Dark Circles Under Eyes Causes

The last night monster movies, the project report that needed to be submitted the very next day or the last night drinks party at a friend's place. The causes of dark circles under eyes, also known as eyebags or racoon's eyes can be attributed to a number of factors. While stress and tired eyes may be one of the reasons for the under eye skin discoloration, there a range of dark circles under eye causes that lead to puffy circles under our eyes.

What Causes Dark Circles Under Eyes?

Fatigue and Tiredness: Lack of sleep, stress and excessive tiredness are some of the common reasons for the appearance of unsightly dark circles. Due to a lack of sleep the blood vessels under the eyes stand out prominently, thus resulting in bluish or dark circles under the eyes.

Allergies: One of the most probable and common reasons for dark circles and puffy eyes are allergies which may be seasonal such as hay fever, or an undetected food allergy such as a gluten allergy (celiac disease). The best course of action to avoid the under eye smudges in such a case would be to avoid the allergens. Seasonal allergies can be treated with prescription medication.

Hereditary: Sadly dark circles under the eyes could be the result of an inherited trait. The skin around the eyes is the thinnest skin in the body. So when blood passes through the vein close to the skin, it produces a bluish color under the eyes. So the more transparent the skin, the more apparent are the dark circles. The hereditary factor is one of the major causes for dark circles under eyes in children. In addition to fair skin, the bone structure of the face has a large part to play in the appearance of bags under the eyes. In this case the blood tends to pool around the eyes and is retained by the deep bone structure making the under eyes circles stand out.

Aging: With aging the dark circles under eyes may increase. This is because of the loss of skin collagen, that results in the flat pads around the eyes becoming thinner and much more transparent. This makes the reddish-blue blood vessels under the eyes more obvious, thus leading to puffy eyes or dark circles.

Nutritional Deficiencies: The lack of a balanced diet filled with essential nutrients can result in dark circles. A lack of iron rich foods in the daily diet or anemia is considered to be one of the primary reasons for the appearance of dark circles. This is due to the absence of enough oxygen reaching the tissues. Deficiency of K and B12 vitamins and inadequate antioxidants in the body can trigger off the dark circles and under eye puffiness. Enrich your diet with fruits and leafy green vegetables. Daily vitamin supplements and adequate fluids help to improve circulation and reduce the appearance of the dark circles.

Medical Conditions: Certain medical conditions such as chronic skin conditions like eczema, cold or sinus infection, sunburns and dehydration can cause the appearance of the dark circles. In addition to this, periorbital hyperpigmentation is one of the prime causes of dark circles and under eye bags. This medical condition refers to the excess melanin production around the eyes which imparts a brownish or bluish gray tinge to the eyes. Pregnancy and menstruation may cause hormonal changes and fluid retention under the eyes.

Dark Circles Under Eyes Treatment

While treating the underlying causes may be your best option for reducing the dark circles under eyes, there are certain home remedies that you can employ to get rid of bags under the eyes while reducing the puffiness.

• Get plenty of sleep approximately eight hours per night or as much as needed.
• Cut down on alcohol and smoking.
• Applying cool facial masks at night helps reduce the puffiness around tired eyes. Cool tea bags, ice cubes wrapped in soft cloth work quite well in healing the under eye discoloration.
• Certain cooling herbs such as mint and parsley are known to be effective in reducing under eye circles. Freeze parsley in ice cubes or apply crushed mint under the eyes to reduce the puffiness and dark circles.
• Moisturize the area with creams containing nourishing antioxidants such as grape seed and tea tree.
• A healthy, balanced diet with lots of vitamins and plenty of water is a great dark circles treatment.
• Use a sunscreen containing SPF of at least 15 before stepping out of the house to protect the eyes from the harsh rays of the sun.
• Slices of cucumber and potato placed on the eyes help cool the eyes.

Well, if you have tried out all these dark circles home remedies and are yet faced with the persistent problem of unattractive eyebags, then it is best to camouflage it with a concealer. Many of the cosmetic products available in the market fail to address the actual dark circles under eye causes. So rather than spending a lot in the miracle eye creams, consult a dermatologist.