What causes dark circles?
If we lived in a fair world dark circles under the eyes would be a punishment for stopping out too late and partying into the early hours.
But life just isn’t like that – no matter how much of an early to bed kind of person you are – panda eyes can still greet you in the morning mirror.
So what causes dark circles and is there anything we can do to prevent them?
Dark circles under the eyes are present in most people to a degree.
The skin under our eyes is the thinnest in the whole of our bodies allowing the blood flowing through the capillaries to show as a bluish dark color. But some people are more likely to get dark circles and these are the most common causes:
1. Genes – your DNA, heredity – call it what you want but the transparency and thiness of your skin is inherited. The thinner and more transparent the skin on your face the more likely it is you’ll have dark circles under your eyes. Genes are also responsible for the strength of your capillaries – the tiny blood vessels that carry blood under your skin.
Weakened capillary walls contribute to dark circles under the eyes just as they can contribute to varicose veins or spider veins in your legs. So – if you have the ‘dark circle gene’ there isn’t much you can do about it – you’re just more likely to get them.
2. Bone structure – if you have deep set eyes, shadowing will contribute to the overall impression of dark circles making them look much worse. Bone structure is also inherited so again this is something you are stuck with.
3. Anemia - anemia is quite common and is caused by iron deficiency or a lack of balanced nutrients in the body. Much worse for women especially in pregnancy or during menstruation.
Anemia doesn’t cause dark circles but it will make your skin very pale and so make dark circles under your eyes more obvious. You can improve your diet – iron rich foods include green vegetables, lean meat and brown wholemeal breads – or you can take a supplement to make sure iron deficiency isn’t a problem.
4. Sun damage – this is something you CAN control. Hyperpigmentation results in higher levels of melanin in the delicate skin around the eyes which darkens unattractively. To avoid making dark circles worse – wear a high factor UV protection and proper sunglasses which fully shade the eye area.
5. Age – unfortunately as we get older collagen levels decline and skin becomes thinner and less resilient allowing the blood vessels to show through. Capillary strength also declines which is a bit of a double whammy as far as dark circles is concerned.
Treat the delicate skin around your eyes carefully and use the best under eye cream you can afford day and night. Choose a gel based under eye cream like DDF Erase Eye Gel or Skinceuticals Eye Gel AOX that specifically targets dark circles.
6. Medication – some forms of medication can cause increased dilation of blood vessels. You may find that as a result dark circles under your eyes appear for the first time or increase if you already have them – but don’t worry the change should be temporary.
7. Dehydration - dark circles under the eyes can be a sign the body is lacking water. Keep your hydration levels up especially in the heat or when taking exercise.
8. Lack of sleep – not a cause of dark circles under the eyes but too little sleep will make you look pale and your dark circles will show up more. The answer is simple and obvious – get to bed in good time and give your mind and body a good night’s sleep – regularly.
The causes of dark circles may be outside our control but cosmetic science is coming up with answers – dark circle creams which target the under eye are are getting better and better. And of course there are many good light reflective concealers on the market.
So if you want the best possible answer to the problem of dark circles under the eyes – combine effective under eye skin care and make up with a good diet, careful sun protection, plenty of water and lots of rest.
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