Dark circles under the eyes are a common skin problem that consists of even patches of dark pigmented skin directly beneath the eyes. These circles are typically blamed on a lack of sleep or physical exhaustion; however, dark circles can actually be caused by several factors ranging from sinus congestion to your family genetics.
Congestion
Nasal congestion is one common way that dark circles can develop. As you become congested, the veins surrounding your eyes and nasal cavity become dilated. As the veins dilate, they become darker and more apparent beneath the thin outer layer of skin beneath your eyes. This gives the skin a tinted appearance of black or gray.
Sunlight and Tanning
Excessive exposure to ultra-violet UV radiation from the sun and tanning lights can also cause dark under eye circles. When UV radiation penetrates the thin skin beneath the eyes, it interacts with the melanocytes in the tissue. This causes an increases in melanin production. Melanin is the substance responsible for skin pigment. The more pigment the melanocytes release, the darker the under eye circles will become.
Medication
Certain medications that dilate the blood vessels in your body (vasodilator) can also cause under eye circles to form. Common medications that can cause this to happen include Viagra, nitroglycerin and Hydralazine. These medications dilate the blood vessels beneath the eye, causing them to be more visible through the skin.
Genetics
Certain genetic traits can also make you more apt to develop under eye circles. For example, those with naturally pale skin make veins more prominent beneath the thin skin of the under eye. The structure of your facial bones can also make under eye circles more prominent by making the eyes more deep set, creating the illusion of dark under eye circles.
Aging
The natural aging process may also create dark under eye circles. As the skin ages, important proteins, called collagen and elastin, are lost, and the skin begins to thin. The thinner the skin becomes, the more the veins beneath the skin show through. This can tint the skin above the veins a gray, black or blue color.
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