Four types of dark circles
The vascular type gives a bluish or purple tint: veins and stagnant blood are visible through thin skin, especially after a sleepless night or against the background of nasal congestion. The pigmented type looks like a brown spot, is more common in people with dark skin and is worsened by the sun and rubbing of the eyelids. The structural type is related to the anatomy: a deep nasolacrimal groove, prominent lower eyelid hernias, and age-related volume loss create shadow rather than pigment. The mixed type is most common. A simple guideline: if the darkening disappears with slight stretching of the skin, it is more likely a vascular component.
- Vascular - bluish tint, intensifies in the evening
- Pigmented - brown tone, intensifies from the sun
- Structural - shadow due to relief and hernias of the eyelids
- Mixed - a combination of several mechanisms
- Skin stretch test helps differentiate types
Why do they appear
The most common situation is a combination of hereditary thin skin with lifestyle. Lack of sleep and chronic fatigue dilate blood vessels and make the skin paler, making veins more visible. Dehydration and excess salt contribute to swelling, smoking and alcohol impair microcirculation. Allergic rhinitis and conjunctivitis give characteristic allergic shadows: a person rubs his eyes, the skin becomes injured and darkens. Iron deficiency and anemia make the skin pale, emphasizing the blood vessels. With age, the skin thins and the subcutaneous fat in the cheeks sag, increasing the shadow under the eyes.
- Hereditary thin skin and deep-set eyes
- Lack of sleep, overwork, prolonged screen time
- Dehydration and excess salt
- Smoking and alcohol
- Allergies and habit of rubbing your eyes
- Iron deficiency and anemia
- Solar radiation
- Age-related changes in facial volume
When should you get tested?
A cosmetic problem is sometimes the first noticeable sign of deficiency. If the circles are accompanied by pallor, weakness, shortness of breath on exertion, hair loss and brittle nails, it makes sense to check hemoglobin, ferritin and iron: latent iron deficiency is common, especially in women. Constant fatigue, chilliness, dry skin and swelling of the face are reasons to evaluate the functioning of the thyroid gland. Persistent morning swelling of the eyelids along with high blood pressure requires testing of kidney function. In children, prolonged pallor with shadows under the eyes is a reason to see a pediatrician.
- Hemoglobin, ferritin, iron for pallor and weakness
- TSH for chilliness, fatigue, dry skin
- Urinalysis and assessment of kidney function for morning edema
- Examination by an allergist for itching and nasal congestion
- Examination by a pediatrician in a child with persistent pallor
Home care and lifestyle
The base, without which the procedures do not work, is sleep for at least 7 hours, enough water, moderation with salt and stopping smoking. The area around the eyes needs to be treated with care: do not rub, remove makeup gently, apply cream without stretching the skin. Daily sun protection is required for the pigmented type, otherwise the darkening will return. Products with vitamin C, niacinamide, low concentration retinol and caffeine help, but the effect develops over months and is moderate. If you have an allergy, the first thing to do is treat it, otherwise the friction of the eyelids will negate any care.
- Sleep at least 7 hours and daily routine
- Drinking enough, limiting salt at night
- Quitting smoking
- Sunscreen and glasses
- Products with vitamin C, niacinamide, caffeine
- Do not rub your eyes, gently remove makeup
- Treatment of allergic rhinitis and conjunctivitis
Procedures and when they are needed
The choice of method depends on the type of circles, so you should start with a consultation and not with a finished procedure. For the pigment type, lightening care and gentle peelings are used, for the vascular type, procedures are used that improve microcirculation and skin density. Structural circles caused by deep nasolacrimal grooves are corrected by introducing a filler based on hyaluronic acid - this is a thin area where the qualifications of the doctor and moderation of volume are important. For severe hernias of the lower eyelids, neither creams nor injections will help: blepharoplasty is being discussed. No method can guarantee the complete disappearance of circles.
- Consultation before choosing a method
- Lightening care and gentle peelings for pigmentation
- Procedures for skin density in vascular type
- Fillers for severe nasolacrimal grooves
- Blepharoplasty for lower eyelid hernias
- Realistic expectations: improvement, not complete disappearance
