Dark circles under the eyes can be really upsetting because they typically make you look older. This problem may be caused by several factors, thus the treatment has to be adjusted accordingly.

The Many Reasons of Dark Circles Under the Eyes

One of the most common reasons is aging. As you age your skin under eyes becomes thinner and more transparent. Naturally the blood and in the tiny veins under your eyes makes the skin look darker.



Another reason is superficial pigmentation of the skin. This happens only in people with darker skin, such as those of Mediterranean descent.

Dark circles under the eyes make you look tired. Although this problem is not necessarily associated with tiredness, fatigue and insomnia absolutely can contribute to this condition. Lack of sleep may cause the veins under the eyes to fill with more blood, making skin look darker.

People who suffer from allergies, hay fever, or asthma often have dark circles. The reason for that is congestion in the fine veins under the eyes.

Hormonal changes, such as pregnancy, and use of birth control pills may increase pigmentation under the eyes.

In some cases dark circles are just a shadow cast by bags below the eyes. With age the layer of protective fat that protects the eyeballs relocates slightly, which may cause a small fat bulge under the eye. Another reason for bags under the eyes is fluid retention. In both cases the groove beneath the bag looks like a dark circle.



How to Get Rid of Dark Circles Under the Eyes

You will find a lot of products for treatment of this condition, but there is little evidence that they work. The treatment of dark circles cannot be as straightforward as that, because as it was mentioned earlier, there are many different reasons why you could suffer from this problem. Instead you should consult an experienced dermatologist who will help you to pinpoint the exact cause of the dark circles and develop treatment strategy tailored for your specific needs.

If the dark circles were caused by simple fluid retention, simply applying cool tea bags or cool cucumber slices may make a drastic difference.

If the dark circles are due to superficial pigmentation, like in people with darker skin, applying lightning agents may help. Lightning agents must be used with caution as skin under the eyes is very sensitive. Alternatively, Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) or laser treatments may reduce pigmentation and erase dark circles.

If dark circles are due to shadows cast by bags under the eyes, you may choose blepharoplasty, a cosmetic eyelid surgery. During blepharoplasty excess skin and fat under eyes are removed, so the dark circles naturally disappear. The discomfort is minimal and incision heals very quickly.