How to Get Rid of Dark Circles

Medically reviewed by Brendan Camp, MD

Dark circles under the eyes can surface for various reasons, from tiredness to aging or underlying conditions like allergies or eczema. While they're often harmless, these shadows can impact self-confidence.

Fortunately, there are remedies, ranging from at-home treatments to professional interventions by dermatologists, that can help diminish their appearance. Understanding the causes and adopting consistent approaches is key to tackling dark circles effectively.

Here is everything you need to know about how to help reduce these pesky under-eye shadows.

What Causes Dark Circles Under the Eyes?

Understanding the underlying causes can help in choosing the appropriate remedies or treatments to alleviate or minimize the appearance of dark circles under the eyes. Here are potential causes:

• Allergies: Allergies can prompt histamine release, causing blood vessel dilation and swelling around the eyes.

• Allergic rhinitis (hay fever): The inflammatory response from hay fever can lead to nasal congestion and increased blood flow around the eyes, contributing to dark circles.

• Atopic dermatitis (eczema): Eczema-related inflammation and itching can irritate the delicate skin around the eyes, causing dark circles due to rubbing or scratching.

• Contact dermatitis: Skin irritation from contact with certain substances or allergens can trigger an inflammatory response, leading to dark circles.

• Heredity: Genetic predisposition can result in thinner skin or increased pigmentation around the eyes.

• Pigmentation irregularities: Uneven melanin distribution or excessive pigmentation can create shadows or discoloration under the eyes.

• Scratching or rubbing the eyes: Persistent rubbing or scratching of the delicate eye area can cause skin irritation and inflammation, leading to dark circles.

• Sun exposure: Excess exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun can cause dark circles under the eyes.

• Natural aging process: As the skin ages, collagen and fat loss can make the skin around the eyes thinner, causing dark circles to become more prominent.

Low iron levels, called anemia, and vitamin B12 deficiencies may also play a role in contributing to dark circles under the eyes.

What Gets Rid of Dark Circles Fast?

People often seek quick remedies to eliminate dark circles because these under-eye discolorations can affect their appearance, making them look tired, older, or less vibrant. Here are remedies that may help resolve dark eye circles fast:

Sleep

Adequate sleep helps prevent dark circles by allowing the body to repair and rejuvenate the skin, reducing puffiness and improving blood circulation.

Elevating the head while sleeping minimizes fluid retention around the eyes, preventing pooling of blood and reducing puffiness, thereby diminishing the appearance of dark circles. You may want to consider adding an extra pillow to elevate the head as you sleep.

Cold Compress

A cold compress helps with dark under-eye circles by constricting blood vessels, reducing swelling, and temporarily minimizing the appearance of dark circles. The cold temperature helps to shrink blood vessels, diminishing the pooling of blood and reducing puffiness.

Moisturizer

Moisturizers can help diminish the appearance of dark circles under the eyes by keeping the skin hydrated and plump. Well-hydrated skin also tends to look smoother and more supple, which can make dark circles less noticeable.

Cucumber Slices

Cucumber slices contain antioxidants and a high water content that may temporarily reduce under-eye darkness. Research suggests that the coolness of cucumbers can help constrict blood vessels, reducing puffiness and inflammation, which, in turn, may alleviate the appearance of dark circles.

Almond Oil

Almond oil has been used as skin skin for centuries for conditions such as eczema and psoriasis.

Rich in antioxidants, almond oil can help moisturize the delicate skin around the eyes, reducing dryness and improving skin texture. Its anti-inflammatory properties might also help improve your complexion and the appearance of dark circles over time.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is known for its antioxidant properties and may protect skin cells from damage caused by free radicals. When applied topically, it may help nourish the skin, improve elasticity, and potentially diminish the appearance of dark circles.

Vitamin K

Vitamin K may assist with dark under-eye circles by potentially improving blood circulation and reducing the appearance of blood vessels beneath the skin.

Its use in topical creams or serums may help strengthen capillaries and minimize the discoloration associated with dark circles.

Tea Bags

Tea bags, particularly teas containing caffeine, may help reduce under-eye circles. The caffeine in tea has vasoconstrictive (blood vessel tightening) properties that can temporarily reduce swelling and puffiness around the eyes.

