We usually blame dark circles on exhaustion, lack of sleep, or staring at the computer screen for hours. But the problem may not be as superficial as it seems. Understanding how dark circles appear around our eyes can help us to take precautionary measures as well as explore dark circles treatment options.
We have tiny blood vessels in our body, which spread like a web under the skin. These are called capillaries, and they are so small that red blood cells queue up to pass through them. During this process, some of the capillaries lean in the surrounding area. The breakdown of these capillaries leaves the skin black and blue. This process happens all over the body, then why dark circles are more prevalent around the eyes? Because the skin around our eyes is the thinnest.
Anything which increases the breakage of capillaries or causes the skin around the eyes to become thinner increases the dark circles. In contrast, anything which reduces the breakage of capillaries or thickens the skin naturally reduces dark circles.
Common causes for dark circle:
Aging: The skin under the eyes is very thin and delicate. As we grow older, it becomes thinner making blood vessels more prominent, causing dark circles to appear.
Nutritional deficiency: Poor nutrition can cause dark circle around the eyes. A healthy diet filled with nutrition like vitamins like A, C, K, E can help to get rid of dark circles.
Sleep deprivation and tiredness: Excessive tiredness or lack of sleep results in pale skin. Pale skin makes blood under the skin to be more visible and appear more blue or darker.
Drinking and smoking:Dark eye circles can be caused by the loss of water from the body (dehydration) due to excessive drinking and having caffeinated drinks.
Sun exposure: Long sun exposure may increase the production of melanin around eyes, giving them a darker color. There are two main layers of skin, the outer layer is known as epidermis and the inner layer is known as dermis. When excess melanin is produced in the epidermis it appears brown, and when there is more than normal melanin in the dermis, it looks blue orgray.
Hormonal changes:Women’s skin undergoes lots of changes during the phases of pregnancy and menstruation, causing darkening below the eyes.
Allergies:Allergies cause eyes to itch and may contribute to dark circles due to excessive scratching of the skin. Dark circles in children usually indicate allergy.
Anemia: Low iron levels result in poor oxygenation in body tissue due to the lack of oxygenated blood.
Dehydration:Dehydration is one of the most common causes for dark circles under the eyes. Hydration is very important for overall beauty and well-being of a person, and it’s a good idea to drink adequate water and limit the intake of caffeinated drinks.
If you’ve got stubborn dark circles, laser dark circles treatment may be suitable for you. Lasers are reliable and produce quick results. Different lasers can be used depending on the cause of circles. Some dark circles can be treated with skin resurfacing while others require different measures. Your cosmetic surgeon can guide you about the laser treatment according to your condition.