HOW TO GET RID OF DARK CIRCLES UNDER YOUR EYES
Sometimes shadowy circles are caused by an excess pigment around the eyes, dark brown/black in color. This type of discoloration tends to be genetic, occurring more often in those with darker skin. It can also be triggered by frequent sun exposure. Allergies, alcohol consumption, which is dehydrating, and, yes, fatigue can also compound the problem. And then there's aging. As we age, our bodies don't produce as much collagen, which makes the skin under our eyes thinner. As a result, it's easier to see dark blood vessels lurking beneath the surface.
These shadows — actually oxygen-depleted blood — can be compounded by poor blood circulation and a buildup of fluid, which contributes to puffiness. Sometimes, if there's chronic swelling, blood can leak into the skin a little, and that can cause discoloration as well.
And as we get older, our facial structure changes. The bones around our eyes widen, creating a sunken look underneath. It's kind of a double whammy, since not only do our eyes hollow out more, but the fat pad that sits around the eye and cushions it pushes out. That puffiness highlights the hollowness that sits directly below it. Light can't reflect evenly off the contours, leading to shadows in the area.
Here are several ways to minimize dark circles and medical treatments to get rid of them.
Preventive Approaches
1. Watch the booze
Limit or better still eliminate alcohol intake.
1. Watch the booze
Limit or better still eliminate alcohol intake.
Alcohol intake can lead to increased inflammation in the body, depriving the skin of vitamins and curbing the production of collagen. Moreover, alcohol causes the small blood vessels under the skin to dilate and expand, making them more prominent. If that wasn't enough, alcohol can dehydrate the skin, giving eyes a sunken look, which makes any discoloration lurking beneath the surface easier to see.
2. Sleep more
Poor sleep often leads to pallid skin, making any shadows you might have all the more conspicuous. Your sleep position matters too. No one has circles as bad as a face sleeper, because fluid tends to pool in the space below your eyes making the area appear swollen. It is highly recommended that you sleep on your back, with your head elevated on two or three pillows.
3. Shun the sun
That bright orange orb is bad news. Constant UV exposure can cause skin cells to produce more pigment. What's more, free radicals generated from the sunlight thin the collagen fibers in your dermis, so those pesky blood vessels show through more easily. Slip on sunglasses with UV protection, and when applying sunscreen (SPF 30 or higher) to your face, don't forget the vulnerable under-eye area.
4. Treat your allergies
Seasonal allergies — and the nasal congestion that comes with them — can lead to a kind of clogging in the small veins underneath the eyes. When the blood vessels become blocked, blood starts to pool, causing them to dilate and become darker. (There's even a name for this: allergic shiners.) To stay in the clear, down an oral antihistamine or use a saline nasal spray.
Double up by using eye drops to get the allergens out of the mucous membranes in the eyes. And play keep-away with pollen and other allergens. Wear wraparound sunglasses when outside, and wash your hair and bedding more often. And resist the urge to rub your itchy eyes; rubbing can damage the walls of the blood vessels, causing them to break and release pigment. “Most people who do these things regularly see an improvement in vascular circles within 30 days,” Lupo says.
Skin Care
5. Smooth things over
Eye creams that contain vitamin K can help stimulate blood flow to prevent pooling around the eyes from leaky blood vessels. Caffeine is another ingredient to look for in skin products: It helps constrict blood vessels to help temporarily with puffiness from lymphatic circulation. For instance, if you had a long night, ate too much salt, or slept on your face and woke up a little puffy, then pop the product in the fridge and apply cold. Anything that's cold will help constrict blood vessels temporarily, so you don't see as much discoloration. And yes, topical retinoids (like prescription Retin-A or an over-the-counter product) can help, too. With repeated use, they boost collagen production to increase skin volume and diminish blood vessels. Just be careful with retinoids as they can be very irritating. So, it is best to apply a tiny amount only a few times a week to begin with to build tolerance and always apply before bedtime and not in the morning. Once you have built the tolerance, you can then apply retinoids on daily basis before bedtime.
6. Try skin-lightening creams or serums
They can fade pigmentation over time. Hydroquinone is a potent lightening agent that essentially bleaches out darkened areas of skin. It also minimizes the activity of tyrosinase, an enzyme needed to make melanin. It's available by prescription at a concentration of about 4 percent or over the counter at lower concentrations. Kojic acid is another bleaching agent that works in much the same way, though it tends to be gentler on the skin.
