How to remove dark circles - Home remedy - Possible causes

Dark circles under the lower eyelids are common in men and women. Often accompanied by bags, dark circles can make you appear older than you are. To make matters worse, they can be difficult to get rid of.

Some people may think that dark circles under their eyes make them look tired and older, so they search for home remedies and treatments that can minimize their appearance.

Keep reading to learn more about how to remove or improve the appearance of dark circles under the eyes.

Why Do We Get Eye Circles?

To be honest, even if you’ve spent your life diligently treating your skin as carefully as you possibly can, we’re all going to show signs of aging sooner or later – and that includes under-eye bags and dark circles.

Over time, skin naturally loses collagen and grows thinner, so regardless of what kind of skin you have or what good habits you maintain, veins will inevitably start to show through the thin skin around your eyes. As we already know, exposure to the sun speeds up the process of collagen breaking down, so your best weapon against under-eye circles are disciplined and consistent sunblock application habits from a young age. (Wearing sunglasses while out in the sun helps, too – less squinting = fewer crows feet!)

The best habits, however, can’t change your genes! Genetics are the biggest determinant of what kind of skin we will have and what we’ll look like as we age. Those of us that have inherited fair or thin skin tend to show under circles more easily than others due to the fact that when our blood pools in the capillaries under our eyes, it’s simply more obvious through lighter skin.

Unfortunately, as more and more blood accumulates there, your delicate capillaries begin to stretch and strain under the weight, leading to more leaking and blood pooling – and ultimately even darker under eye circles.

Yet for others, dark under eye circles and under eye bags aren’t caused by either aging, sun bathing or genetics. Sometimes it’s a simple matter of allergies. Year-round allergies like those to dust or mold, or seasonal allergies many of us experience in the spring trigger the release of histamines, which cause an inflammatory response. That means our blood vessels become inflamed and swell – including those under our eyes.

Causes

To remove dark eye circles permanently, people need to figure out their cause. People can develop dark eye circles for multiple reasons, including:

• genetic factors
• presence of melanin in the dermal layer of the skin
• post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation
• secondary to eczema or allergies
• anemia
• lifestyle habits
• swelling of the eyes
• presence of blood vessels at the skin surface
• shadowing due to thin skin

Some lifestyle factors that may influence the appearance of dark eye circles include:

• lack of sleep
• stress
• alcohol overuse
• smoking

People can change certain lifestyle factors to improve health and reduce the appearance of dark eye circles. However, a person cannot modify some other factors, such as genetics.

People can try to use products or methods to reduce the appearance of dark eye circles, but they may not be able to remove them entirely or permanently.

How to remove dark eye circles - Home treatments

1. Getting adequate sleep

Some people notice dark eye circles when they experience periods of low-quality sleep. Lack of sleep may aggravate dark eye circles. Limited studies have shown that rest and good general health lessens the dark of eye circles.

2. Elevating the head during sleep

People who experience darkening of the skin under their eyes in the morning that fades slightly throughout the day may have increased blood vessels or vasculature around their eyes. The darker color can also be the result of swelling.

By elevating the head during sleep, blood will travel away from the head and face and may reduce swelling and lessen the dark color under the eyes.

3. Applying cold compresses

People with increased vasculature under their eyes may benefit from applying cold compresses. Cold compresses can constrict the blood vessels around the eyes, which can reduce their appearance at the skin’s surface. Compresses can also reduce swelling around the eyes and lessen the dark color.

4. Minimizing sun exposure

People can reduce dark eye circles by protecting their skin from the sun. Ultraviolet radiation can worsen dark eye circles in some people. Protection with sunglasses, moisturizers with sunscreens, and hats can protect the skin from the sun and prevent worsening of dark eye circles.

5. Cucumber slices and tea bags

Sometimes. people apply cucumber slices to their eyes to reduce the appearance of dark eye circles. Although the mechanism of its effect is unknown, the cold temperature of the cucumber slices may improve swelling due to sleeping, eczema, or allergies.

Some people also use tea bags. Letting them cool off in the fridge and then placing them on the eyes might produce the same effect as cold compresses or cold cucumber slices. Some suggest using caffeinated tea bags because caffeine can also constrict blood vessels and reduce their appearance on the skin surface.

