According to MayoClinic.com, dark circles under the eyes are medically defined as round, uniform areas of pigmentation beneath each eye, caused by factors such as poor nutritional habits, irregular skin pigmentation or thinning skin. In most cases, dark circles do not pose an immediate medical problem. Persistent dark circles is more a cosmetic issue, and finding lasting repair treatments may involve speaking to a dermatologist if over-the-counter solutions fail to provide results. However, simple self-care methods offer repair solutions and are less expensive than seeking clinical treatment.
Step 1
Go to sleep. Lack of restful sleep causes the skin to appear pale and the eyes to hollow, which creates the appearance of dark circles. Natural Eye Care notes that paleness under the eye allows the blood underneath the surface of the skin to become more visible, therefore showing as dark hues or bluing. Achieving eight hours of sleep per night is optimal, however, the hours of sleep are less important than the quality of deep and restful sleep attained.
Step 2
Place covered ice or a cold compress on your eyes. Cold helps the blood vessels under the skin constrict, which minimizes dark circles related to eye swelling. Place a cold press, ice covered by a cloth or a bag of frozen vegetables on the eyes for 10 minutes to reduce dilation and discoloration.
Step 3
Press cucumbers to the eyes. Vegetables are healthy for eating but also serve a creative purpose in skin repair. For instance, a popular technique in spa treatments is cucumber slices over the eyes. The basis for this is the hydrating effect that cucumbers provide. The Nutrition Research Center explains that cucumbers are 90 percent water, which is thought to reduce puffiness leading to dark circles. Although this is a popular technique, it is unknown if the value of using cucumbers on the eyes comes from the vegetable being cold prior to placement or the actual hydrating effects.
Step 4
Mix almond oil and honey to create an eye cream. Almonds provide healthy benefits to the body and skin. Natural Eye Care suggests mixing almond oil with honey to create an eye cream for daily use. Massage the cream under and around the eyes, leaving the cream on overnight, for approximately two weeks for best results.
Step 5
Eat nutritious foods daily. Nutrient deficiencies can result in unhealthy skin. For an overall skin improvement, incorporate nutrient rich and skin healthy fruits and vegetables into your diet. Vitamins or foods containing ascorbic acid, or vitamin C, and tocotrienols, or vitamin E, include citrus, nuts and grains. Vitamin E is important in reducing the appearance of wrinkles. Also, vitamin C aids in protecting the skin from puffiness and depletion of elastin, which leads to dark circles.
Tips and Warnings
- Use sunscreen to prevent extra pigment from darkening existing spots under the eyes. Try a concealer to hide dark circles until natural remedies can be applied.
- Do not use almond oil if you have an allergy to certain nuts. Do not place uncovered ice on the eyes, this can cause damage to the skin.
Things You'll Need
- Ice
- Cucumbers
- Almond oil
- Vitamins
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