Two ingredients you'll find in over-the-counter skin-care serums: licorice extract — which helps break up excess pigment and lighten discoloration — and vitamin C — an overachieving antioxidant that's brimming with brightening properties to improve a lackluster look and also neutralizes free radical damage, helping to prevent pigment from popping up in the first place. Before picking up a potion, keep in mind that the skin area under the eye is very delicate so be careful and always consult a board certified dermatologist to determine the best course of action for your specific eye condition.
In-Office Treatments
7. Peels
If pigmentation is the issue, you might consider an in-office chemical peel, which dissolves outmost dead layers of skin to lift some of that dark color and lighten discoloration. Peels come in varying concentrations and target different parts of the skin. A light chemical peel, such as lactic acid, for example, removes the outer layer of skin, while a medium chemical peel, such as trichloroacetic or glycolic acid, targets skin cells from the epidermis plus part of the dermis underneath. The benefits are twofold; it exfoliates excess pigment and, like retinol, stimulates new epidermal growth and collagen production.
8. Lasers
One way shadows can be shushed is with lasers, which can be used to stimulate collagen production. When you thicken the skin, you see circles less. They can also be used to target blood vessels underneath the skin.
9. Fillers
A hyaluronic acid soft-tissue filler (Restylane is considered by many to be the gold standard) can be injected around the caved-in area along the rim of the eye socket to recontour the face. By filling in those deep hollows, you're helping them blend in better with the puffy fat pads, so there's less of a dramatic disconnect. This can be done very safely by a board-certified dermatologist or a board-certified plastic surgeon, the only two types of professional people who are allowed to put a needle in that area. Personally, I recommend going to an ocular plastic surgeon (they are typically trained in ophthalmology and plastic surgery) for any aesthetic treatment around the eye. With fillers around the eyes, you'll see instant results, which should last up to a year. Bonus: If you're not loving the look, the filler can be dissolved, using an enzyme, within about 30 minutes.
Fillers can be combined with another procedure, called platelet-rich plasma (PRP) rejuvenation, to give eyes even more of a boost. PRP treatment uses your body's own blood to stimulate collagen and rejuvenate the under-eye area. How it works: A small amount of blood is drawn, then spun rapidly in a special tube, which extracts the PRP. The blood is then injected back into the skin. According to the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, these two procedures, performed in tandem, can lead to significant improvements in appearance. (A word of caution: Those on blood thinners may not be good candidates; everyone should discuss this and other possible risks with their doctor.)
10. Surgery
A lower blepharoplasty, a surgical procedure, usually done in an outpatient setting, involves taking excess fat in the bulges underneath the eyes and repositioning it around the socket to fill in some of that indentation for a smoother and less shadowy look. It may take up to two weeks for the bruising to go away, and a few months for all of the swelling to subside. Again, this type of surgery should be performed only by an ocular plastic surgeon.
2. Sleep more
Poor sleep often leads to pallid skin, making any shadows you might have all the more conspicuous. Your sleep position matters too. No one has circles as bad as a face sleeper, because fluid tends to pool in the space below your eyes making the area appear swollen. It is highly recommended that you sleep on your back, with your head elevated on two or three pillows.
3. Shun the sun
That bright orange orb is bad news. Constant UV exposure can cause skin cells to produce more pigment. What's more, free radicals generated from the sunlight thin the collagen fibers in your dermis, so those pesky blood vessels show through more easily. Slip on sunglasses with UV protection, and when applying sunscreen (SPF 30 or higher) to your face, don't forget the vulnerable under-eye area.
4. Treat your allergies
Seasonal allergies — and the nasal congestion that comes with them — can lead to a kind of clogging in the small veins underneath the eyes. When the blood vessels become blocked, blood starts to pool, causing them to dilate and become darker. (There's even a name for this: allergic shiners.) To stay in the clear, down an oral antihistamine or use a saline nasal spray.
Double up by using eye drops to get the allergens out of the mucous membranes in the eyes. And play keep-away with pollen and other allergens. Wear wraparound sunglasses when outside, and wash your hair and bedding more often. And resist the urge to rub your itchy eyes; rubbing can damage the walls of the blood vessels, causing them to break and release pigment. “Most people who do these things regularly see an improvement in vascular circles within 30 days,” Lupo says.
