Dark Circles Under Your Eyes Got You Down?
You're not alone. If you're surprised by the blue when you look in the mirror in the morning, or if you are a fellow raccoon-person, you're in the right place.
Dark circles under the eyes are an extremely common and distressing issue. Did you know that:
- Dark circles are the second most common dermatological complaint? (Acne is #1)
- Dark circles under the eyes are the most common non-hormonal skin problem
- Dark circles are not caused by stress, all-night work or partying sessions or fatigue
When you have those big dark half-moons under your eyes, an objective observer is likely to guess your age as 8-12 years older than without those under-eye blemishes. Dark circles make you look older, tired, stressed, sick, depressed and just plain bad.
What causes dark circles?
Dark circles under the eyes are caused by a very specific physiological mechanism. If you're interested in biology and/or science, you may be interested in learning more about this process behind dark under-eye circles.
Most people are more interested in why they have dark circles. They don't care so much about oxidizing hemoglobin - they're more interested in learning more about hormonal causes or the link between allergies and dark circles. If that describes you, learn more about the causes of dark circles under the eyes.
Dark Under-Eye Circles
How and why your body creates dark under-eye circles
Most people think that dark under-eye circles are caused by staying up late watching monster movies, or having that last drink the night before, or sitting up with your laptop trying to finish the quarterly report. Most people think that their behaviour is somehow linked to dark under-eye circles.
Well, most people are dead wrong.
If nothing else, I want you to know that dark under-eye circles are not your fault. They don't mysteriously appear when you misbehave or are stressed out, only to vanish when you get 8 straight hours of sleep. Dark under-eye circles are a by-product of the very same mechanism that produces bruises (and you don't blame yourself for bruising, do you?). Changing your behaviour will, in almost every case, NOT get rid of your dark under-eye circles.
Having said that, onto the specifics:
What causes dark under-eye circles
Your shiners, your raccoon eyes, your blue luggage... whatever you call your dark under-eye circles, here's what they really are: oxidizing hemoglobin.
Dark under-eye circles begin in the capillaries, the tiny blood vessels that web the delicate skin around the eyes. Now, your capillaries are so small that red blood cells sometimes have to line up, single file, to get through. Frequently, red blood cells get lost and wander into the surrounding skin. This isn't a problem - it happens all the time - and your body has a mechanism to mop up these escapees. Enzymes in your body break down the red blood cells, including their hemoglobin (the molecule that gives them their distinctive red color).
No problem, right? Except for one thing: when hemoglobin is broken down, its remaining components have a dark blue-black color. Just like a bruise. So your dark under-eye circles are actually caused by leaky capillaries.
How dark under-eye circles are like bruises
When something hits you, blood vessels are traumatized and sometimes broken. Blood leaks out into the surrounding skin. Your body begins the mopping-up process, and you see a dark, purplish or blue-black discoloration.
So, as you can see, dark under-eye circles are very similar to bruises. The same mechanisms produce them.
Why are dark under-eye circles so visible?
It's quite possible that capillaries all over your body are leaking small amounts of blood all the time (I don't know if this is true or not). But the reason dark under-eye circles are so apparent is this: the skin around the eyes is some of the thinnest, most delicate skin of your entire body. The capillaries are much closer to the surface of the skin there. Many people's skin is not only thinner around the eyes, but also more translucent.
The combination of capillaries near the skin's surface and translucent skin makes this discoloration much more apparent. And that's why you have those dark under-eye circles staring back at you in the mirror.
Causes of Dark Circles
Dark circles - ever wonder why you get them?
Heredity is the primary cause of dark circles. Like so many things - eye color, curly or straight hair, skin tone - predisposition for dark circles is inherited.
The genes related to dark circles are actually the genes that cause weakened capillaries in the skin around your eyes (learn more about the biology of
dark under-eye circles). Skin tone, including transparency of the skin, is also inherited and can make dark circles appear more dramatic.
What Causes Dark Circles?
Heredity isn't the only cause of dark circles. A variety of factors, both common and uncommon, can influence or cause the appearance of dark circles under the eyes.
Dark circles and sun exposure
Exposure to the sun can exacerbate your dark circles. Sunlight darkens the skin by raising melanin levels and bringing melanin to the surface of the skin. These boosted melanin levels make dark circles look darker.
So if you notice dark circles after a trip to the beach or the tanning bed, you're not alone.
Do fatigue or lack of sleep cause dark circles?
Short answer: no.
Long answer: not exactly. Lack of sleep makes your skin pale, which emphasizes your dark circles. Anything else that makes your skin pale, like fatigue or illness, makes your dark circles much more noticeable.
Pregnancy and menstruation also frequently make your skin pale. Many people associate dark circles with hormones -- but the hormones don't cause dark circles, just paleness.
The link between allergies and dark circles
Many people associate
allergies with dark circles. This is a real and established connection. In fact, many doctors consider dark circles as an indication of allergies in children.
Allergies cause dark circles in two ways: first, histamine reactions themselves can cause dark smudges to appear under the eyes. The biology of this is way too complicated to get into here. Second, allergies frequently cause the eyes to feel itchy. Rubbing the eyes and the skin around the eyes makes dark circles even darker.
Age and dark circles
Yes, it's true -- age makes dark circles even worse. As we age, the skin of our faces becomes thinner. Thinner skin allows the discoloration of dark circles to be seen more easily, and dark circles become much more obvious.
Nutrition and dark circles
In some rare cases, lack of vitamins can cause dark circles under the eyes. This is relatively uncommon. Nevertheless, if you're not eating a balanced healthy diet, you may see dark circles. And sometimes changing to a more healthy diet can help to diminish those dark circles.
Best home remedy for dark circles
The most effective remedy for dark circles is also the most cliche. Thin slices of cucumber applied to your eyes not only helps to lighten the skin, but also soothes and cools the eyes. This can be especially comforting if you've been up late the night before or your eyes are red and tired from allergies or staring at a laptop screen.
Lay down on your back (because it's easier to balance the cucumber slices that way). Lay thin slices of cucumber on your eyes, making sure they have contact with the skin under the eyes. Leave them on for 5-10 minutes. It's a good idea to set your alarm clock if you're doing this early in the morning. Be careful not to get cucumber juice in your eyes.
Tea bags as a remedy for dark circles
The caffeine in tea bags acts as a remedy for dark circles by diminishing puffiness. Caffeine in tea helps to diminish water in the tissues around the eyes (you'll notice that many early eye circle creams contain caffeine for this very reason). In addition, tea contains antioxidants that are beneficial to the skin.
Take a used tea bag (green, black or white) that's been squeezed out. Make sure it's cool! Leave it over your eyes for about 10 minutes. You'll see a noticeable improvement in puffiness and under-eye circles. Be careful not to get tea in your eyes.
Herbal tea bags are not useful as a remedy for dark circles, except for chamomile tea. Chamomile is an anti-inflammatory that can help reduce swelling and puffiness.
