Dark eye circles can add years to your face, making you look tired and older than you are. In most cases, dark circles are caused by heredity or allergies, but lack of sleep, poor nutrition, general illness and an unhealthy lifestyle may also cause circles to develop in some people. Those most at risk of developing chronic, noticeable dark eye circles are people with darker skin tones. Prevention of eye circles depends on uncovering and treating the underlying cause.
Step 1
Sleep for 7 to 9 hours every night. While lack of sleep does not directly cause dark eye circles, it can make your skin paler and your eyes appear more hollow. This makes any eye circles more obvious. The Mayo Clinic recommends elevating your head during sleep to prevent fluid accumulation beneath your eyes that may be contributing to your circles. You can do this by using an additional pillow or sleeping semi-upright in a chair.
Step 2
Eat a healthy, balanced diet rich in vitamins K and B12 and high in iron. Vitamin and mineral deficiencies can cause or worsen dark eye circles in some cases. Ask your doctor to check for anemia during your next routine medical examination.
Step 3
Avoid any known allergens to prevent dark circle under your eyes. Along with heredity, allergies are the most common cause of eye circles. If you believe allergies may be causing your circles, but cannot determine the source, consult an allergist for testing and treatment.
Step 4
Keep your hands away your eyes, and avoid scratching and rubbing them as much as possible. Itchy eyes may result from allergies, environmental pollution or dry eyes, and rubbing them can irritate the delicate skin around your eyes and break the capillaries that carry blood just beneath the skin. This leads to swelling and darkening of the tissues around the eyes.
Step 5
Stop smoking and drinking alcohol and caffeine. According to the Mayo Clinic, use of cigarettes, alcohol and caffeine can cause dark circles by reducing the amount of available vitamin C in the body and by increasing dehydration and damaging the skin.
Step 6
Wear sunscreen beneath your eyes every time you go outdoors, and wear sunglasses whenever possible. In addition to damaging the skin, sun exposure increases melanin production and contributes to dark circles.
Step 7
Use a saline nasal wash or spray to rinse the nose and sinuses and relieve nasal congestion, one possible cause of dark eye circles. The Mayo Clinic states that you can make your own saline wash at home by mixing 1/2 tsp. of salt with 4 cups of warm water.
Step 8
Stop taking any medications that may be contributing to your dark eye circles. Some medications, including certain birth control pills, can thin and darken the skin around the eyes, leading to dark circles and puffiness. If you are not sure whether your medication is responsible for your eye circles, consult your doctor or pharmacist.
Step 9
Apply topical hydroquinone to lighten the skin beneath the eyes to treat and prevent dark eye circles. Hydroquinone treatment is useful at preventing dark circles caused by genetic skin tone. Chemical peels, laser treatment and intense pulsed light therapy are other options.
Step 10
Try an injectable undereye filler to prevent dark eye circles for up to 6 months. These fillers help dark eye circles by hiding excessive melanin or blood vessels that are showing through the thin skin beneath the eyes.
Step 11
Undergo an eyelift to get rid of current dark circles and help prevent the formation of new ones. This procedure involves inserting a small electrode directly into the tissue and fat beneath the eyes to melt fat accumulation away.
Things You'll Need
- Sunscreen, SPF 15 or higher
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