Skin Care
5. Smooth things over
Eye creams that contain vitamin K can help stimulate blood flow to prevent pooling around the eyes from leaky blood vessels. Caffeine is another ingredient to look for in skin products: It helps constrict blood vessels to help temporarily with puffiness from lymphatic circulation. For instance, if you had a long night, ate too much salt, or slept on your face and woke up a little puffy, then pop the product in the fridge and apply cold. Anything that's cold will help constrict blood vessels temporarily, so you don't see as much discoloration. And yes, topical retinoids (like prescription Retin-A or an over-the-counter product) can help, too. With repeated use, they boost collagen production to increase skin volume and diminish blood vessels. Just be careful with retinoids as they can be very irritating. So, it is best to apply a tiny amount only a few times a week to begin with to build tolerance and always apply before bedtime and not in the morning. Once you have built the tolerance, you can then apply retinoids on daily basis before bedtime.
6. Try skin-lightening creams or serums
They can fade pigmentation over time. Hydroquinone is a potent lightening agent that essentially bleaches out darkened areas of skin. It also minimizes the activity of tyrosinase, an enzyme needed to make melanin. It's available by prescription at a concentration of about 4 percent or over the counter at lower concentrations. Kojic acid is another bleaching agent that works in much the same way, though it tends to be gentler on the skin.
Two ingredients you'll find in over-the-counter skin-care serums: licorice extract — which helps break up excess pigment and lighten discoloration — and vitamin C — an overachieving antioxidant that's brimming with brightening properties to improve a lackluster look and also neutralizes free radical damage, helping to prevent pigment from popping up in the first place. Before picking up a potion, keep in mind that the skin area under the eye is very delicate so be careful and always consult a board certified dermatologist to determine the best course of action for your specific eye condition.
In-Office Treatments
7. Peels
If pigmentation is the issue, you might consider an in-office chemical peel, which dissolves outmost dead layers of skin to lift some of that dark color and lighten discoloration. Peels come in varying concentrations and target different parts of the skin. A light chemical peel, such as lactic acid, for example, removes the outer layer of skin, while a medium chemical peel, such as trichloroacetic or glycolic acid, targets skin cells from the epidermis plus part of the dermis underneath. The benefits are twofold; it exfoliates excess pigment and, like retinol, stimulates new epidermal growth and collagen production.
8. Lasers
One way shadows can be shushed is with lasers, which can be used to stimulate collagen production. When you thicken the skin, you see circles less. They can also be used to target blood vessels underneath the skin.
9. Fillers
A hyaluronic acid soft-tissue filler (Restylane is considered by many to be the gold standard) can be injected around the caved-in area along the rim of the eye socket to recontour the face. By filling in those deep hollows, you're helping them blend in better with the puffy fat pads, so there's less of a dramatic disconnect. This can be done very safely by a board-certified dermatologist or a board-certified plastic surgeon, the only two types of professional people who are allowed to put a needle in that area. Personally, I recommend going to an ocular plastic surgeon (they are typically trained in ophthalmology and plastic surgery) for any aesthetic treatment around the eye. With fillers around the eyes, you'll see instant results, which should last up to a year. Bonus: If you're not loving the look, the filler can be dissolved, using an enzyme, within about 30 minutes.
Fillers can be combined with another procedure, called platelet-rich plasma (PRP) rejuvenation, to give eyes even more of a boost. PRP treatment uses your body's own blood to stimulate collagen and rejuvenate the under-eye area. How it works: A small amount of blood is drawn, then spun rapidly in a special tube, which extracts the PRP. The blood is then injected back into the skin. According to the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, these two procedures, performed in tandem, can lead to significant improvements in appearance. (A word of caution: Those on blood thinners may not be good candidates; everyone should discuss this and other possible risks with their doctor.)
10. Surgery
A lower blepharoplasty, a surgical procedure, usually done in an outpatient setting, involves taking excess fat in the bulges underneath the eyes and repositioning it around the socket to fill in some of that indentation for a smoother and less shadowy look. It may take up to two weeks for the bruising to go away, and a few months for all of the swelling to subside. Again, this type of surgery should be performed only by an ocular plastic surgeon.
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