Under Eye Circles

Nonsurgical Solutions for Dark Under-Eye Circles



Now that the festivities are over, your eyes may be showing the signs of too much indulging and too little sleep. Whether you want to look relaxed and in control at work or to be fresh-faced for a new date, you can minimize dark under-eye circles, depending on what's causing them. The following are common causes of dark circles, along with tips on treatments.

Excess skin pigmentation on the upper part of the cheekbone and under the eyes can lead to dark circles. Freckles and sun damage can gather in this area. In addition, people with darker skin tones can have extra pigment under the eyes. One way to tell if you have excess pigment is to gently pull down on the lower eyelid. Do you see freckles or dark patches inside the lid? If so, skin-brightening creams can help reduce pigmentation. A recent study showed that a cream containing licorice extract and hyaluronic acid reduced dark circles after six weeks. Both of these ingredients are found in the new Fade Cream by Vasseur Skincare.

Thin lower eyelid skin can also produce dark circles, because the dark eyelid muscles are visible beneath the skin (the same way that black panties are visible through thin white pants). Another study showed that a gel containing retinol helped reduce dark circles after four weeks, possibly because it helped thicken the skin of the lower eyelid.

Under-eye bags can have shadows and hollows underneath them that accentuate dark circles. Of course Eye Q Gel in the refrigerator works great, but some at home remedies can also help If you wake up with puffy lids, try soaking cotton balls in cold chamomile tea, or soymilk and holding them on your closed lids for a few minutes in the morning. The cold temperature and anti-inflammatory properties of chamomile and soy can help shrink swollen tissues and reduce puffiness. However, if you have under-eye bags caused by fat deposits, topical treatments won't be enough to shrink them and reduce the circles. These types of circles may respond to injectable fillers or injections of your own fat to fill in the hollows. Try Juvederm 18.