You may have your parents to thank for those dark circles under your eyes, or you may just be getting older. Whatever the cause, dark circles can make you look more ready for a nap than a night on the town. Looking stressed and tired may cause you to feel self-conscious in social or work situations. While there is no single fool-proof method for eliminating under eye circles, there are things you can do to freshen your appearance.
Step 1
Go to a doctor to determine the cause of your under eye circles. Thin skin, genetic factors, alcohol use, smoking, allergies and excess pigmentation can all cause under eye circles, and treatment will depend on the cause.
Step 2
Treat your under eye circles with a laser. A red or purplish cast to your under eye circles may mean that you have enlarged blood vessels under the skin. Your doctor or dermatologist can use a laser to remove these blood vessels and reduce the appearance of under-eye circles.
Step 3
Ask your dermatologist to inject a filler under your eye to reduce the appearance of dark circles. According to Dr. Sam Assassa, a California plastic surgeon, you may experience a significant loss of fat under the eye area as you age. This loss of fat creates a thinned-out, hollow look in the eye area, causing dark shadows to appear. You can use injectable fillers to plump up the sunken area and effectively eliminate under eye circles. Results will last for approximately one year.
Step 4
Take an iron supplement or boost your intake of iron-rich foods. If you have an iron deficiency, your body may not pump enough oxygen into the cells, and this may cause dark circles to form under the eyes. Eat dark leafy greens, lentils, red meat and egg yolks to increase the iron in your diet.
Step 5
Apply a skin-lightening cream to the under eye area. If you have dark skin, it is common to have increased pigmentation under the eye. While this change in pigment is perfectly normal, you may choose to treat the area for cosmetic purposes. You can apply a skin-lightening cream made with hydroquinone to block the production of pigment under your eye.
Step 6
Apply a cold compress to your eyes. If your under eye circles are due to thin skin under the eyes, this may reduce the appearance of dilated blood vessels and provide a temporary fix.
Step 7
Eliminate under-eye circles with fat grafting. When you age, loss of fat under the eye can create a dark, hollow appearance. Doctors can take fat from a different part of your body and inject it under the eyes to eliminate dark circles. While effective in the short-term, your body eventually absorbs the transferred fat, and you will need additional treatments to maintain optimum results.
Tips and Warnings
- Allergies can cause dark circles under the eyes. If you have allergies, consult a doctor about taking antihistamines to control your symptoms.
- While dark circles under the eyes are generally a cosmetic issue for adults, they may indicate a serious health problem in children. According to the National Cancer, if your child develops dark circles under the eyes, you should consult a doctor to rule out the existence of neuroblastoma, a cancerous tumor that occurs in young children. This article is intended as a general overview of how to treat dark under eye circles and should not replace the advice of a qualified medical professional.
Things You'll Need
- Iron supplement
- Hydroquinone cream
- Cold compress
References
- Mayo Clinic: Dark Circles Under Eyes
- Daily Mail: Why Do I Have Dark Circles Under My Eyes
- Beverly Hills Aesthetics: Dark Circles Under Your Eyes Got You Down?
- "The New York Times": Putting 'You Look Tired' to Rest: Katie Zezima: June 12, 2008
- Facial Plastic Surgery: All About Facial Rejuvenation: Under Eye Dark Circles
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