Caffeine can also speed up blood flow across blood vessels around the eyes and can give a youthful and fresh appearance to the skin.

It is important to note that researchers have not studied the effects of applying cucumber slices or cold tea bags to the eyes to prevent or treat dark eye circles.

6. Vitamin C

Vitamin C can increase collagen production. Increasing collagen production under the eyes can reduce blood stasis, which may cause discoloration. Blood stasis refers to blood that pools in blood vessels.

People may notice an improved appearance of dark circles under their eyes when using beauty products with high concentrations of vitamin C.

7. Retinoid creams

Retinoid creams, found in beauty stores, can also help promote collagen production and improve the appearance of dark eye circles. These vitamin A-derived creams also decrease the melanin content in the skin. Melanin is what gives skin its color.

Retinoids creams are not appropriate for everyone. People should talk to their doctor or another healthcare professional before using retinoid creams.

8. Hydroquinone, kojic acid, and arbutin creams

Hydroquinone, kojic acid, and arbutin are compounds that disrupt the production of melanin in the skin. According to an article in the Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, low concentrations of hydroquinone and kojic acid can be effective. People in some countries have limited access to hydroquinone creams because they may cause side effects.

Kojic acid and arbutin are naturally derived substances. In small doses, arbutin can improve the appearance of dark circles under eyes, but high concentrations can cause hyperpigmentation.

Before using a beauty product containing hydroquinone, kojic acid, or arbutin, people should consult a doctor or dermatologist.

9. Vitamin K

In one study, researchers evaluated the efficacy of an antiwrinkle and dark eye circle pad that contained 3% caffeine and 1% vitamin E. Participants wore the eye pads for 1 hour every night for 4 weeks. The researchers noticed a reduced appearance of dark eye circles at the end of the study.

Further studies are needed to confirm the efficacy of vitamin K and caffeine loaded pads for reducing dark eye circles.

10. Concealers and makeup

Some people choose to use makeup to conceal their dark eye circles. Mineral makeup foundation can conceal dark patches under the eyes.

Optical diffusers are a type of cosmetics that reflects light away from the skin and can improve the appearance of dark circles. These techniques do not treat or prevent dark eye circles.

Medical treatments

For a more effective and permanent solution, some medical treatments are available to reduce the appearance of dark circles. Some of the more common methods include:

• chemical peels to reduce pigmentation
• laser surgery to resurface the skin and enhance skin tightening
• medical tattoos to inject pigment into thinning skin areas
• tissue fillers to conceal blood vessels and melanin that are causing skin discoloration beneath your eyes.
• fat removal to remove excess fat and skin, revealing a smoother and more even surface
• surgical implants of fat or synthetic products

Before deciding on any cosmetic procedure, discuss your options with a doctor. Invasive medical treatments can be expensive, painful, and often require a long recovery time.

When to see a doctor

Dark eye circles under the eyes are not detrimental to a person’s health, but some people may choose to consult a doctor or dermatologist for cosmetic purposes. People who experience low self-esteem or poor quality of life because of dark eye circles may benefit from seeking medical help.

A doctor or dermatologist can help to diagnose and classify dark eye circles, which can help people choose the most appropriate treatment or lifestyle change. Doctors can also help people manage their expectations around the effectiveness of each treatment.

Bear in mind that most treatments require months of daily use before a person notices any significant change.

Sometimes doctors may suggest noninvasive techniques, such as intense pulsed light, radiofrequency, q-switched lasers, and pulsed dye lasers, to reduce the appearance of dark circles under the eyes.

However, some people may require invasive techniques, such as:

• chemical peels
• medical tattoos
• ablative laser resurfacing
• hyaluronic acid gel soft tissue fillers
• fat transfer
• surgery
• implants

Outlook

For many people, dark circles are temporary and are often an indication of aging or lack of sleep. Though there are a number of at-home and medical treatments available to improve the appearance of your eyes, dark circles are typically no cause for alarm. However, if the discoloration or swelling worsens over time, schedule a visit with your doctor or dermatologist to ensure you have correctly diagnosed the issue and are receiving the best treatment.