What causes the dark circles?
There are multiple causes of dark circles according to medical research:
- Genes - It can be genetic, affecting any skin color and type, but Asians, Afro-Caribbean races, and southern Italians are particularly prone to them.
- Hyperpigmentation - The browner type of dark circles could be the results of post-inflammatory hyper pigmentation due to sun damage or hormonal fluctuations.
- Older, thinner skin - As we age, the skin thins and the blood vessels in the under-eye zone show up more resulting in permanent dark circles. Airborne allergens cause blood to pool in the vessels under the skin, resulting in the appearance of dilated blood vessels.
- Nasal Congestion - When your nose is blocked, veins that usually drain from your eyes into your nose become dilated and darker. Also, it’s the result of lack of sleep, too.
- Stress - When your body is in fight mode, your brain leaches every single molecule of oxygen it can from the blood, so darker, deoxygenated blood flows through the veins. This dark blood is most visible in the transparent skin under the eyes as it's the thinnest skin on the body.
- Drugs - Some drugs, like contraceptive pills and HRT, can darken the eyes area by dilating the blood vessels.
- Smoking - Women who smoke - which affects micro-circulation long before it leads to heart and lung problems - can be prone to dark circles too.
These are some preliminary causes and the solution is also in our hands.