What Causes Skin Discoloration Under The Eyes?

Purple, blue or black--these are the colors that can appear under the eyes when discoloration occurs. A number of factors can cause discoloration under the eyes, a condition that can make you appear tired or ill. To treat eye discoloration, you need to first identify the cause behind the dark circles underneath your eyes.

Allergies

Allergens, such as pollen, not only cause inflammation of the sinus cavities, but also they can cause allergic reactions in the eyes, says Katie Zezima in the "Putting 'You Look Tired' to Rest" article from "The New York Times." When the allergens enter the eyes, this can cause itching and redness. As a result, you may rub your eyes. This can make the skin under the eyes appear discolored.

Another allergy-related discoloration cause includes the production of histamines in the body. Histamines cause inflammation, which can make the blood vessels underneath the eyes dilate. This dilation makes the skin under the eyes appear dark in color. This occurrence can extend beyond seasonal allergies to food allergies, including gluten, dairy and nuts.

Lifestyle Factors

While many associate lack of sleep with dark undereye circles, lifestyle factors, such as drinking alcohol, can cause undereye circles to become discolored, explains the Mayo Clinic. When you drink excessive amounts of alcohol, this can dehydrate and thin the skin, which causes the skin under your eyes to appear discolored. Smoking and drinking large amounts of caffeine also can cause you to experience more dark circles under your eyes.

Aging

As you age, your skin becomes more thin, which can make blood vessels under the skin appear closer to the skin's surface. Known as the inorbital fat pad, which is the layer of skin that rests just below the eye, this area thins over time. This results in a sunken appearance to the face, which can cause the skin under the eyes to look more discolored.

Medications

Certain medications can cause the blood vessels to dilate, which can result in a discolored undereye appearance. Zezima lists birth control pills as an example.

Heredity

The Mayo Clinic states that skin discoloration under the eyes can be hereditary. If your parents experienced dark or discolored circles under their eyes, it is likely you will experience them, too.