinner making blood vessels more prominent, causing dark circles.
Sleep deprivation and tiredness – A lack of sleep or excessive tiredness results in pale skin, making blood under the skin become more visible and appear more blue or darker.
Smoking and drinking – Late night parties, smoking and drinking can play havoc with your skin and result in dark eye circles. Dark eye circles could be a sign of loss of water from the body (dehydration) due to excessive drinking and intake of caffeinated drinks.
Sun exposure – Increased exposure to the sun can draw pigmentation of the skin’s surface and create dark circles. Long sun exposure produces more melanin around eyes than usual, giving them a darker color. There are two main layers of skin, the outer layer of skin known as epidermis and inner layer known as dermis. When excess melanin is being made in the epidermis it appears brown, and when there is more than usual melanin in the dermis it looks blue or blue grey.
Hormonal changes – In women, the skin undergoes lots of changes during the phase of pregnancy and menstruation, causing darkening under the eyes.
Allergies – Any condition that causes the eyes to itch may contribute to darker circles due to rubbing or scratching the skin around them. Apart from that, some food allergies can also cause the area under the eyes to appear darker. In fact, dark circles in children often indicate allergy problems.
Research also suggests that dark circles are linked to anemia, and liver diseases.
Dark circles and anemia – Iron deficiency is one of the most common causes of inexplicable dark circles in many cases, which can be treated by making simple changes in your diet. Low iron levels is the most common form of anemia, and results in poor oxygenation in body tissues due to low supply of oxygenated blood. Thus, always take a balanced diet rich in green leafy vegetable, dairy products and all types of fruits to keep your body healthy.
Dark circles and dehydration – Dehydration is one of the most common reasons for dark circles under the eyes. The reason is the close proximity to the skin underneath the eye in relation to the underlying bone. When the body does not have a proper amount of water, the symptoms are often evident in this specific area. Thus it is advisable to have at least 8-10 glasses of water and include fresh fruit daily. It is also advisable to restrict the intake of caffeinated drinks such as tea, coffee, alcohol and other caffeinated drinks as it aggravates dehydration.
Dark circles and liver disease – Dark circles also indicate liver dysfunction due to various liver ailments. An example of such a liver ailment is hepatitis.
The Solutions
Dark circles alone may not indicate anaemia but, if you and your doctor have found that you do lack iron you may be prescribed supplement. It’s also a good idea look for extra sources of this mineral naturally. This can include iron-rich food sources such as red meat, spinach, broccoli and pumpkin seeds.
Vitamin C can also effectively reduce the amount of pigmentation in the skin. In addition to upping your intake of orange juice, there are plenty of beauty products on the market packed full of this essential ingredient. Murad’s Essential-C Eye Cream (RRP: £17.50) is particularly good at preventing the eye area from darkening and also contains effective sun protection with broad spectrum SPF 15.
Shield your eyes from unnecessary damage and stress with effective by remembering to wear sunglasses in harsh daylight. Similarly, for those who often find themselves in front of a computer or tend to strain their eyes at work should get their eyes regularly at the opticians to tackle any potential stress on the eyes.
For an on-the-go quick fix, you can also cover up your dark circles with a make-up. We’ve reviewed six of the best concealers on the market, but for those wishing to look more awake choosing illuminating products with light-reflecting particles is your best bet for a bright-eyed look.
How to Get Rid of Black Circles Under Your Eyes
Addressing the Cause
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Get your beauty sleep. Get plenty of sleep nightly. It’s not entirely clear why inadequate sleep results in dark circles under the eyes, but lack of sleep tends to cause the skin to become paler (thus increasing the appearance of darkness under the eyes), and reduces circulation. It’s also believed that too little time lying down is a cause in itself. Before going to bed at night, remove all eye makeup. If you don’t do so, when you get older, your eyes can look much more tired on a daily basis.
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Determine how much sleep you need (it’s usually 7-9 hours per night, but varies for different people at different times throughout their lives). Try to get that amount regularly for a couple of weeks to see if that helps.
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Alcohol and drugs can adversely affect the quality of your sleep. Abstain from these products or use them only in moderation for best results.
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Get adequate vitamins that assist sleep. A lack of sleep,
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Stop rubbing your eyes Ever notice how friction with your shoes can make lasting dark marks on your feet? The same deal goes with your eyes if you’re constantly rubbing them. Friction causes skin pigmentation to darken, so if you’re constantly rubbing your eyes, you’re not doing yourself any favors.
coupled with poor vitamin absorption tends to reduce adrenal function. The less adrenal function you have, the less B6 you tend to absorb. The less B6 you absorb, the less your adrenal glands function and you end up in a vicious circle. Sleep, regular vitamins (where needed), good calcium/magnesium support in the form of eating a lot of greens (which are higher in calcium and magnesium than dairy products are) and a good mineral supplement restores adrenal function.
2
Treat your allergies. Allergies are a common cause of skin discoloration under the eyes. If an allergy is the root of your problem, treat the allergy or remove the allergen. Seasonal allergy problems such as the hay fever can frequently be effectively treated with over-the-counter and prescription medications.
