How To Get Rid of Dark Circles Under Your Eyes

Dark circles under the eyes are rarely a sign of a serious health problem. But because they make us look tired and older than we are, they’re not aesthetically pleasing. Because the undereye area is so delicate dark circles are very common.

Luckily there is a long list of treatments, both at home remedies, and medical treatments for the more stubborn cases. The first thing to do when trying to get rid of dark circles under the eyes is to identify the cause. Here is a list of some of the most common culprits.

• Lack of sleep
• Allergies
• Smoking
• Pigmentation irregularities
• Sun damage
• Hereditary
• Aging
• Vitamin deficiency 

Below I’m sharing some tips and tricks to get rid of or help lessen those annoying under-eye circles.

How To Get Rid Of Dark Circles

Lack Of Sleep

Lack of sleep is one of the most common causes of dark circles. Skipping out on sleep can contribute to darker blood vessels and cause fluid to build up and cause puffy eyes. This buildup causes shadows that can make the darkening even more noticeable.

Treat- Aim for seven to eight hours of sleep each night. If you’re a stomach sleeper work on sleeping on your back. Sleeping facedown can cause fluid to build up on your face making your eye area puffy and swollen.

Allergies

If you have bad allergies and find yourself rubbing your eyes constantly, this might be the cause of your problem. The under-eye area is very delicate and harsh rubbing can damage blood vessels and cause pooling near the surface of the skin.

Treat- An over the counter antihistamines can help clear up allergies. (Only take an antihistamine if you know allergies are to blame). Always be careful when touching the undereye area. This includes when removing makeup and applying eye cream. Try and use your ring finger to do this. It is the weakest finger and will make it. much harder to apply too much pressure.

Smoking

Smoking deprives your skin of important nutrients, causing damage that can exacerbate the appearance of bags and circles. Also nicotine withdrawals in the middle of the night can disrupt sleep cycles making it much harder to get a good nights sleep. This will eventually lead to bags under your eyes.

Treat- Although easier said than done…quit smoking. In the meantime, you can make a cold compress with green tea to help reduce swelling and puffiness. Simply soak two green tea bags in hot water for a few minutes. Then put them in the refrigerator until cold. Place the tea bags over your eyes for 20 minutes. The caffeine inside of the green tea helps to reduce swelling and shrink capillaries under your eyes and tighten the skin.

Pigmentation irregularities

Sometimes the darkening under your eyes is on your skin, not under it. If this is the case there are several ways to address under-eye hyperpigmentation, starting with home remedies and if necessary stronger treatments in a dermatologist’s office.

Treat- A skin-lightening product like kojic acid or hydroquinone can help break up and inhibit future production of melanin.

A dermatologist might also suggest a light chemical peel to help lighten pigmentation or laser therapy. Laser treatments vaporize damaged cells and lighten dark skin. It may also help with new collagen production.

With any skin lightening treatment be sure to always wear sunscreen and limit sun exposure. These chemicals will make your skin more sensitive and susceptible to further darkening and damage.

Hereditary

Dark circles can be hereditary. Luckily even if you are predisposed to dark circles there’s much you can do to treat them, starting with prevention.

Treat- Avoid drinking alcohol. Alcohol dilates the blood vessels which can cause them to break. Blood pooling under the skin will cause dark circles.

Limit your daily salt intake. Salt causes the body to retain fluids. The extra fluid retention can push blood vessels closer to the surface making dark circles more pronounced.

Gently but thoroughly remove eye makeup. Leftover mascara can cling to your skin making dark shadows more noticeable. Use a soft cotton pad and gently with very little pressure swipe in one direction. Rubbing back and forth causes excess friction.

Aging

As we get older our collagen production slows down resulting in loss of facial fat and thinning skin. These changes only serve to enhance dark under-eye circles

Treat- If you’re not already doing so, start using a hyaluronic acid serum in your daily skin routine. Water binds to the hyaluronic acid on your skin allowing it to retain more moisture and in turn look more plump. A high-quality eye cream that addresses fine lines and aging skin is also crucial.

If these home treatments aren’t enough to significantly reduce the appearance of dark under-eye circles, consider the use of fillers. Hyaluronic acid-based dermal fillers like Restylane can be injected into the tissue under the eye by a dermatologist, plastic surgeon or specially trained injectionist. Ask for referrals from people you trust and do your research before allowing anyone to inject you. Fillers replace lost volume under the eyes thus hiding the dark circles and softening the face.

Vitamin Deficiency 

An iron deficiency causes the hemoglobin in the blood to break down, resulting in a lack of oxygen and the appearance of dark bruises under the eyes. 

Treat- If you suspect you may have an iron deficiency start incorporating more foods high in iron such as beans, lentils, spinach, peas, apricots nuts and seeds. Vegans and vegetarians can have a harder time maintaining proper iron levels. But a daily supplement can take care of that.

Vitamin C is essential for collagen production and maintaining healthy glowing skin. Eat plenty of citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and pineapple. But don’t forget that foods like berries, kale, broccoli, and tomatoes are also high in this important vitamin.

Makeup

Even with regular full nights of beauty sleep, the best diet, the fanciest of treatments, and plenty of preventative measures taken, stubborn dark circles can remain. This is where makeup comes in to finish off the job.

Treat- After applying your serums and eye creams, dab a small amount of color correcting primer under the eyes. If further camouflage is still needed choose a concealer that is slightly lighter than your normal color to help brighten the under-eye area. Pat under eyes with a beauty blender and then set with a translucent powder.

Xx Monti