Dark circles under your eyes are common in most men and women. However, they can be difficult to get rid of. As a result, dark circles often knock people’s confidence. Some feel like the appearance of dark circles makes them look older, while others complain they make them look fatigued or unwell.
Although the cause of dark circles will vary from person to person, there is a range of treatments out there that can help you get rid of them or at least reduce their appearance.
This helpful article from our experts at City Skin Clinic will discuss everything you need to know about how to get rid of dark circles under your eyes. Some of the topics discussed include causes and treatments.
What Causes Dark Circles Under Eyes?
Dark circles occur when the skin underneath your eye darkens. Although there is no one root cause of dark circles, several contributing factors can encourage them to develop. Take a look at the list below:
- Age
- Allergies
- Sleep deprivation
- Dehydration
- Diet
- Genetics
- Eyestrain
- Overexposure to the sun
- Weight Loss
Most dark circles are hereditary which means they’re caused by genetics. In these cases, there is either increased pigmentation that causes the skin under the eyes to look darker or hollowing which gives the illusion of dark circles. In both these scenarios, there is usually a strong family history of having this. Age also plays a significant role in the development of dark circles. This is because our skin thins as we age. We start to lose fat and collagen, which help our skin retain its elasticity and support its structure. As a result, the dark blood vessels beneath our skin become more visible. Fatigue is also a common contributor. It causes our skin to appear duller and paler, allowing the dark tissue of blood vessels to become prominent.
DIY Dark Circle Treatments at Home
If the dark circles under your eyes are the result of lifestyle factors like dehydration and not getting enough sleep, you’ll be pleased to know that they can easily be treated at home. Take a look at some of the most popular DIY treatments below:
- Sleep more
- Elevate your head while you sleep
- Soak your eyes with cold tea bags
- Cold compresses
- Drink lots of water and avoid too much alcohol or caffeine
- Avoid eating too much salt in your diet
- Control allergies like hay fever with antihistamines
- Tinted moisturiser and concealers
Catching up on sleep is one of the biggest things that will help you improve the appearance of your dark circles. While sleeping, try elevating your head on one or two pillows to prevent fluid from building up around your eyes. This stops them from looking swollen and puffy. Although the cold tea bag hack may sound odd, this old gem actually works! Tea contains caffeine and vital antioxidants that can reduce the size of blood vessels and minimise their appearance. Remember to also ensure you’re eating a healthy diet which may include cutting back on salt, keeping well hydrated and treating underlying medical problems like allergies that can aggravate the appearance of dark circles under eyes. If you’re looking for a quick cover-up, try colour correcting with tinted moisturisers or concealers that have a peach/salmon tone that will cancel out the dark circles.
Best Skincare for Dark Circles Under Eyes
If your under-eye circles are due to increased pigmentation or thin skin then there are a number of skincare products that can help. Our favourite skincare ingredients for the under eyes are:
- Vitamin C and Ferulic acid are two antioxidants that can help brighten the skin in this area and reduce the signs of ageing
- Retinol or retinoids such as Tretinoin cream can treat hyperpigmentation and smooth skin
- Hydrating creams like ElastiDERM can improve the elasticity and thickness of the skin reducing the appearance of hollows. The serum version contains caffeine which also helps reduce puffiness
Medical Treatment for Dark Circles Under Eyes
If you try at-home treatments and they do not reduce the appearance of your dark circles, you may need to seek professional medical treatment. There are plenty of beneficial medical treatments out there that can be carried out by professional aesthetic clinics like City Skin Clinic. Medical treatments can be used to reverse the signs of ageing and reduce the appearance of dark circles by directly treating the cause. The most popular medical treatments for dark circles are:
- Chemical peels
- Tear trough filler
- Microneedling or RF microneedling
- Laser skin tightening treatment
Chemical Peel
A chemical peel safely resurfaces the skin by exfoliating the top layers. The complexion appears revitalised after the top layer of skin is removed, revealing new skin underneath. This gives clients a youthful and brighter-looking appearance. The treatment is ideal for targeting dark circles as it has tone-correcting qualities. The procedure is most effective in treating dark circles caused by hyperpigmentation, helping to reduce the intensity of dark circles.
