What Causes Dark Circles Under Eyes?

Dark circles under the eyes are quite an annoying problem for many people. They can ruin your look, by making you look exhausted and tired. People usually blame factors like, lack of enough sleep and fatigue for the development of such pigmented areas beneath the eyes. However, contrary to this popular belief, this condition can be caused by many factors other than tiredness and lack of sleep.

Causes of Dark Circles Under Eyes

For some people, it can be a temporary condition, while for others they can be a constant problem. A few of the most prominent causes of dark circles are given below.

Allergies
Allergies like, hay fever can cause eye irritation or itching, which can compel the affected individual to rub his or her eyes frequently. Rubbing or scratching the eyes constantly can cause the skin under the eyes to darken. Moreover, allergies can also dilate the blood vessels present under the eyes, which can make the area under the eyes to appear darker.

Eczema
Like allergies, skin conditions such as, eczema can cause dark circles in some individuals. Eczema can cause inflammation and irritation or itching of the eyes. Itching and irritation of the eyes force an individual to rub his or her eyes, which can cause this condition.

Heredity
Not many people know that this condition can run in families, i.e. it can be an inherited trait. The tendency to develop excess pigmentation under the eyes can be an inherited condition and so, may not be associated with the amount of sleep and any underlying health condition. Some people inherit a more transparent skin, for whom the veins under the eyes can look darker and more prominent. Another inherited trait is shape of the face. Individuals with deep set eyes are more likely to get this condition.

Lack of Sleep and Fatigue
Some people can get this condition when they could not get enough sleep in the night. Lack of enough sleep and fatigue can make the skin paler, which in turn can cause the dark circles to look more prominent.

Aging
With growing age, dark circles can become more distinct and noticeable. This is because, the skin around the eyes thins out as we age, and this can make the blood vessels beneath the skin more noticeable.

Exposure to Sun
Excessive exposure to sun is another common cause for many individuals which can cause increased production of melanin in the skin, which can cause skin pigmentation. This can make the skin around or under the eyes darker.

Nutritional Deficiency
People can also get this condition for not eating healthy and nutritious foods. Lack of certain essential nutrients in the body, especially iron, folic acid, vitamin B12 and vitamin K can worsen the dark circles.

Cold and Sinus Infection
Sinus infection or nasal congestion can cause the appearance of dark circles, by increasing the pressure inside the blood vessels. Both cold and sinus infections can also make the skin paler and the dark circles look more distinct.

Other Factors
Apart from the conditions mentioned above, this condition can have an association with factors like, smoking, over consumption of alcohol and caffeinated beverages, stress, anemia, intake of certain medications that dilate the blood vessels, pregnancy and menstruation.

What Causes Dark Circles in Children?

People usually develop dark circles in the adulthood. The development of dark circles in childhood is less common, but not impossible. Children can usually develop this condition due to heredity. Other than heredity, factors like, fair and uneven complexion, nasal congestion, cold, sinus infection, allergies and a poor diet are some of the most common factors that can be responsible for this condition in children.

Whatever the exact causes of dark circles may be, it is possible to reduce their appearance with the help of a few natural remedies and lifestyle changes. You can place cucumber slices and cool tea bags on the eyes for making it less noticeable. On the other hand, people who have allergies should try to identify and avoid the specific allergens. At the same time, one should get plenty of sleep in the night, avoid rubbing the eyes, follow a balanced diet, drink plenty of water daily, quit smoking, reduce alcohol consumption and the intake of salt, in order to make the dark circles as invisible as possible. An eye cream containing retinol and vitamin K can also help to get rid of pesky marks around the eyes.