Understanding the causes and treatment of dark circles.

Reema was just back from her Goa trip and all excited to see her photos from the trip. As she looked at her photos, she felt upset. She left her phone and went to see herself in front of the mirror. She couldn’t stop noticing the dark circles around her eyes. She decided to research on how to remove dark circles permanently.

A lot of lifestyle changes, digital screens, and irregular sleep cycle is becoming a part of one’s lifestyle.

Dark under-eye circles are a frustrating beauty nightmare. But more than that, dark circles under the eyes can also represent some serious health problems.

Dark circles reasons can be several. It is always a good idea to investigate and consult with your doctor to find out the precise reason. If you have wondered how to remove dark circles,  here are some reasons that can explain the existence of dark circles.

1. Sleep Deprivation

Lack of adequate sleep is the biggest cause of under-eye dark circles. Our body is able to repair and regenerate the new cells in this sleep phase. The blood circulation focuses on the tissues and cells of your skin to give your face a more rejuvenated appearance. Hence, even if you do not feel tired, there’s a good chance of having dark circles if you do not get the right amount of quality deep sleep. So quality sleep is an answer if you’re wondering how to remove dark circles.

2. Hereditary factors

Like many other problems in the body, the dark circles can be inherited from your parents. If your parents had similar features, you are likely to have that skin tendency.
You can strengthen the skin around your eyes by using specially-formulated eye creams.

3. Iron Deficiency

The discoloration that you experience on the skin surrounding your eyes can be brought about by deficiencies in certain minerals like iron. Basically, the veins located around your eye area becomes more noticeable whenever you lack iron in your system. In the same way, women who are pregnant or those who are in the middle of their periods tend to have dark under-eye circles.

4. Eye rubbing

If you have a habit of rubbing your eyes with fingers, then you may have dark circles. The skin below the lids is extremely thin and has a very thin layer of fat. This eye rubbing displaces the fat beneath the skin and leads to appearance of dark circles. So, this is one practice to avoid if you’re wondering how to get rid of dark circles.

Other causes of dark circles under the eyes include:

  • Overexposure to sunlight
  • Aging
  • Smoking
  • Thyroid condition
  • Dehydration
  • Dermatitis

 

Home remedies

You may be able to reduce the appearance of dark circles under the eyes with simple home remedies for dark circles. Some dark circles remedy that you can implement at home include:

 

Adequate sleep

One can make sure they are getting enough quality sleep each night to help reduce or prevent dark circles. Sleeping with your head raised on pillows may help reduce dark circles and swelling around the eyes. 7-8 hours of good sleep is recommended for adults.

Cold compress

A cold compress on the eyes can constrict blood vessels and reduce the appearance of dark circles.

Protection from Sun

Protecting the eyes with UV-proof sunglasses, and the use of sunscreen around the eyes helps prevent dark circles by minimizing sun exposure. Make sure to use a sunscreen with an SPF (Sun Protection Factor) of 30+, and UV protected glasses. 

Quitting smoking and reducing the use of alcohol

Drinking alcohol and smoking can lead to premature aging signs like wrinkles and grey hair, and causes the appearance of dark circles. So, an answer to the question on how to remove dark circles is to cut down on alcohol. This will also reduce the puffy and bloated appearance of your face, helping reduce the visual impact of dark circles. 

Tea bags

Tea bags are yet another home remedy to help lessen dark circles and puffiness under the eyes. Caffeine has antioxidant properties and improves circulation.

Skincare products with anti-oxidants

Face creams and under-the-eye products that contain antioxidants, Vit C and E, may help to reduce the appearance of dark circles. 

One can consult a doctor, if home remedies are not able to resolve your problem. Various treatment options for dark circles include:

Skin lightening creams

If you have chronic dark circles and you want to use skin lightening cream, the dermatologist may recommend a lightening cream containing Azelaic acid, Kolic acid, Glycolic acid or Hydroquinone.

Laser therapy

If you are wondering how to remove dark circles with Laser therapy, it’s important to note the following points. Specific type of laser is required for specific kinds of dark circles. The right usage of the laser by identifying the accurate cause of your dark circles will be beneficial for the best results. The different types of lasers available to treat dark circles are CO2 laser, fractional laser, Pulse and Q switched lasers.

Chemical Peels

Chemical agents such as glycolic acid, trichloroacetic acid, salicylic acid, lactic acid, or carbolic acids are also an option if you are contemplating on how to remove dark circles. The hyperpigmentation under the eyes could be lightened with the help of Alpha hydroxyl acids like glycolic acid. Deep peeling helps eliminate fine lines around the eyes.

 

PRP Therapy

PRP stands for Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy, and it is a natural, non-invasive solution for treating dark circles. The plasma works like a regenerative serum that is injected into the under-eye area. This helps to boost the tissue and kickstart the rejuvenation process.

Fillers

If you’re looking for surgical ways on how to remove dark circles, fillers can be an option. Since dark circles are caused due to thin and translucent under eye skin, it can be successfully treated with autologous fat transplantation. The process includes using the patient’s body fat to plump the affected areas in the under-eye region. A trained cosmetic oculoplastic surgeon can perform this procedure. Injection of platelet-rich plasma or hyaluronic acid gel into the portion under the eyes can make the face look younger with the help of new fatty tissues. Fillers are a good option to improve the volume under the eyes.

Blepharoplasty

Blepharoplasty is a surgical method that can help you on the question of how to get rid of dark circles. Blepharoplasty is a surgical method in which the dark circles, that are caused by fat deposits or excess skin, is removed. This procedure is done by eliminating the extra skin and fat. As the skin under the eye is very sensitive, precautions must be taken. Hence such procedures must be carried out by a certified dermatologist.