Take a look at the bespoke skin resurfacing chemical peels that we offer at City Skin Clinic. Please note – that all of our chemical peels are designed and performed by an expert doctor to maximise safety and effectiveness.
Tear Trough Filler
Tear trough filler is a pain-free, non-surgical treatment injectable treatment for under-eye hollows. Filler is precisely injected underneath the skin with a thin needle, enhancing the volume of your under eyes and lightening any dark circles. It helps rejuvenate and revitalise the skin under your eyes. Clients tend to opt for this treatment if they want to correct under-eye circles or bags caused by hollowing under the eyes. It reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and when personalised achieve natural results. We regularly offer our clients this treatment here at City Skin Clinic either alone or more popularly in combination with complementary treatments such as anti-wrinkle injections, cheek fillers or Profhilo injectable moisturiser.
For more information, please read our guide on tear trough filler.
Profhilo
One of the most popular treatments of the last two years is Profhilo injectable moisturiser. This hyaluronic acid treatment stimulates the skin to produce collagen and elastin which increases the plumpness, bounce and smoothness of your skin. It also leaves the skin looking better hydrated and more radiant. Also known as the “injectable glow”, Profhilo can help indirectly improve the appearance of dark under-eye circles caused by hollows by improving the thickness of the skin in that area. Very often, you can combine Prohilo with tear trough filler treatment to refresh that area by filling under-eye hollows and brightening the skin.
Laser Skin Lightening Treatment
Experienced surgeons can now use the latest laser technology to target dark pigmentation around the eyes. Laser therapy reduces not only the appearance of dark circles – but can also improve fine lines and wrinkles. A build-up of fluid -caused by broken capillaries – can enhance the dark circles under your eyes. The treatment uses laser technology to tackle this problem and minimise the amount of fluid spread underneath the eyes. Many people praise this treatment for being pain-free. At most, people can experience mild discomfort. Usually, a course of treatments is needed and the results of the treatment can also last up to 18 months.
Microneedling
Microneedling is a safe, simple and effective treatment for dark circles caused by thin skin and under-eye hollows. The treatment encourages the skin to generate more collagen. As we age, our collagen production can decrease, which causes the skin to become thinner. This gives rise to the appearance of dark circles under our eyes. Microneedling uses a handheld device (derma roller or skin pen) that gently sweeps back and forth across the skin. Thin needles create tiny punctures in the skin, which encourages blood flow and collagen production to increase to help the skin heal. Although it may sound daunting, a numbing cream should be applied before the treatment – so you do not feel any pain. You may feel a slight discomfort but nothing too extreme. Usually, a course of treatments is needed and to maintain results a single treatment is needed every 6-8 months after that.
Book an Appointment at City Skin Clinic
If you are suffering from dark circles under your eyes and are looking for a treatment to help you get rid of them, City Skin Clinic can help. Our team of highly skilled aesthetic doctors helps you achieve your desired look, targeting dark circles – helping you feel confident in the skin you are in. We are proud to say our clinic is renowned for delivering high-quality and safe treatments to its clients.
For more information about how to get rid of dark under-eye circles, we suggest reading our article.
If you would like to speak to one of our skilled team members about the treatments we offer, we recommend that you book a consultation today. Our consultations are the perfect opportunity for us to get to know you. As well as finding you the best course of action, we can put you at ease, guiding you through each step of the treatment process.
Sources
https://cityskinclinic.com
https://cityskinclinic.com/about-us/our-clinics/
https://cityskinclinic.com/treatments/chemical-peels-london/
https://cityskinclinic.com/treatments/cheek-and-tear-trough-fillers/tear-trough-fillers-under-eye-fillers-london/
https://cityskinclinic.com/radiofrequency-microneedling/
https://cityskinclinic.com/online-booking/
