Why do dark circles appear under the eyes?

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Expert tested

Natalya Borisovna Zhmurina Director, Chief Physician of “A Clinic” Dermatovenereologist, cosmetologist

Publication date: August 07, 2022

Review date: November 08, 2022

In the 20s of the last century, there was a fashion for dark circles under the eyes. It was believed that people with gray or purple skin under their eyes were passionate and romantic. At the same time, the effect of a “dramatic look” was achieved with the help of special makeup - shading the line of eyeliner and applying eye shadow.

But fashion, as we know, is fickle, and today dark circles under the eyes are no longer an ideal of beauty. No one in everyday life deliberately applies “war paint” to their face. And if dark circles appear under the eyes, then there are reasons for this that should not be ignored. What are they?

First of all, let us remind you that the area around the eyes is very delicate and requires maximum attention and care. The skin here is 5 times thinner than the skin in the cheek or chin area. In addition, in the periorbital area there are practically no sebaceous glands, subcutaneous fat is poorly developed, and there are few collagen and elastin fibers. All this leads to dry skin, rapid loss of tone and early aging. An additional risk factor is the significant facial load to which the periorbital region is exposed - a person blinks from 40 to 100 thousand times per day. The vascular network in this area is located superficially and often shines through thin, stretched skin, creating the effect of dark circles under the eyes.

A common cause of dark circles under the eyes is overwork and chronic lack of sleep.

. It is known that the normal sleep duration of an adult should be approximately 7 – 8 hours. If a person does not get enough sleep, then, in addition to general exhaustion of the body, the eye muscles become overstrained, their energy reserves are depleted, as a result of which their need for various substances, especially oxygen, increases. In order to compensate for the lack of necessary substances, hyperperfusion occurs, that is, an increase in blood flow. This, in turn, leads to the fact that the skin around the eyes acquires a dark shade due to the overflow of blood vessels. In addition, with lack of sleep, the skin of the face becomes paler, which makes the circles under the eyes more pronounced.

Professional activity

, associated with working at a computer for a long time, also leads to overwork and the appearance of dark circles. People who constantly look at the monitor screen overstrain their visual analyzers. In this case, micro-tears occur in the eye capillaries and a vascular mesh forms under the eyes. The circles have a bluish tint due to blood accumulated under the skin.

Some people have dark circles under the eyes - a congenital factor or a hereditary predisposition

.
Periorbital hyperpigmentation (hyperpigmentation of the skin of the eyelids) is the name of this condition. Pigmentation can affect only the infraorbital region or the entire periorbital zone. This condition is usually not accompanied by other symptoms and is rarely associated with diseases of the body. Therefore, people experience, as a rule, only aesthetic discomfort. Periorbital hyperpigmentation can also appear in connection with age-related changes in the skin around the eyes
(impaired blood supply, thinning of the skin). Most often, increased pigmentation of the skin of the eyelids occurs in women over 30 years of age with dark skin color.

Effect of ultraviolet rays

also leads to hyperpigmentation of the skin in the eyelid area.
In some cases, hyperpigmentation occurs after inflammatory diseases of the skin of the eyelids
. This pigmentation can persist for a long time.

Poor nutrition also has an adverse effect on the condition of the skin.

. After all, the skin looks healthy only when the body as a whole receives the required amount of not only proteins, fats and carbohydrates, but also various microelements and vitamins. And when people are malnourished and go on strict diets, all body systems become unbalanced. Circles under the eyes can appear due to a lack of many microelements in the body. For example, insufficient intake of iron into the body is accompanied by the development of iron deficiency anemia. Zinc is involved in the metabolism of fats, which play a large role in the normal functioning of the immune system.

Vitamin K is involved in blood clotting. It is one of the main elements needed to combat dark circles under the eyes. Vitamin A ensures regeneration processes in the skin, slows down its aging, and reduces age-related pigmentation.

Vitamin C ensures the functionality of the body's defenses and strengthens the vascular wall. With a deficiency of this vitamin, capillary walls become fragile, resulting in micro-tears, which is accompanied by the appearance of dark circles under the eyes. Vitamin E slows down skin aging, is an antioxidant, and fights free radicals that destroy the normal structure of the skin.

With anemia, a pathological condition associated with a decrease in the concentration of hemoglobin in the blood, circles under the eyes are permanent and do not disappear even after proper rest. When the level of hemoglobin decreases, its main function - transporting oxygen to the tissues - is disrupted and their oxygen starvation develops.

There is constant increased fatigue, decreased performance, frequent dizziness, and shortness of breath. With anemia, the skin becomes pale, the eyes become sunken, and dark circles form under the eyes.

Stress and depression

They also don’t make a person more beautiful. When a person is constantly exposed to stress, the body becomes exhausted. Under-eye circles after stress usually appear within a few days and may appear bluish or brown. Their appearance may be a sign of an individual reaction to a stressful situation.

During stressful situations, jumps in blood pressure may occur, which is accompanied by the appearance of circles under the eyes and headaches.

Circles under the eyes can also appear due to the incorrect selection of skin care cosmetics

, which is not at all suitable for a person’s skin type. The quality of the cosmetics used is also of great importance. Excessive use of decorative cosmetics can also lead to the appearance of circles under the eyes, especially if they are of poor quality. The fact is that such cosmetics often help close skin pores. The skin stops receiving oxygen and its color changes.

Under-eye circles can appear due to various eye diseases

, predominantly of an inflammatory nature (conjunctivitis, blepharitis). With the development of the inflammatory process, swelling of the skin of the eyelids and circles under the eyes are usually observed. In addition, inflammatory eye diseases are characterized by lacrimation, redness of the eyes, and itching.

