Deirdre from NJ asks "What can I do to get rid of dark circles under my eyes?"
Well, Deirdre in order to figure out whether your case of under-eye circles can be remedied, you must first figure out why you have them in the first place.
The truth is that most people affected by dark circles under their eyes have their genes to blame. That's right, dark under-eye circles are most often hereditary.
For those that didn't inherit their dark circles, there may be several other common causes:
- Allergies - Some people find that circles under their eyes become darker as a result of airborne allergens. These allergens may cause discoloration in the eye area.
- Aging - As most women age, they may notice that their dark circles are becoming more apparent. This is usually due to thinning skin, which occurs with age. As the skin thins and becomes more pale, the dark circles will stand out more on the face.
- Broken capillaries under the skin
- Dark circles may be an indication of bodily dysfunction such as liver or kidney ailments. Those that suffer from sinus problems may also experience dark circles.
The Skinny: As an esthetician, I have never seen a product that completely rids someone of dark circles - no matter what those ads claim! Most eye treatments contain Vitamin K. Vitamin K has been known to help with bruising and strengthening of capillary walls, but the jury is still out as to whether topical application of Vitamin K is truly effective for dark circles.
Some of my colleagues recommend skin lighteners (products with either natural lighteners such as kojic acid/bearberry/licorice or chemical lighteners such as hydroquinone) for these areas. I would be very cautious when applying products to this area. Only use those products specifically made for the eye area. This is the MOST sensitive area of your whole face.
In general, I recommend the following actions:
- Keep the area moisturized as much as possible with a great eye treatment at night
- Drink plenty of water - watch your soda/salt intake as that causes fluid retention which seem to exacerbate the condition.
- Place cold packs over your eyes at least 3 times per week (this thins out the blood in the surrounding vessels).
- Invest in a great concealer - seriously, a good concealer works wonders!!
Good luck Deirdre!