Most Common Causes of Dark Circles Under Eyes and How to Avoid Them

What is the one thing that can make you look older? Surprisingly, it is not really gray hair or wrinkles but dark circles under eyes which can give you an older look than your actual age. Most of the time, dark circles under eyes are not just signs of serious illness or exhaustion although these might make you feel and look tired, unhealthy and old. Both women and men can experience having dark circles under eyes, which can usually start in adulthood even if children might also experience developing dark circles under eyes as well.

In case your sleep has been adequate yet dark circles under eyes have still formed, you should know that this is not something usual. Under eye circles cannot be solely attributed to fatigue. What might look as dark circles under eyes are commonly shadows which are casted by hollows or puffy eyelids beneath the eyes which develop normally as you age.

To give you some idea, below are some of the most usual causes behind the formation of true dark circles under eyes.

• Eczema or atopic dermatitis
• Allergies
• Lifestyle factors like emotional or physical stress, smoking and even chronic drinking of alcohol is something that can take its toll on how you look.
• Heredity as dark circles under eyes might also run in some families.
• Nasal congestion that can darken and dilate the veins draining from the eyes to the nose.
• Pigmentation irregularities since these are certain concerns of many people of color, particularly Asians and blacks.
• Scratching or rubbing your eyes can also result to dark circles under eyes.
• Sun exposure since this can also prompt your body in producing more melanin wherein this pigment gives your skin the color.
• Thinning skin as well as loss of collagen and fat since that is usual when a person ages can make the blood vessels of reddish blue beneath the eyes much more obvious.

What are some of the things that you can do to eliminate dark circles under eyes?

• Use extra pillows when sleeping. This is to elevate your head and prevent any puffiness that can be caused by pooling of fluids in the lower eyelids.
• Try using cold compress, two cooled teaspoons or even one bad of chilled peas that are wrapped inside soft cloth in order to lessen discolored and dilated under eye blood vessels.
• Get some extra sleep even if dark circles under eyes might not be usually caused by short nights.

Filed under: Eye Beauty Problems on December 8th, 2011