Any circulatory disorders

, especially chronic ones, may be accompanied by the appearance of dark circles under the eyes. The reason for this phenomenon is the anatomical features of the periorbital region, in which venous stagnation occurs in the event of circulatory disorders in the body.

One of the most common diseases characterized by circulatory disorders is vegetative-vascular dystonia. This condition can develop at any age. As a rule, it is a consequence of constant stressful situations, chronic fatigue, diseases of the nervous system and other factors.

In addition to the above reasons, dark circles under the eyes are a consequence of kidney disease, liver disease, allergies and diabetes and require serious medical treatment.

How to get rid

Once the cause of the formation of dark circles is identified, it is necessary to take measures to get rid of them. We do not recommend self-medication. But there are several methods that will not harm your body:

Drug treatment. It is prescribed when a patient has pathological diseases that require specific treatment. Often this may be related to the digestive organs or hormonal system.
To refuse from bad habits. Smoking and alcohol negatively affect the general condition of the body and quitting them will help you avoid a large number of potential diseases.
Active lifestyle. Running, morning exercises and just walking improve your blood circulation.
Cosmetologist services. You can resort to the following procedures: mesotherapy, plasma lifting, biorevitalization and others that tone the vessels under the eyes.
Using cosmetics or professional makeup.
Hide. If you can’t get rid of the circles in the shortest possible time, you can simply disguise them. This task will be perfectly handled by: foundation, concealers and special creams that even out the skin color and nourish it. Choose a cream that contains vitamin C.

Beautiful look with the Ego Estetic® clinic

Using the latest achievements in aesthetic medicine and cosmetology, dermatocosmetologists at the Ego Estetic® clinic are able to restore beauty to your look, and you to gain self-confidence. You will forever forget about such a defect as dark circles under the eyes! The clinic’s specialists select procedures and products for caring for the periorbital area only after a thorough examination, and in some cases, other diagnostic procedures designed to exclude the presence of serious health problems. To combat dark circles around the eyes, Ego Estetic® uses the most effective methods. Let's name some of them.

Microcurrent therapy. This procedure involves exposing the corrected area to low frequency electrical pulses in the range of up to 1000 microamps. As a result, deep lymphatic drainage of the skin occurs, blood supply and oxygen nutrition are normalized, and the process of natural regeneration of epidermal cells is enhanced. Dark circles under the eyes are noticeably reduced after the first session.
Mesotherapy. An injection technique that involves the introduction of special fortified cocktails using multiple injections into the corrected area. Performed using an atraumatic needle, it is practically painless, but minor damage to the skin enhances the processes of natural cell restoration. The beneficial substances included in mesotherapy cocktails stimulate the production of collagen and elastin, provide deep nutrition and hydration to the skin.
Biorevitalization. A procedure involving the injection of special compounds into the problem area - biorevitalizants, the action of which is based on the processes of natural skin rejuvenation. The vitamins, minerals, amino acids and hyaluronic acid included in such preparations provide deep hydration to the skin, making it fresh and radiant. As a result of this effect, wrinkles in the periorbital area are significantly reduced, dark circles and other aesthetic imperfections disappear.
Correction of the nasolacrimal groove with Juviderm Volbella and Teosyal Redenciti II filler. The nasolacrimal groove, running from the inner corner of the eye to the temporal bone, visually increases the shadows under the eyes, making the face tired and adding 5-10 years to the age of its owner. Injection of a filler with hyaluronic acid allows you to fill this fold, restoring smoothness to the skin, providing the skin with deep hydration and nutrition. The texture of this drug allows you to achieve a natural effect that lasts for 6 months.
Polyrevitalization with Filorga preparations. Injection of drugs from the French laboratory Filorga allows you to restore the skin at the cellular level. Containing a record amount of amino acids, vitamins and other useful substances, such cocktails stimulate the activity of fibroblasts involved in the synthesis of collagen and elastin, accelerate the process of natural skin renewal, normalize oxygen supply to cells and deeply moisturize the epidermis. As a result of the procedure, the general condition of the skin significantly improves, its turgor increases, and dark circles disappear.
Delicate peelings. The compositions used for peelings are suitable for sensitive and thin skin around the eyes. This procedure helps exfoliate dead cells, enhances the regeneration process, and stimulates blood circulation. As a result, the look becomes fresh and clear. Peels can be used as a preparation for mesotherapy and microcurrent exposure.

Each procedure, as well as the duration of the course, are selected individually. In addition, Ego Estetic® doctors will select for you products for professional care of the area around the eyes at home. All this will help you maintain the achieved results for a long time.

Area that needs special care

To understand why dark circles appear under the eyes, it is necessary to understand the structure of the skin in the periorbital area. The epidermis here is very thin and delicate (its average thickness is three times less than in other parts of the body), the granular layer is completely absent and the layer of horny cells is very poorly developed. This area is almost completely devoid of sebaceous glands. Additional load on the skin of the periorbital area is provided by the orbicularis muscle, which is responsible for blinking and other eye movements. All this leads to rapid aging of the epidermis and the appearance of various cosmetic defects. In addition, the blood vessels located around the eyes are quite close to the surface of the skin. Stagnation of blood, provoked by various factors, narrowing of blood vessels and other problems with the circulatory system become the root cause of the appearance of dark circles.

Other factors can trigger the appearance of dark circles under the eyes, including:

hereditary predisposition, expressed in the structural features of the facial bones (deep-set eyes)
drinking alcohol and smoking
chronic lack of sleep
incorrectly selected cosmetics for the care of the periorbital area
consuming large amounts of caffeine, spicy seasonings, salt, canned foods and other substances that stimulate fluid retention
dehydration
lack of certain vitamins and minerals
abuse of decorative cosmetics
loss of skin tone caused by natural aging processes