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For other allergies, the best course of action is usually avoidance. If your dark circles or puffiness are constant, you may have an undetected food allergy or an allergy to a chemical in your home or workplace. Talk to a dermatologist for help determining what you may be allergic to. People with allergies also tend again to be deficient in B6, folic acid and B12 on occasion. Taking a multivitamin may also help
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Gluten intolerance. Another common allergy that causes dark circles is gluten intolerance, which is an allergy to wheat flour in particular. More severely, you could have celiac disease. To test for celiac disease, have blood tests performed by your doctor. It’s important to remember that you can be gluten intolerant, and not have celiac disease.
3
Fix nasal congestion. A blocked nose can result in dark circles under your eyes because the veins around your sinuses are darkened and dilated.
4
Eat well. Eat a healthy, blanced diet, take vitamins and drink plenty of water.A whole host of cosmetic problems can be attributed to vitamin deficiencies. Dark circles and puffiness are often attributed to lack of vitamin K or inadequate antioxidants. Also, a deficiency in B12 (usually anemia-related) can result in dark circles.
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Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, especially cabbage, spinach, and other leafy green vegetables. Take a daily vitamin supplement if necessary. Get adequate fluids to improve circulation.
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Reduce salt intake. Excess salt causes the body to retain water in unusual places, and this can result in puffiness under the eyes. Too much salt can also impair your circulation and cause the blood vessels under the skin to appear bluer.
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Examine your smoking habit and decide to quit. Smoking causes vascular (blood vessel) problems that can not only threaten your life, but also make your blood vessels appear more prominent and bluer.
6
Relax. Relaxing might help remove sources of stress and anxiety that are preventing you from sleeping, eating and resting properly. In turn, relaxing enough will help the skin beneath your eyes to improve as you feel less stressed and more at ease. Skin tends to reflect a whole host of emotional and physical ailments, so don’t dismiss the need to relax lightly.
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Accept what you can’t change. There are some causes to under-eye circles you can’t do much to reverse, unfortunately. These include:
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Pigmentation irregularities. These can cause darker circles under the eyes.
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Sun exposure. This can increase melanin production.
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Thinning from age. Aging thins the skin, making veins and vessels more obvious as your fat and collagen depletes over time.
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Heredity. Establish whether or not this condition runs in your family, as under-eye dark circles are believed to frequently be hereditary. This doesn’t mean that you can’t do anything about the conditions, but you should be prepared for minimal success when trying to get rid of them.
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Your facial features. Dark circles may be as simple as shadows being thrown by your own features. There isn’t much you can do change this other than careful use of cosmetics.
Natural Remedies
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Use cucumber slices. Cucumber slices have long been used to reduce puffiness and refresh the appearance of skin around the eyes, providing a fast “pick-me-up” for tired and puffy eyes. Place a slice over each eye, extending over the darkened area. Do this daily, coupled with lying down for 10-15 minutes. Keep your eyes closed.
2
Apply cool tea bags or an ice cube wrapped in soft cloth to your eyes daily.The tannin in tea bags reduces swelling and discoloration. Lie down, preferably in the morning, and leave the cool and damp caffeinated tea bags over your eyes for about 10-15 minutes. Keep your eyes closed. You can refrigerate them overnight so they will be ready in the morning.
3
Make a saline solution. Add 2 cups water with a 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt and/or a half tea-spoon of baking soda in one of your nostrils. Have your head tilted to the side so that the water comes out the other nostril. It’s best used when you’re experiencing nasal congestion.
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Use a potato. Place one uncooked potato into a liquidizer and liquidize the whole potato. Scoop out and place the pureed potato on your closed eyes .Keep it there for 30 minutes, lying on your back. Wash it off with warm water. This method works well for some people.
Use a frozen spoon. Put a spoon in the freezer for 10-15 minutes. Take it out and cover the circles with it. Hold it there until the spoon is warm again.
Cosmetic Solutions
1
Apply an eye cream containing vitamin K and retinol.
Dark circles may be caused by a deficiency of vitamin K. Regardless of the cause, however, skin creams containing these two ingredients reduce puffiness and discoloration significantly in many people. Long-term daily use seems to have the greatest effect.
2
Use an under-eye cream. Use a concealer that will camouflage the dark under-eye circles. It’s important to use a concealer that matches your undertone (namely, yellow and peach (for bluish circles). After applying the concealer, set it with a light dusting of translucent powder.
3
Have a skin patch test. Before using cosmetics, try a skin patch test first. Cease using anything that irritates your skin, causes rashes, or makes your eyes sore or watery.
Shield your eyes from unnecessary damage and stress with effective by remembering to wear sunglasses in harsh daylight. Similarly, for those who often find themselves in front of a computer or tend to strain their eyes at work should get their eyes regularly at the opticians to tackle any potential stress on the eyes.
For an on-the-go quick fix, you can also cover up your dark circles with a make-up. We’ve reviewed six of the best concealers on the market, but for those wishing to look more awake choosing illuminating products with light-reflecting particles is your best bet for a bright-eyed look.