Why Do I Have Dark Circles Under My Eyes
Q: I have dark circles under my eyes that I cant seem to get rid of. Why?
A: Genetics are often to blame, as is aging. Of course, hearing that may not be too inspiring, since you dont have the power to change your DNA or stop the clock. But that doesnt mean your dark circles have to stick around. Several potential causes are within your control. Take back your look so you can appear as energetic and fresh on the outside, as you feel on the inside. Explore these solutions:
Cause: Sleep Deprivation
A lack of snooze time can make skin look paler and under-eye blood vessels to dilate, resulting in puffiness and those dreaded shadows. Aim to get seven to nine hours a night on a consistent basis.
Solution: Get Quality Rest
Pay attention not only to how many hours youre in bed, but how good the sleep youre getting is; you could be more sleep deprived than you realize. If needed, take steps to bank a better nights rest. Try relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, gentle stretches, a hot bath, as well as limiting screen time and diming lights in the house a few hours before bedtime. You can also try a fluffier pillow; the added height can help keep fluid from collecting under your eyes.
Cause: Allergies
Solution: Find True Relief
Cause: Iron Deficiency
Under-eye shadows are a common side effect of anemia when your blood has a lower amount of red blood cells than normal.
Solution: Get Evaluated
Cause: Fluid Retention
Solution: Tame Your Salt Cravings
Cause: Smoking
Symptoms That Might Indicate A Serious Condition
In some cases, dark circles in children may occur with other symptoms that might indicate a serious condition that should be immediately evaluated in an emergency setting. Seek immediate medical care if your child has dark circles along with other serious symptoms including:
- Blurry vision
- Coughing up clear, yellow, light brown, or green mucus
- Persistent or prolonged
- Stuffy nose with
- White spots on the throat or tonsils
Causes Of Dark Circles Under Eyes
Its possible that the dark circles under your eyes are because of the natural aging process. As we get older, our skin loses collagen and becomes thin. Thinner skin can make the blood vessels beneath it more visible, making the under eye area appear darker.
Besides age, here are a few likely causes of the dark circles under your eyes:
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What Are The Potential Complications Of Dark Circles Under Eyes In Children
Although the appearance of dark circles under the eyes is not a serious symptom in itself, the underlying cause can be, especially if it is a serious illness. Once the underlying cause is diagnosed, it is important for you to follow the treatment plan that you and your health care professional design specifically for your child to reduce the risk of potential complications including:
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Developmental delays and failure to thrive
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Hearing loss
Common Allergies Leading To Dark Circles
Common allergies are often grouped into three categories. Allergens in each of these categories can cause dark circles to form under the eyes.
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Additional Causes For Dark Circles Under Your Eyes:
- Crying
- Lifestyle. Excessive smoking or drinking can contribute to under-eye circles. Also, people who drink too much coffee or who use cocaine or amphetamines may have difficulty getting enough sleep.
- Fluid retention, as may occur with pregnancy or weight gain.
- Skin pigmentation abnormalities. The skin around the eyes is thinner, which is why your blood vessels are more readily visible through it.
- Excessive exposure to the sun. Sun exposure encourages your body to produce more melanin.
- Age. As we get older, we lose some of the fat and collagen surrounding our eyes. This loss, combined with the thinning of our skin, magnifies the appearance of dark eye circles.
- Mononucleosis can cause the eyes to appear puffy and swollen. This is due partly to the fatigue that people feel when they are suffering from it, and partly because this illness causes a yellowing of the eyes and the skin around them .
- Periorbital cellulitis. This;is a bacterial infection of the eyelid or eyelids. If it is promptly treated with antibiotics, however, it is nothing to worry about.
- Excess salt in the diet causes fluid retention throughout your bodyincluding underneath your eyes.
How Do I Get Rid Of Dark Circles Under My Eyes
As with reducing puffiness, sleeping and eating well can help reduce the look of dark circles under eyes. Try these:
- Work on getting enough uninterrupted sleep so you can look rested and refreshed
- Try limiting both excess salt and sugar from your diet
- Limiting your intake of alcohol and use of tobacco products, may also help
- Some cosmetics can work in a pinch to help cover up dark circles
If youve made improvements to your health and wellness routine and still see no change, consider talking to your doctor. They may be able to suggest other options that are right for you.
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Genes And Thin Skin Cause Dark Circles
Dark circles under the eyes are an entirely different problem to bags. The darkness results from the skin under the eyes thinning as we age, so that dark blood vessels below the skin become more visible. The thinning is part of the natural ageing process; just as the fat migrates downward with time, the muscles responsible for holding the skin in place begin to weaken and the skin sags and thins. The skin under the eyes is already thinner than most other parts of the body, so the result is much more pronounced in this area.
