The Mayo Clinic characterizes under-eye circles as round, uniform areas of pigmentation. They commonly develop as a result of thinning skin coupled with the loss of collagen and fat, which allows the blood vessels to become more visible under the eyes. But allergies, nasal congestion, smoking and genetics also play roles in their development. Even the excess production of melanin from sun exposure contributes to these dark circles under the eyes. Cures for this skin discoloration depend on the actual cause, so you may need to experiment with a few techniques before arriving at the appropriate means for you.
Sleep
While fatigue isn't often the cause of under-eye circles, a little extra sleep can help to lessen their appearance, according to the Mayo Clinic. The reason for this is that lack of sleep affects the complexion, making your skin appear paler than normal. Pale skin creates more of a contrast with the circles, which causes them to seem darker than they really are.
Cold Compress
The Mayo Clinic also recommends using a cold compress to minimize the appearance of under-eye circles. Though this provides temporary results, the cold reduces the dilation of the blood vessels and thereby lessens the darkness of the dark circles.
Neti Pot
If under-eye circles are a result of nasal congestion or allergies, you can use a neti pot to rinse out your sinuses and reduce pigmentation under the eyes. A saline solution made from 2 cups of water and 1/4 tsp. of sea salt should be used. You can also use a saline spray found on store shelves.
Sunscreen
Some people benefit from the use of sunscreen, according to the Mayo Clinic. Sunscreens with an SPF of 30 or greater can reduce the amount of melanin produced by the skin. Extra melanin darkens under-eye circles, so minimizing its production may help to diminish their appearance.
Elevation
Surprisingly, elevating your head when you recline can also help diminish the appearance of under-eye circles. The Mayo Clinic explains that under-eye puffiness casts a shadow under the eye, creating the illusion of dark circles. By elevating your head, you prevent fluid from collecting within your lower eyelids and thereby curtail shadow.
Lifestyle Changes
Since caffeine and alcohol can both contribute to the dark circles, limit your consumption of beverages containing either of these substances. Coffee, soda, tea, beer, wine and cocktails can all help to darken under-eye circles. Cigarette smoking can also play a role in dark circles. If you smoke, you can often see an improvement in under-eye circles when you quit.
Under-Eye Creams
Under-eye creams containing human growth factors, or growth hormones, and cytokines, or proteins, have shown to benefit dark circles, according to a study recorded in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. When used twice daily, pigmentation under the eyes lessens in roughly six weeks.
Within this same journal, another under-eye cream also showed a benefit to dark circles. This time, the cream contained a combination of kojic acid, alpha bisabolol, morus alba, carapa guianensis, calendula officinalis, vitamins and grape seed oil. Much like the previous cream, twice-daily application lessens dark circles. However, the improvement was charted at six months.
The Mayo Clinic recommends creams containing retinol and a combination of vitamins K, C and E to improve the appearance of dark circles. Application in the morning and evening is of the most benefit.
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