Do you have dark circles under the eyes that make you look tired and ten years older? Unfortunately, many of us do. I remember having dark eye circles even as young as high school. I would try to apply concealer, hoping it would cover up the darker skin tones under my eyes without success. Nowadays, with the abundance of skincare products and advanced science, there's probably something out there that gives you better results.

What Causes Dark Under Eye Circles?

The area under the eyes appears darker when constricted blood vessels beneath the skin are visible, or when there is thinning of the skin around the eyes. There are many reasons why dark circles can occur. The following are some factors that may cause those unsightly dark circles under your eyes.

Fatigue

Not getting enough sleep or poor sleep habits can cause the skin to appear paler making dark tissue and dilated blood vessels under the skin more visible. Sleep deprivation can also result in fluid retention which causes bags under your eyes. When that happens, the swelling can cast dark shadows, making them look like dark circles.

Natural Aging Process

As we get older, our skin loses excess fat and collagen necessary to maintain skin elasticity. The skin becomes thinner, making the dark blood vessels underneath your skin more visible.

Eyestrain

The eyes can become strained when looking at a computer or television for too long. The blood vessels around the eyes get enlarged when the eyes are strained, resulting in a darkened appearance around the eyes.

Allergies

Allergies can cause itchiness, redness, and under eye puffiness. Histamines released from the reaction cause blood vessels to dilate, making them more visible. Itching and rubbing the eyes from allergy symptoms can result in inflammation, swelling, and broken blood vessels, which worsen the dark under-eye circles.

Sun Overexposure

Sun exposure causes the skin to produce excess melanin, a pigment that turns your skin darker. When you get too much sun for the eyes, it can cause discoloration in the surrounding skin causing the skin color to be darker.

Dehydration

Lack of sufficient hydration can cause your eyes to look sunken and skin to look dull, leaving the appearance of hollow dark circles under the eyes.

Genetics

Genes and family history can play a significant role in developing dark under-eye circles. It can be inherited, or being predisposed to certain medical conditions can cause discoloration under the eyes.

Home Remedies For Reducing Dark Circles Under Eyes?

Adopting Healthy Habits For Bedtime

Changing bad sleeping habits can help reduce under eye bags and dark circles. The most obvious for correcting bags is geting more sleep. When we don't get enough sleep, the blood vessels become dilated. The increase blood flow becomes more noticeable because the skin is thinner nder the eyes. Also sleeping on our backs can help reduce swelling because it will prevent fluid from collecting on the face. Instead, it will let fluid drain back to reduce under eye puffiness. Using an extra pillow to prop up the head also helps prevent fluid retention.

Avoid Too Much Screen Time

Spending too much time in front of a screen can cause the eyes to become fatigue. It strains your eyes which causes the blood vessels around your eyes to enlarge, darkening skin beneath the eye area and giving you puffy eyes.

Limit Salt & Hydrate

Salty foods can make the body retain fluids which leads to swelling. Cutting back on drinks like alcohol and caffeine which dehydrates the body will also help the delicate skin under the eyes to not look sunken.

Use Topical Creams

Wearing sunscreen is the first defense to protect against sun exposure that can cause dark circles. The best eye creams for pigmentation caused by overexposure to the sun is to use topical lightening agents. Vitamin C, kojic acid, and licorice extract help to decrease discoloration under the eyes over time. Retinoid is also great in treating dark under-eye circles resulting from thinning skin. It works by rebuilding dermal collagen and thereby contributing to vascular support in the area and recovering skin volume and firmness.

Apply Cold Compresses

Using cold cucumbers or a cold compress can minimize dark circles under the eyes and reduce under eye bags. Cold compresses restricts blood vessels making the skin tone under the eyes appearless dark.

Use Caffeinated Tea Bags Under Eyes

Caffeine has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties which is good for protecting the delicate skin beneath the eyes. It also contains vasconstrictor benefits which has the shrinking effect on the veins

Medical Treatments For Dark Circles

Chemical Peels

Chimcal peels usins glycolic acid, retinoic acid, salicylic acid, and lactic acid can lighten the dark pigmentation under the eyes.

Laser Resurfacing

Laser therapy can promote new collagen production to thicken the skin beneath the eyes as well as lightening darker skin tones.

Fillers

Fillers may be injected underneath the skin to add volume under they eyes to minimize the hollow effect causing dark circles.