Hyperpigmentation of the skin that belongs to the eyelids and the infraorbital area (under the eyes) shows genetic determinism and is closely related to the ethnicity of the person in question and the amount of melanin in the skin.
Dark circles are frequently associated with sleep deprivation and chronic fatigue , but there are numerous intrinsic factors responsible for their appearance, among which are certain infectious, allergic or irritant pathologies . Hormonal fluctuations and the lifestyle that involves exposure to ultraviolet rays without sun protection, alcohol consumption, poor nutrition, vitamin deficiency and smoking are other causes that generate the appearance of infraorbital circles.
From the point of view of evolution, dark circles can be temporary or permanent , depending on the nature of the etiological factors that favor their appearance.
What are dark circles?
The infraorbital circles represent the purple-brown coloration of the skin around the eyes, which gives an unaesthetic appearance of tired, dull and aging skin. This unsightly change in skin color around the eyes can affect self-perception, with a decrease in quality of life, especially in women who are mistakenly perceived by the people around them as sick or exhausted.
What are the causes of dark circles?
The violet-black discoloration of the integument located at the level of the infraorbital area is favored by certain anatomical peculiarities specific to this region. These include the very thin skin at the periocular level, the transparency of which allows visualization of the underlying eye's orbicularis muscle and blood capillaries.
Disturbances of the local blood circulation at the arterial level reduce the speed of blood circulation through the sinuous capillaries of the infraorbital skin and favor the accentuation of unsightly dark circles with advancing age. The stagnation of blood at the level of these capillaries favors the extraction of a larger amount of oxygen and gives the blue color specific to the infraorbital circles.
Among the most common causes involved in the appearance of infraorbital circles are:
- Allergies
- Atopic dermatitis or eczema
- Contact dermatitis
- Allergic rhinitis also known as "hay fever"
- Chronic fatigue
- heredity
- Skin discolorations
- Exposure to the sun favors the synthesis of excess melanin at the skin level
- Iron deficiency anemia (caused by iron deficiency)
- Hormonal disorders associated with certain pathologies: Addison's disease (adrenal cortical hormone deficiency), thyroid gland dysfunctions
- Skin changes specific to physiological aging.
Circles and lack of sleep
Deprivation of sleep, carrying out for long periods of activities that involve working on a computer, laptop or tablet or other types of screens, favors the dilation of the infraorbital capillaries with the stagnation of blood circulation at this level and the appearance of unsightly dark circles.
Chronic fatigue can cause integumentary pallor that highlights the underlying subcutaneous tissues and blood vessels, especially in the infraorbital area with thin skin, accentuating the appearance of dark circles.
Circles in children
From a constitutional point of view, the fine, light-colored skin of the child allows the visualization of the underlying capillary structures and accentuates the complexion of this category of people.
The dark circles around the eyes that appear in children can be due to sleep disorders or insufficient rest of the little one at night, nasal congestion (stuffy nose) associated with common seasonal colds, otitis or sinus infections frequently encountered at this age or allergies.
- Viral nasal congestion favors the manifestation of breathing difficulties and insufficient oxygenation of the blood, which causes tissue hypoxia, with the appearance of dark circles in children.
- Allergic reactions frequently associate rhinorrhea, excessive lacrimation, nasal and ocular itching that favors rubbing and irritating the eyes with the appearance of dark circles around the eyes.
- Dehydration states more frequently encountered in children with episodes of diarrhea, vomiting or febrile syndrome that do not benefit from physiological regulatory mechanisms, determine the appearance of infraorbital circles in the evolution of certain infectious pathologies of viral or bacterial cause.
- The child's eating disorders can favor the appearance of anemia, which frequently associates integumentary pallor and infraorbital dark circles.
- Eye infections represented by conjunctivitis and conjunctivitis are ophthalmological diseases frequently encountered in children, whose evolution includes the appearance of infraorbital circles due to local inflammation of the eyelid.
- Neuroblastomas are pediatric oncological pathologies that develop at the level of the sympathetic nervous system and affect in 25% of cases the function of the adrenal glands with the appearance of skin discoloration, which can manifest itself in the form of infraorbital circles and accentuated skin pallor.
- The blue light emitted by the screens of the devices currently used by children from an increasingly younger age are other causes that favor the appearance of dark circles under the eyes and inflamed eyes.
Types of eye circles
Circles can be classified according to the mechanisms that generate their appearance in the following categories:
- Vascular rings determined by circulatory disorders at the level of blood capillaries and lymphatic vessels
- Pigmented circles favored by the production of melanin that gives the specific color of the skin
- Structural circles due to the physiological aging processes of the skin around the eyes. These include the thinning and diminishing of the elasticity of the skin, together with the loss of the amount of subcutaneous fatty tissue that gives the unaesthetic appearance of eyes deep in the sockets.
Treatment of dark circles - medical solutions
The etiological treatment of dark circles that manifests itself in a specific pathological context addresses the underlying disease and involves the correction of hydroelectrolytic and hormonal imbalances and the treatment of anemic syndromes or ophthalmological infections that cause the appearance of dark circles around the eyes.
- The physiological aging processes involved in the appearance of infraorbital dark circles can be slowed down with the help of care products intended for the eye area rich in antioxidants such as vitamin C.
- The chemical peeling performed at the indication of the dermatologist is a cosmetic procedure to improve the appearance of the infraorbital dark circles. The procedure involves removing the superficial layers of the skin around the eyes to reduce hyperpigmentation.
- Surgical treatment with vascular laser and Q Switched improves the hyperpigmentation of the infraorbital skin and improves the unpleasant appearance due to dark circles.
- Laser treatments and hyaluronic acid injection reduce the unsightly appearance of infraorbital shadows and improve the appearance of the skin for long periods of time up to 6 months. Hyaluronic acid reduces the appearance of aging skin, smoothing the skin and giving it volume after injection at the level of the deep supraperiosteal lacrimal groove.
- Surgical fat implants work similarly to hyaluronic acid injections, having the effect of erasing the lacrimal groove and blurring the infraorbital circles.
Natural solutions for improving dark circles
Natural remedies used successfully to reduce the appearance of dark skin include:
- Consumption of teas and foods rich in antioxidants that improve blood circulation and reduce skin aging.
- Cold compresses applied to the eyes promote local vasoconstriction with the reduction of capillary stasis and dark circles due to it.
- Gentle massage of the skin around the eyes and tea bags applied to the eyelids improve blood and lymphatic circulation, fading the unsightly appearance of dark circles and bags under the eyes.
- Adequate hydration, limiting exposure to screens with blue light and ultraviolet rays, avoiding smoking and excessive alcohol consumption , along with observing a regular rest program, are some of the ways to prevent the appearance of tired and stressed skin.
The treatments recommended by the dermatologist or beautician for the improvement of infraorbital dark circles are individualized according to the needs and particularities of each person . Their effectiveness varies depending on the method applied and the patient's lifestyle. In most situations, the treatments used to reduce the scarred appearance are long-lasting and require the association of several types of specific therapies, which require repetition at regular time intervals to obtain superior results.
