Waking up after a wild party with dark circles under your eyes isn't great, but it's expected. If you wake up every day and see a panda in the mirror, you need to look deeper for the root of evil.
In this post we will talk about why dark circles form under the eyes, how to determine the cause of their appearance, what the color of the circles under the eyes indicates, and how to deal with them.
Dark circles under the eyes. Causes
So, let's figure out why dark circles appear under the eyes? There are many more reasons than a protracted party and a banal lack of sleep.
- Genetics, heredity. Too much melanin in the area around the eyes. It is especially common among Asians, blacks, and people with dark skin tones.
- Features of the skin in the area around the eyes. The skin of the eyelids is the thinnest, so the vessels shine through the skin and become clearly visible.
- Sun. Excessive UV radiation damages capillaries and causes hyperpigmentation. In addition, the sun's rays destroy collagen fibers, the skin becomes thinner and blood vessels become more visible. Therefore, SPF for the eyes is a must.
- Age. With age, collagen fibers are destroyed, the skin becomes thinner and blood vessels become more visible. We also lose weight in our face, lose subcutaneous fat, and the vessels located underneath appear in all their glory.
- Hormones. In women, circles may appear due to PMS and fluid retention in different phases of the cycle. During pregnancy and menopause, the vessels swell and become more visible.
- Allergies, stuffy nose. According to the Mayo Clinic, this is one of the main causes of dark circles. When your nose is stuffy, the veins running from your eyes to your nose become dilated and darkened. In addition, with allergies, the capillaries under the eyes become inflamed, swollen, put pressure on the skin and become much more noticeable.
- Blood accumulation. Poor circulation causes blood to accumulate under the eyes.
- Eye rubbing. It leads to breakage of small capillaries and the formation of bruises. Also, rubbing and scratching the eyes stimulates the work of melanocytes (cells responsible for color) and enhances pigmentation.
- Eye strain. Constant excessive eye strain from the computer, TV, poor lighting, and sun leads to damage to small capillaries and the formation of bruises under the eyes.
- Lack of sleep, stress. The sinuses are located directly under the eyes and they empty during sleep. Lack of sleep disrupts this process. The result is circles and swelling. Additionally, when stressed, the body redirects blood from the skin to the internal organs for support. Therefore, tired skin becomes paler, blood vessels begin to show through, and circles become more pronounced.
- Retinol. Excessive use of eye creams with a large percentage of retinol can overstimulate the capillaries, and they will become more pronounced. Everything is good in moderation.
- Facial structure. Deep-set eyes and pronounced cheekbones can cast shadows under the eyes.
- Pale skin. The lighter the skin, the more visible the blood vessels are.
- Deficiency of vitamins B, E, C, K. Vitamins play an important role in the functioning of the adrenal gland. When its work is disrupted by stress, excess caffeine, alcohol and sugar, the absorption of vitamins decreases. This leads to circles under the eyes.
- Nutritional supplements. For example, sulfites in wine.
- Excess salt. Salt causes fluid retention, which makes blood vessels appear bluer.
- Dehydration. With a lack of moisture, the vessels dilate and swell.
- Alcohol, smoking. They dehydrate, reduce oxygen levels in the skin, and provoke vascular problems. Nicotine causes blood vessels to contract, blood circulation worsens, the vessels look darker, protrude more and become more noticeable.
Cosmetological factors
There are situations when there are bruises under the eyes, but the cause of their appearance cannot be determined. In such cases, we are talking about a congenital feature of the skin. If bruises have been present since childhood and their size and intensity do not change over time, then almost any cosmetic and folk remedies can be used to combat them.
Quite often, bruises under the eyes occur as a result of bad habits, for example, smoking or drinking alcohol, or excessive salt consumption. In this case, it is enough to normalize your lifestyle and nutrition. In just a couple of days, the condition of the skin will noticeably improve, and after a couple of weeks there will be no trace of bruises.
How to determine the cause of dark circles
Of course, this method is not 100% guaranteed, but it will help you narrow down the circle of suspects.
- Gently press your fingertips on the lower eyelid in the bone area and pull down slightly.
- Hold for 30 seconds.
If the result:
- the skin under the eyes has darkened - the reason is genetics or age;
- the skin under the eyes has become lighter - the reason is the accumulation of blood;
- the color of the circles remains unchanged - the reason is excess pigment, excessive UV radiation or allergies;
- when you released your fingers, the circles did not disappear completely, but became less noticeable - the reason is due to excess pigment and problems with blood vessels.
What does blueness under the eyes mean in medical terms?
What causes blueness under the eyes of women from a medical point of view? The causes of dark circles under the eyes in women can be caused by incipient or chronic diseases:
- disruption of the thyroid gland;
- problems with the heart and blood vessels;
- adrenal or liver dysfunction;
- various kidney diseases;
- allergic manifestations;
- long-term drug treatment;
- low hemoglobin level;
- age hernia.
It is advisable to pay attention to the color of the darkening. If they turn from brown-yellow into black bruises under the eyes, the causes in women may indicate a progressive disease. Only by consulting a doctor and undergoing research can you find out what bruises under the eyes mean in women. In addition, correctly prescribed treatment for the underlying disease will help resolve the issue of how to remove dark circles under the eyes in women.
The first thing you need to do is get diagnosed by specialists, so as not to aggravate the situation by applying “kilograms” of makeup. The next question is which doctor to contact to remove dark circles under the eyes; the causes in women have been established. If you feel a change in your health status in the gastrointestinal tract - go to a gastroenterologist, kidneys - to a urologist, allergies - to an allergist, etc. You must be prescribed blood, urine, feces, and hormone tests. In addition, in order to understand what bruises under the eyes mean in women, a diagnosis of the cardiovascular system is prescribed, as well as a visit to an endocrinologist for an ultrasound of the thyroid gland. If all tests are within normal limits, but women still have black circles under their eyes, contact a dermacosmetologist to find out what the problem is.
