Understanding Dark Circles Under the Eyes

Ever woken up to find dark circles under the eyes and trying every rule in the book to conceal them? Well, it happens to the best of us. The baggy eyes, dark rings under the eyes make us appear pale, ill or odd. Even though it may seem like a cosmetic issue, there are many underlying reasons of the same, understand which is important before you opt for dark circle treatment. Let us take a look at some of the pointers to get a better understanding:

1. The skin under the eyes is thin – The skin under your eyes is way thinner as compared to the skin elsewhere. Hence, it is more transparent. This way, the blood vessels underneath the skin is more clearly visible. Sometimes, the skin under the eyes gets more transparent when it is pale as a result of pregnancy or anemia. This makes the blood underneath the skin more blue than red because blue light is better transmitted by the skin than red. Hence, you will find the skin around the eyes will appear bluish, greenish, brownish, depending on the skin color of the person.

2. Excessive Melanin in the Skin – Another reason for dark circles under the eyes is hyperpigmentation, which is the excess deposit of melanin (a dark pigment). This is a common feature for people belonging to the South Asian or Mediterranean regions. Also, it is a genetic condition and has no relation to any illness or age for that matter. It can be treated with a cream containing a kind of bleach.

3. Shadows due to puffiness or edema – Any kind of fluid retention can also cause the skin to puff around the eyes and thereafter leave a shadow below. The puffiness can be a result of allergies, illnesses, eating excessive salt and so on and so forth.

4. Lack of elasticity – Sometimes, the skin may also sag into a pouch-type shape due to age and free-radicals from the sun. This destroys collagen and elastin present in the skin. Therefore, the sagging skin becomes thin in various places, looking darker.

These are some of the underlying reasons for dark circles under the eyes and as you can see, they are very different from lack of sleep or stress. Have any more points to add? 

Think dark circle treatment is the best option? Let us know in the comments!