Dark eyes can be quite dramatic when applied with eye liner…or if you’re a raccoon. But dark circles in the form of “bags under the eyes” make us look old and tired and simply detract from the rest of our appearance. Cover up and eye makeup can help hide dark circles, but the best solution is to understand the real cause and apply an effective remedy.
Dark circles under or around the eyes can be caused by many different factors. The most common causes are:
Fatigue, lack of sleep: Excessive tiredness can cause paleness of the skin and poor circulation, which can cause the skin to appear darker.
Nutrition: The lack of nutrients in the diet, or the lack of a balanced diet, can contribute to the discoloration of the under eye area.
Stress: A too-fast-paced lifestyle, or long hours on the computer, can contribute to bags under your eyes, especially when coupled with inadequate sleep.
Heredity: Like varicose veins, dark circles under the eyes can be an inherited trait. The skin under the eye is very thin. When blood passes through the large veins close to the surface of the skin it can produce a bluish tint. The more transparent your skin, the darker the circles appear.
Allergies, Asthma and Eczema: Any condition that causes eyes to itch can contribute to dark circles under the eyes because rubbing or scratching can darken the skin. Hay fever sufferers particularly will notice under-eye "shiners" during the height of the allergy season.
Medications: Medications that cause blood vessels to dilate can cause circles under the eyes to appear darker. Because the skin under the eyes is very delicate, any increase blood flow shows through the skin.
Age: As we get older, there is a shift in the fat pad under the eye, and you may develop creases. This can looks like dark circles, because the creases cast shadows on the skin. This shadowing greatly improves with the application of fillers, such as Restylane, under the skin.
Consult with your dermatologist to determine the actual cause of the dark circles. And follow these simple guidelines to improve your circulatory health and appearance right away.
Get eight hours of sleep: This is a must for all of us, especially for people with dark circles under their eyes.
Diet: Eat a whole-foods, plant-based diet, drink plenty of water and avoid alcohol, coffee, tea and soft drinks.
Include green leafy vegetables and all other food items that are rich source of vitamin K. Vitamin K is very effective in treating the damaged capillaries around the eyes.
Tea Bag Treatment: Try applying a cold compress of green or black tea to increase circulation, which helps reduce swelling around the eyes. Steep for 20 minutes, then strain and chill. Place over eyes for 15 to 20 minutes, once a day, as needed.
Moisturizer: To minimize the appearance of bags, plump up skin with moisturizer, one that contains vitamin C, green Tea, vitamin K and other antioxidants.
Whether from heredity, stress, diet or any other reason, dark circles under the eyes just make us look tired. Simple diet and lifestyle changes can help reduce those circles, but to erase them most effectively consult with your dermatologist and say “goodbye” to raccoon eyes.
Dr. Lisa Benest is a medical and cosmetic dermatologist in Burbank, CA. She and her staff provide comprehensive skin examinations as well as an array of non-invasive, cosmetic procedures and offer a full line of skin care products. To learn more about how to take care of your skin as well as the most up-to-date treatments in skin care, schedule a Free Consultation with their cosmetic nurse.
Lisa Benest M.D.
1624 W. Olive #B
Burbank, CA
818-729-9149
http://www.lisabenestmd.com