Blue circles under the eyes
Who is guilty
If the circles under the eyes are blue or blue-violet, the reason is impaired microcirculation and accumulation of blood under the eyes .
When circulation is impaired, little oxygen enters the blood and it darkens and changes color. Lack of sleep, stress and allergies impair microcirculation.
Blue and purple circles are more noticeable in the morning. After lying horizontally for a long time, fluid accumulates under the eyes and the veins dilate to hold more blood.
These circles intensify with age. We lose collagen, subcutaneous fat, the skin becomes thinner and blood vessels become more visible.
What to do
Look for eye creams with:
- good moisturizers (for example, hyaluronic acid) - they fill and smooth the skin, pushing it upward from blood accumulation;
- components that stimulate microcirculation (for example, caffeine) - they temporarily constrict blood vessels and improve blood circulation;
- retinol - it thickens the skin and masks shadows under the eyes;
- stainless steel applicators (roller and iron-on) - cool metal contracts blood vessels, making circles less noticeable.
Bruises under the eyes of the kidneys. Homeopathy against dark circles under the eyes in men
Homeopathy remedies are part of complex therapy; they do not eliminate the symptom, but heal the person. They will help get rid of annoying dark circles under the eyes in men, specifically targeting the source of the problem:
- Belladonna (Belladonna) - helps eliminate cough during bronchitis, especially dry smoker's cough;
- Antimonium crudium (Antimonium crudum) - taken for problems of the gastrointestinal tract, also eczema;
- Bellis perennis (Bellis perennis) - helps with bruises, including increased pigmentation around the eyes;
- Absinthium (Absinthium) - taken for an excited nervous system and sleep disorders;
- Apis mellifica (Apis mellifica) – eliminates kidney inflammation;
- Acidum picrinicum (Acidum picrinicum) - helps with conjunctivitis and eye inflammation due to fatigue;
- Aconitum (Aconitum) - helps with inflammation of the eyes, with traumatic conjunctivitis;
- Grindelia (Grindelia) - for breathing problems that occur in people suffering from heart and kidney diseases.
Red circles under the eyes
Who is guilty
If the circles under the eyes are red or red-violet, the cause is microhemorrhages of the vessels under the eyes .
The walls of blood vessels expand and weaken the capillaries surrounding them. As a result, microscopic hemorrhages occur. Hemoglobin leaks out of blood cells and oxidizes, darkening and changing color from red to red-violet.
Additionally, red circles may be due to genetics . The blood in the vessels is red, and with thin, pale skin, the vessels simply shine through it brightly. These circles intensify with age, when the skin becomes even thinner.
What to do
Look for eye creams with:
- components that strengthen blood vessels (for example, horse chestnut, grapes, butcher's broom);
- retinol - it thickens the skin.
Yellow and brown circles under the eyes
Who is guilty
If the circles under the eyes are yellow or brown, the cause is hyperpigmentation (accumulation of melanin) .
Hyperpigmentation is caused by excessive UV exposure and frequent rubbing of the eyes and skin of the eyelids. In addition, the tendency to pigmentation is genetically determined. It especially affects people with dark skin tones.
What to do
Look for eye creams with:
- brightening ingredients (for example, vitamin C, retinol, niacinamide, licorice);
- and whitening components (for example, arbutin).
Use it 1-2 times daily (as recommended by the manufacturer) for at least 4-6 weeks until the first visible results.
Important! If you have improved your sleep, nutrition, given up bad habits, use competent eye cosmetics and ruled out all possible causes, and the problem of circles under the eyes does not leave you no matter what, or even worse, it’s time to visit a doctor. Under-eye circles can be a symptom of medical conditions, such as kidney problems, enlarged adenoids, or serious vitamin deficiencies (such as B vitamins).
Black eyes on a teenager. Bruises under the eyes in women and men
In adulthood, the cause of dark circles under the eyes can be diseases of the kidneys, heart, or vascular system. Therefore, it is important to consult a doctor to confirm or deny the presence/absence of diseases.
In women, dark circles under the eyes appear for various reasons. One of the most popular is the use of low-quality or incorrectly selected cosmetics (the skin around the eyes is too thin, so you need to select a cream and gel with a very light structure), sudden weight loss, increased nervousness or enthusiasm for mono-diets.
In adults, the most popular causes of dark circles under the eyes are:
- too close arrangement of blood vessels under the skin around the eyes - bruises are constantly visible;
- disorders of skin pigmentation, when the color of the dermis is not the same as “wanted”;
- age-related changes - every year the body “dries out”, the skin becomes less elastic, the dermis around the eyes sags and its tint becomes bluish;
- weight loss - if the weight loss is great, then the skin may not “keep up”, so it tightens and turns into blue “bags”, this is typical for women over the age of 30;
- bad habits (use of alcohol, drugs, cigarettes, which remove vitamins from the body and interfere with the absorption of nutrients);
- deficiency of vitamin C, which is necessary to protect the body from disease and is extremely important for maintaining skin elasticity (eat more garlic, fruits, berries, honey);
- long-term work at a PC (your eyes get tired, your body moves little): if you work or “rest” at a PC for more than two hours a day, you need to lead a more active lifestyle and take a break for 5-10 minutes every half hour (walk, do a warm-up, pull yourself up on the horizontal bar);
- stress and nervous tension: every person is exposed to stress factors every day, but whether they affect health depends on the state of the body, so it is necessary to exercise, strengthen the body and take care of it every day.