Your genes can also affect the appearance of dark circles. Genetic hyper-pigmentation is the phenomenon of certain people inheriting darker skin around their eyes. There is really nothing to be done to prevent or treat this, but many beauty experts recommend people with hyper-pigmentation can reduce the darkness by applying red lipstick under the eyes, counteracting the dark pigments and making the skin appear brighter.
The Physiological Basis Of Dark Circles Under The Eyes
The periorbital area is the thinnest and most delicate skin of your face. Like all skin, the periorbital area is webbed with tiny capillaries, blood vessels so tiny that red blood cells have to stand in line, and sometimes bend in half, to get through them. Blood sometimes leaks from these capillaries – this probably happens all over the body all the time. This loose blood isn’t a problem; your body has a method of taking care of it.
Unfortunately, your body’s mopping-up process to get rid of that loose blood is what causes dark circles under the eyes.
Hemoglobin degradation? I thought this was an article about dark circles under the eyes!
Stick with us – this is an article about dark circles under the eyes, after all, and we need to explain how they form.
Okay. The way that loose blood breaks down is through an oxidization process known as “hemoglobin degradation.” Basically, the hemoglobin gets broken up into smaller components – and guess what? When hemoglobin degrades, it turns a dark bluish-red.
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Physiology Of Dark Circles
Poor Circulation Of Blood: Sometimes the oxygenated blood does not reach in the blood vessels. When capillaries pool the deoxygenated blood in the blood vessels the result is fragility and damage of blood vessels leading to dark bluish patches under the eyes. The dark bluish patches under the eyes may appear as dark circles2.
High Intake Of Salt And Caffeine: When a person intakes high volume of salt and caffeine in their daily meal, it leads to water retention inside the body. It also causes the eyes to get aggravated and skin below the eyes may become darker3.
Spending More Time On The Screen: When the screen of mobile, Television of computer is constantly stared, the screen light put a lot of stress on the blood vessels of the eyelids and the size of the blood vessels increase. According to a study when the size of the blood vessels is increased then cause darker the skin around the eyes.
Because Of Family History: Family history of dark circles may also lead to the conditions in progeny. The dark circles appear in the child and may get worse with the age because of the loss of subcutaneous fat.
Risk Factors For Dark Circles Under The Eyes
You may be at a higher risk of developing dark circles under your eyes if you:
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Are genetically predisposed Studies have shown that a person is more likely to develop dark circles under their eyes if people in their immediate family also have them.
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Are experiencing natural aging Collagen loss and thinning of the skin is a universal sign of aging. These natural changes can make dark circles more noticeable, especially in the hollow area beneath the eye, called the tear trough.
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Have a medium or deep skin tone While dark circles under the eyes can certainly affect people with pale or light skin tones, it is seen more often and affects more people with deeper skin tones. Changes in skin pigmentation are the source.
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How To Get Rid Of Dark Undereye Circles From Allergies
When allergies strike, they trigger the production of chemicals called histamines, which inflame blood vessels, making them visible through the thin skin beneath your eyes. If you’re not sure whether your dark undereye circles are caused by allergies or something else, try stretching the skin beneath your eyes gently with your fingers 3. If the color remains the same, your dark circles are probably caused by allergies. If your circles get even darker, aging or genetics is probably to blame.
Ask your doctor to recommend a prescription or over-the-counter antihistamine medication for your allergies, and take your medication as directed, recommends New Jersey ophthalmologist Robert Mirsky on the Cosmopolitan website 2.
Use your ring finger to lightly dab a small amount of 0.5-percent hydrocortisone cream below your eyes if they are itchy as well as dark-circled, recommends Cheryl M. Burgess, medical director at the Center for Dermatology and Dermatologic Surgery in Washington, D.C., on the Oprah.com website.
Cut two thin slices from a potato and put them over your eyes for about 10 minutes twice a week to lighten dark circles. Potatoes contain catecholase, an enzyme that has a mild bleaching effect on skin, explains makeup artist Shalini Vadhera on the Cosmopolitan website 2.
Wear broad-spectrum sunscreen every day to prevent sun damage that makes dark circles more noticeable.
Tips
Questions To Ask Your Doctor About Dark Circles Under Your Eyes
- What is causing the dark circles under my eyes? I always make sure to get eight hours sleep at night.
- Which other;topical products you recommend for under-eye circles?
- Can you think of;any surgical procedures you think might help me?
