Dark Circles Under Eyes

The reasons why dark circles appear under the eyes are plenty, but are mostly due to it being hereditary, due to the natural ageing process, and due to lack of proper sleep.
Reasons for getting Dark Under Eye Circles
There are many reasons as to why we get dark circles under our eyes. The most common reasons are heredity, the natural ageing process, and lack of proper sleep.

There are many other reasons attributed to these dark circles. Dark circles could point towards a liver or kidney that is not functioning as desired. Many who suffer from sinus problems could develop dark circles under the eyes. Persons with a history of eczema, hay fever, or asthma often suffer from dark circles. If the dark circles are caused due to some medical condition, you will know it, because the dark circles will be just one out of possibly many symptoms caused.

Dark circles become more pronounced as you keep ageing. The prime culprit almost always are the veins beneath the skin under the eye which is very thin. This skin is very easily damaged and is always the first to show. Ageing and damage caused by the sun make the skin thin and translucent, allowing the veins beneath very prominent. These veins are what make the skin look dark. The skin also looks baggy and puffed because elasticity of the skin keeps reducing with age.

The most hit are persons who inherit dark circles. These persons become more vulnerable if they have got other habits such as smoking that could aggravate the process. Dark circles can't be removed permanently when they are hereditary, but can be reduced.

Lack of proper sleep is the prime cause for dark circles. How many times have you noticed that your eyes look puffy when you have had hardly any sleep the night before. A proper nights sleep and the puffiness goes away. Lack of proper sleep over prolonged periods of time will make the dark circles more difficult to remove.

Reducing Dark Circles
Dark circles under the eyes are more of a problem for women than men. They can make a pretty face look evil and ugly. The under eye area is one of the most neglected areas of the face. It is also the first to suffer. Ageing shows first under the eyes when fine lines begin to appear and get more prominent.

Take care of the skin under your eyes. This could mean getting and using cosmetics that are different than those used for the rest of your face. One reason for this is that the skin under your eyes have got fewer oil glands than the skin covering your face.

Whenever the dark circles are showing a lot, you can try some tried and tested remedies that will help reduce them temporarily. You can place cold cucumber slices over the undereye area. You could try placing cool tea bags over the undereye area to reduce swelling.

Try to get enough quality sleep. Just sleeping for 8 hours a day will not guarantee that you do not get dark circles under the eyes. If there are factors like snoring that disturb your sleep constantly, try solving it. The tendency of getting dark circles under the eyes is greatly reduced if you sleep well.

Whenever you are out in the sun always wear a SPF30 sun-screen lotion under the eyes. Wear sunglasses with UV protection. Also drink plenty of water. Whether out in the sun or not, you must always drink plenty of water. This is not only beneficial for your undereyes, but for your entire body.

Undereye dark circles are sometimes caused by broken capillaries in the delicate skin. Use a cream with vitamin K which should help repair the broken capillaries faster.

Fluid retention sometimes causes the puffy look. This could be brought on by a combination of excessive drinking, eating a lot of salted snacks, and a lack of proper sleep thereafter. If you tend to drink a lot and consume a lot of fried and salted snacks, drink a lot of water. This will help reduce water retention since it will help dilute the alcohol and also flush out the excess sodium through the kidneys.

For women who have dark circles and are using a concealer, always choose the right concealer. Try using a concealer that is one shade lighter than your skin tone. It will make your eyes look brighter and you will look much fresher.

If you are suffering from a cold and have just developed a black circle under the eye, it should not be a reason for concern. This could be caused due to an increased pressure on the blood vessels under the eyes and will go away with the cold.

Even something as small as improperly fitting heavy frames of your eye-glasses can cause you to have dark circles under the eyes. These frames rest on the delicate skin causing damage to the delicate blood vessels which can result in the dark blue appearance of the skin.

Taking Professional Advice
Even though most of the causes of dark under eye circles are purely cosmetic concerns rather than medical concerns, you should always get it checked by a professional skin-care specialist. You must exercise more caution if the dark circles appear suddenly and do not go away after you have tried out the remedies. It is possible that the dark circles are not connected with a medical problem, but the skin-specialist will surely be able to reduce or maybe remove the dark circle that is giving you a tired, sickly, ugly and ageing look, making you look your beautiful self again.
   By Kevin Mathias
Published: 3/22/2007
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