Under Eye Circles

Under eye circles are often found to be associated with aging and stress. But, there are various other causes for this condition, that may make you look tired and older. It is a common misconception that only elderly people develop dark circles around the eyes. This is not true, as you may find many young people having this condition. Both men and women are prone to this condition that may start anywhere from adulthood to middle age and old age. In some rare cases, kids are also found to develop dark under eye circles. In order to remedy this problem, you must know about its causes. While some of these causes can be remedied with lifestyle changes and home remedies, a few others may require proper treatment.

Causes

Under eye dark circles may also develop in people, who are young, who sleep for a good amount of time and who are free of stress. So, there are many other causes for developing this condition and you must find out the exact reason for the right treatment. The following are some of the possible causes for under eye circles.

• One of the causes is heredity, as you may find members of the same family develop this condition. It may be surprising to know that this trait may be passed on for a number of generations.
• Another cause is the structure of bones. Deep-set eyes may have a shadowed appearance that resembles under eyes circles.
• As the skin around the eyes gets thin with age, the bluish veins may be seen through it. Even in those with pale complexion, the veins may be seen, thereby causing dark under eye circles.
• Hyperpigmentation (can be acquired through genes or can be caused by sun exposure) may also cause this condition. As the skin around the eyes are too sensitive, over exposure to sun may cause dark circles under the eyes, due to excess pigmentation.
• It is a common fact that aging causes under eye dark circles. This is partly due to the thinning of the skin around the eyes with age, causing the veins to see through. Aging is also associated with loss of collagen and fat around the eyes, thereby leading to dark circles under eyes.
• Certain lifestyle factors like lack of sleep, stress (mental or physical), excessive smoking and/or alcohol consumption, may also lead to dark under eye circles. Some people have the habit of rubbing or scratching the eyes and this may also cause this condition.
• Some medical conditions or medication may be a cause this condition. They include allergies, nasal congestion, asthma, circulatory problems, dehydration, vitamin K deficiency, lack of proper nutrition and kidney and liver diseases.

Treatment

Dark under eye circles is more of a cosmetic concern than a medical problem. In most cases, this condition is found to be remedied with home remedies. If you identify any of the above said causes as the reason for your dark circles, you may rectify it (if possible). In case of lifestyle factors, you may try to have extra sleep or beat stress with stress-relief techniques, avoid smoking and avoid sun exposure by wearing glasses. In case of medical reasons, you must consult your doctor and get the underlying cause treated, so as to get rid of this condition. In case of dark circles caused by heredity and aging, you may try a combination of home remedies as well as lifestyle changes. If you find no relief, consult your dermatologist, who may prescribe you with under eye creams, concealers, etc. He may also recommend laser therapy, intense pulsed light treatment, chemical peels or even surgery. If the problem is caused by hollows that result in shadows, then, the dermatologist may advice smoothing the hollows with injectable fillers (for collagen of fat transfer).

In short, under eye circles are usually not caused by medical problems and in most cases, home remedies will be sufficient to cure this condition. The popular home remedies for dark circles include application of cold compresses under the eyes, use of cool, steeped tea bags, frozen spoon and cucumber slices. So, you may try these remedies, along with lifestyle changes and if there is no relief, approach a dermatologist and seek advice.