Dark circles

We often imagine that dark circles are due to tiredness and lack of sleep. Although these can be the cause or worsen the phenomenon, other reasons lead to the formation of dark circles under the eyes, including the natural aging process of the face.

Dark circles under the lower eyelids are common in both men and women and sometimes go hand in hand with bags. Dark circles under the eyes can make you look older than you are in reality, more tired, and they can be difficult to get rid of or effectively hide.

Even though having dark circles is quite common, they are more common as we get older but also in people with a genetic predisposition to this condition.

Various factors can contribute to the unpleasant appearance of dark circles under the eyes. When we talk of « dark circles », we often mean the colored area under the eye; this can be accentuated by a loss of fat in the subcutaneous tissue (and therefore a depression) due to skin aging.

To treat dark circles, it is important to differentiate the different types of colored dark circles as they do not have the same causes:

• Blue or purple dark circles linked to poor blood circulation. As the skin under the eye is very thin, any stagnating blood can be seen.
• Brown dark circles, or pigmentation. Often genetic, these dark circles are due to melanin deposits (brown pigment) on the skin.
• Finally, hollow dark circles, which are characterised by shadows under the eyes linked to the hollowing of the orbit. This depression can be due to the face fat melting as a result of skin aging but also the angular bone structure of the face. In some cases, a loss of volume of the cheekbones can extend the dark circle along the tear trough accentuating even more the aging, tired appearance.

Dark circles can sometimes be a combination of 2 or 3 types.