Tiredness or a poor diet can cause the appearance of dark circles. But there are more causes. We will tell you the main ones and list some ways to combat them.
Do you wake up and think you see a panda in the mirror? You may be tired or have had a bad night. But there are also many other causes for the hated dark circles to appear, such as an unhealthy diet, poor hydration, or, unfortunately, genetics. In this article, we show you what types of dark circles are most frequent and their causes. In addition, we give you clues to avoid them or, if you already have them, try to fight them.
Types of dark circles and their causes
➡️ Types of dark circles
There are different dark circles with different causes and therapeutic options. In general, as Dr. Elisa Pinto Romero, a specialist in the Dermatology Service of the San Rafael Hospital in Madrid, points out, we could reduce them to the following:
Sunken eyes. They are produced by the passage of time and the physical, morphological changes related to flaccidity or the loss of subcutaneous fat typical of age.
Purple eyes. Its origin is vascular. It is due to an alteration in local blood circulation caused by vascular alterations linked to age or inadequate habits, such as alcohol intake, reduced daily rest, and even hormonal diseases (such as hypothyroidism).
Hyperpigmented dark circles. This is caused by the increase in melanin associated with hormonal causes (menopause, diseases…) or by poor care in the sun (even with sunburns that favor hyperpigmentation in this area).
➡️ The main causes of dark circles
One of the best-known causes of dark circles is lack of sleep, but many other reasons can cause them. Among them, they stand out:
Wrong care of the area. It is the most fragile skin on the body, up to five times thinner than the rest of the face, barely half a millimeter thick. In addition, it is an area in which collagen levels are lower, “and the continuous movement of blinking easily distends it,” says Dr. María Agustina Segurado. Rubbing our eyes vigorously, not moisturizing the area well … are practices that favor the appearance of dark circles.
Lack of sleep or fatigue. Tiredness causes the dilation of blood vessels, which causes the appearance of dark circles.
Lack of hydration
Excessive consumption of salt or insufficient hydration causes the tissues to retain less water, so they become thinner, which leads to greater visibility of the capillaries.
Excess sun. Melanin, which gives color to skin and hair, is activated by the sun. “If we open ourselves to sun-based radiation for quite a while without insurance, the overstimulation of melanin can make skin spots,” explains Dr. María Agustina Segurado.
The light of mobiles and computers. Our eyes are not designed to remain fixed for hours on a screen. Added to this is the constant exposure to light from electronic devices, which causes visual fatigue, producing temporary dark circles.
The genetic. Some people sleep soundly, play sports, have a perfect diet and health, and yet do not get rid of the shadowy furrows under their eyes. In this case, it depends on genetic inheritance.
The aging. The skin around the eyes thins even more with age, pronouncing dark circles.
💥 Important! Suppose the appearance of dark circles ” is abrupt or its course is rapid. In that case, it is advisable to go to a specialist who will rule out associated hormonal diseases,” says Dr. Pinto.
Remedies to prevent and combat dark circles
Can dark circles be prevented? And face them? The best prevention is “a healthy life, with a balanced diet and adequate hours of sleep that reduce aging,” explains Mª Elisa Pinto.
Alcohol or tobacco reduces the amount of oxygen in the blood, dehydrates the skin, and contributes to collagen loss, making the vascular network more visible.
A healthy and balanced diet rich in water, iron, and zinc or vitamins C and K can prevent the appearance of dark circles.
In addition, we must take into account other actions that we can take to avoid or combat dark circles:
✅ Place cucumber slices or tea bags
If the dark circles are very superficial, we can try to solve the problem with some home remedies, although it is worth knowing that it is not the most appropriate option to end the problem in the long term.
Cucumber is particularly effective because it has cooling, soothing, and regenerating properties for the skin.
✅ Pay attention when removing makeup
It is essential to pamper this area of the face. When removing eye makeup, do not clean this area by rubbing roughly to remove residue because it only makes the skin even more fragile and favors the appearance of dark circles.
It is convenient to gently press with a cotton pad soaked in rose water or oils or to gently dab around the eye area until these products are absorbed.
✅ Moisturize the eye contour area very well
We must choose an ultra-hydrating eye contour, which contains soothing active ingredients (coconut oil, sweet almond, or shea butter), is rich in vitamin C, and is very moisturizing.
✅ Avoid the sun
It is essential to protect the eyes (and their surroundings) from UVA and UVB radiation to avoid sun damage. For this, quality glasses should always be used, with adequate filters.
✅ Medical and surgical treatment
It is also possible to combat dark circles with treatment that, as Dr. Pinto points out, “is reduced to aesthetic treatment “:
Sunken dark circles can be resolved with infiltrations of hyaluronic acid.
Pigmented dark circles can be treated with lasers.