New Year, New Face: Wiping Away Those Dark Circles

Let’s be honest: we hate those dark circles under our eyes! They make us look tired, old, and ill. A recent survey of women across the country ranked under-eye circles as a top five skin concern. They even beat out cellulite and fine lines or wrinkles!

We know dark circles bother you. They bother us too! We want your skin to make you feel healthy, happy, and young. With these suggestions and a little effort, we know you can find that face from your younger days. Here’s to finally beating under-eye circles!

What Causes Your Dark Circles

Like many skin concerns, several things cause dark circles. Determining the cause is the first and most important step so that you don’t waste your time, energy, or money. In your next appointment with us, let’s talk about what might be causing those shadows.

• Lack of sleep/quality of sleep. Too little sleep, too much sleep, or disturbed sleep can cause your skin to become dull and pale. This allows dark blood vessels under your eyes to show through. Improper sleep positions can also cause fluid to pool under your eyes or lead to puffy eyelids.
• Allergies. When you have an allergic reaction, the body releases histamines, causing those vessels under your eyelids to dilate.
• Ageing. As we age, our skin loses fat and collagen and begins to thin. This thinner skin can no longer hide all those dark blood vessels.
• Sun exposure. Overexposure to the sun causes an excess of melanin to build up.
• Eye Strain. Often caused by excess screen time, eye strain results in enlarged blood vessels around the eyes.
• Dehydration. Drinking too little water or too much (diluting your body’s minerals and vitamins) causes your skin to dull. Your eyes can become sunken and their close proximity to the bones in your face cause dark shadows.
• Genetics/Medical conditions. Inherited traits can include developing these circles and they may worsen or disappear accordingly. Predispositions to certain medical conditions, like thyroid disease, result in symptoms like under-eye circles. Check with your doctor if your family has a genetic tendency towards a medical condition.

Lifestyle Remedies

Once you have determined a cause or possible causes of your dark circles, consider a healthy change to your lifestyle. You may be surprised to notice other welcome benefits in your energy, skin, or general wellbeing.

Dark circles wouldn’t be possible if not for thinning, dull, ageing skin. Our lifestyle plays heavily into our skin’s general health, so consider changing your diet or habits. Too much alcohol, smoking, caffeine, stress, and too little sleep play heavily into your skin health.

Consider ways to reduce your stress and get that extra sleep (at least 7-8 hours). Elevate your head when you sleep and turn off electronics 1-2 hours before bed. Quality sleep affects more than just your skin.

Consider a cold compress on your eyes for 10-20 minutes. Lactic acid is your best friend when it comes to skin discoloration, so try a milk compress. Cold tea bags on your eyes bring the caffeine and antioxidants that can help stimulate blood circulation, shrink blood vessels, and reduce liquid retention. Chilled cucumbers’ high-water content can reduce under-eye swelling and discoloration.

Oxidative stress causes inflammation, so pile on the antioxidants. Berries, dark chocolate, and beans are among many foods you can include in your diet to aid in inflammation. The potassium in bananas, beans, and leafy greens reduces excess fluid.

Never underestimate the benefits of a healthy lifestyle or the natural options you can try. Sometimes, they are all your body needs for a simple fix.

Skincare/Medical Options

Always talk to your dermatologist about your skin concerns. Sometimes they are caused by something very serious or would be best remedied by a treatment or skincare product that offers more than a diet change or home remedy. Your dermatologist will help you understand your needs and options.

1. Dermatitis. Occasionally, your dark circles/inflammation is caused by a form of dermatitis. Atopic or contact dermatitis both affect large numbers of people and should always be treated by your dermatologist.

2. Retinoids. Eye creams, lotions, and gels with retinoids help rebuild collagen and elastin under your eyes. They are derived from vitamin A and help increase cell turnover. Our D.E.J. Night Cream combines retinol with Bakuchiol for maximum potency. Other key ingredients include vitamin C for pigmentation, a blend of 13 antioxidants, and a hydrating blend.

3. Concealers. Minimizing the appearance of dark circles requires the right product. Your skin needs a light cream that won’t overwhelm the rest of your face but that still lightens under your eyes. Teamine Concealer and Eye Complex are the perfect mixture of beauty and healthcare. Brazillian ginseng, marapuama, and white lily extract targets the appearance of dark circles. Meanwhile, antioxidants in the green tea extract, vitamin C, and hyaluronic acid to increase your cell turnover focus on reducing the dark circles and wrinkles themselves. These creams both conceal and heal.

4. Chemical Peels/Laser Therapy. Your dermatologist may recommend laser therapy for lightening darker skin, targeting damaged skin cells, and increasing collagen formation. Chemical peels can also lighten dark pigmentation under your eyes.

Dark circles and inflammation under your eyes don’t have to stay on your top five list of skin concerns this year. Contact our office today to talk with a dermatologist about how you can beat under-eye circles once and for all. Whatever you’ve tried before, our team is here for you and we are always ready to answer your questions.