- Are my dark circles due to some serious underlying condition, or are they just due to insufficient rest or too much stress?
- National Center for Biotechnology Informationhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12838159
- The Mayo Clinichttps://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/dark-circles-under-eyes/basics/definition/sym-20050624
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Dark Circles Cause #1: Genetics
Sometimes, youre just born with it. When your skin is so thin to be almost transparent, the blood vessels underneath show through, casting a shadow onto your undereye area.
Or maybe, youve just inherited a deep set bone structure from your mother. Both traits make you look tired and older even if you get your beauty sleep every night. So unfair!
Rejuvenate Your Eyes: Dr Bennetts 13 Tips To Cure Dark Circles And Puffy Eyes
by Dr. Garrett Bennett | Jan 31, 2014 | Health Tips
The old English proverb reminds us that the eyes are the window to the soul. Puffy eyes and dark circles are two common problems that many men and women experience, both old and young. The appearance of unhealthy eyes can make you look older, ill or sleep-deprived.
Dark circles can distract from the eyes, the windows to the soul.
If you have ever experienced puffy eyes, bags or dark circles, you are not alone. In fact, these issues are so common that many European luxury cosmetic companies offer high-priced creams and serums that promise miraculous results. However, if expensive miracle creams are not in your budget, then read this article for more cost-effective tips on how to banish the bags and create glowing, radiant eyes.
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What Can You Do For Eye Allergy Treatment And Relief
The best thing to do is to totally avoid whatever eye allergens and irritants bother your eyes. However, this is hard since these triggers are airborne.
Here are some tips to keep your eyes clear, clean and comfortable:
- Use a preservative-free eye wash or artificial tears to moisten dry, irritated eyes and help wash out allergens and irritants.
- Put a damp washcloth in the freezer for a few minutes and then apply it to your eyelids to reduce itching and swelling.
- Keep your hands away from your eyes. Wash your hands and face after being outside on high pollen and mold days.
If You Get Some Antihistamine Into Your System And Some Potatoes On Your Eyes And Still Nothing Seems To Be Working Then The Dark Circles Beneath Your Eyes Might Be Caused By Something Else Entirely
Other common causes of dark under-eye circles include lack of sleep, a diet that’s high in salt, your menstrual cycle, and they can even be associated with thyroid and adrenal problems â but they can also just be genetic. Genetic hyper-pigmentation, LIVESTRONG explains, is basically a fancy way of saying you’re more likely to have dark under-eye circles, sheerly because of hereditary factors, and although you can take different steps to decrease the intensity of the appearance of the circles â like sleeping more, using a special concealer, or paying better attention to your diet â they’ll still always be there in some capacity.
Generally speaking, though, you shouldn’t feel like you have to get rid of your under-eye circles just because they’re there. Unless they’re a symptom of a bigger health issue , then there’s really nothing to worry about. Under-eye circles can be as natural and essential to your genetic makeup as your brow line or your hair color, and there’s no reason not to think you can rock a dark-circle look, as long as you’re feeling healthy on the inside.
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Final Thoughts On Reducing Dark Under Eye Circles
Dark circles arent attractive. They make you look tired and older. You may not realize there are many everyday things youre doing that contribute to your dark circles. Eating a healthy diet, lack of sleep, stress, and overexposure to the sun are common culprits.; Once you figure out your dark circles cause, create healthy eye care habits to get rid of your dark under eye circles once and for all.
Dark Circle Causing Diseases
Kidney Failure: In condition related to damage of the kidney, the kidney does not filter the body fluid properly. When blood has not filtered, the presence of the toxic impurities increases. Increase in toxins in the blood may lead to water retention, which may lead to dark circles
Anemia: Anemia is caused by the deficiency of the iron in the body. Iron deficiency leads to reduced hemoglobin concentration. Reduced hemoglobin affects the body in two ways. It may reduce the intensity of the color of blood and also the supply of oxygen gets reduced.
Fatigue is caused by the deficiency of the iron, folic acid, and vitamin B12 in the body. A person with the fatigue feels overtired and weak leading to mental and physical illness. Because of weakness and tiredness in the body, the blood vessels under the eyes are visible and the skin becomes darker.
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Dark Circles Cause #3: Saggy Skin
Saggy skin casts shadows underneath your eyes, making dark circles look worse. Ugh.
It happens with age. When youre young, your body produces all the collagen and elastin that your skin desires. But as you get older, it starts producing less and less. Cue sagging.
To add insult to injury, there are many things that can speed up the sagging process. Unprotected sun exposure. A diet rich in sugar. Pollution. Smoking. All the usual culprits.