Additionally, antioxidants in tea bags may have anti-inflammatory effects, potentially soothing the under-eye area and diminishing the appearance of dark circles. Placing cooled tea bags over the eyes for a few minutes can offer a refreshing and soothing effect, aiding in reducing puffiness and improving the appearance of dark circles.

Limit Sun Exposure

Limiting sun exposure helps prevent under-eye circles by reducing skin damage, including hyperpigmentation and collagen breakdown, which can otherwise lead to darkened and thinner skin in that area.

To help prevent under-eye circles, use sunscreen, wear sunglasses, and avoid prolonged sun exposure. This can help maintain the health and resilience of the skin, reducing the likelihood of dark circles forming or becoming more pronounced.

What Medical Options Are Available for Dark Circles?

Dark circles under the eyes can be challenging to treat with home remedies alone. Medical options, like certain creams, laser therapy, or fillers, are sought after as they offer more targeted and sometimes quicker solutions to address specific underlying causes or to camouflage the appearance of dark circles for cosmetic reasons.

Skin-Lightening Creams

Skin-lightening creams contain ingredients like hydroquinone, kojic acid, or retinoids that inhibit melanin production and reduce hyperpigmentation, gradually lightening dark circles over time.

They work by blocking the enzyme responsible for melanin production, evening out skin tone and reducing the visibility of dark spots or discoloration around the eyes.

Regular application and adherence to a skin-care routine are essential for effectiveness, though results may vary depending on the cause of the dark circles.

Laser Therapy

Laser therapy, such as intense pulsed light (IPL) or fractional laser treatments, targets specific pigmentation or blood vessels beneath the skin, reducing their prominence and improving the overall appearance of the skin.

These treatments work by emitting controlled light energy, which is absorbed by pigmented areas or blood vessels, causing them to break down or be absorbed by the body, leading to a more even skin tone.

Multiple sessions may be required for optimal results, and posttreatment care, including sun protection, is crucial to prevent any potential side effects.

Chemical Peels

Chemical peels involve applying a solution containing acids like glycolic acid or trichloroacetic acid to the skin, which exfoliates the top layer, promoting cell turnover and reducing pigmentation.

They work by removing damaged or pigmented skin cells, revealing fresher, more even-toned skin underneath, and reducing the appearance of dark circles by improving skin texture and tone.

Recovery time and potential side effects, such as redness or peeling, vary depending on the depth of the peel. Also, multiple sessions might be needed for significant results.

Blepharoplasty

Blepharoplasty, commonly known as eyelid surgery, involves removing excess skin, fat, or muscle from the upper or lower eyelids or both.

The procedure aims to address issues like droopy eyelids, under-eye bags, or puffiness, which can contribute to the appearance of dark circles by creating shadows.

By tightening the skin and repositioning or removing tissue, blepharoplasty may help create a smoother, more rejuvenated appearance around the eyes, reducing the prominence of dark circles.

Fillers

Fillers, often made of hyaluronic acid or other substances, are injected beneath the eyes to add volume and fill in hollow areas or depressions.

They work by plumping up the skin, reducing the appearance of under-eye hollows or shadows, and providing a more even contour to the area.

Fillers can be an effective temporary solution for camouflaging dark circles, but they require maintenance injections every few months or years, depending on the type of filler used.

When to Contact a Healthcare Provider

If you're considering medical procedures like fillers, blepharoplasty, lasers, or other treatments, talk to a qualified healthcare provider to discuss potential risks, benefits, and suitability for your specific situation.

If swelling or discoloration appears under only one eye, or if the swelling gets worse over time, see your provider to make sure it is not something more serious. These symptoms may indicate an infection in the eye that requires medical treatment.

Summary

Understanding the causes behind dark circles under the eyes may allow for a tailored approach to treatment. From simple lifestyle adjustments like adequate sleep and sun protection to specialized skin-care ingredients containing vitamins E and K, there are various options to explore.

For more targeted and quicker solutions, medical interventions like skin-lightening creams, laser therapy, chemical peels, or surgical procedures such as blepharoplasty and fillers offer effective ways to address dark circles. Talk to a board-certified dermatologist or plastic surgeon for a personalized strategy that works for you.

Read the original article on Verywell Health.