Want to remove dark circles under your eyes? Here’s how
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We've all woken up with those telltale dark circles under our eyes.
And while a good concealer can help, you might be surprised to learn the secrets to removing those under-eye bags.
According to these dermatologists, it's not always lack of sleep that’s the culprit
Dermatologist Dr Cristina Psomadakis explained that while there are a number of factors that can contribute to under-eye bags, most of the time, 'it's not one size fits all'.
'Many different causes' can be responsible for your eye bags.
She explained that these may include ‘genetics, anatomy, the vasculature and lymphatics, and the quality, age and pigmentation of the skin itself’.
However, how they look is beyond your control.
‘Dark circles particularly affect people of Indian, Hispanic, Middle Eastern, and Far East Asian origins, and the process begins in childhood,’ Aesthetic Oculoplastic Surgeon Dr Sabrina Shah-Desai said.
Dr Cristina said, ‘Some of it has to do with facial anatomy; for example, if you have a prominent forehead or inset or bulging eyes, this can cast shadows on the under-eye area that is perceived as darkness;
‘A good tip is to have someone check if that skin remains dark with your head tilted back.’
Age is also a contributing factor.
‘As we age, the eyelid skin becomes progressively thinner and loses its elasticity and tightness,’ Dr Sabrina said.
‘Youthful, taut skin reflects light well, giving it luminosity; however, increasing loss of collagen and hydration with worsening laxity in the skin makes the under-eye area appear duller.’
'Years of sun damage, exposure to high energy visible (HEV) light (from smartphones and computer screens) and environmental pollutants lead to hyperpigmentation of the eye area.’
Now, for the ultimate question: Can dark circles be removed?
Dr Cristina said this ‘really depends on the cause and extent’, but she added,’ With correct care and treatment, you can often get very good results.’
Aside from skincare, lifestyle shifts may be needed to help minimise the appearance of dark circles.
‘One of my top tips is to avoid caffeine and alcohol as both are stressors to the body and cause dehydration, which may worsen fine lines,' said Dr Sabrina.
'Sleep is so important as it's when the body repairs itself. Always aim to get six to eight hours [of sleep]. Smoking can deplete the body of vital antioxidants and dry out the skin while leaving it looking dull.’
Dr Cristina advised staying hydrated and added, ‘Remove all make-up carefully; you'd be surprised how often it looks worse because mascara or eyeliner hasn't been removed properly.'
'For those with a lot of puffiness in the morning, sleeping with your head elevated can help.'
If you always incorporate skincare in your daily routine, Dr Sabrina shared the first rule in doing anything with it.
'SPF is important all year round and especially when caring for the eye area, to help minimise sun damage and pigmentation'.
Dr Cristina recommended using a ‘combination of ingredients’ to address ‘the variety of underlying causes’.
There are products you can use under your eyes to target these. Dr Cristina suggested using ‘hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and triglycerides’ that can ‘deeply hydrate and moisturise the skin so it looks smooth and less crepey’.
She also recommended including ‘caffeine to improve micro-circulation’, ‘retinoid to reduce wrinkles’, and ‘of course, the power of a good concealer’.
Dr Sabrina’s favourite ingredients to combat dark circles are ‘vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, caffeine, retinoids, glycolic acid, vitamin E, and niacinamide.'
She also suggested trying some treatments, like microneedling, mesotherapy, or Platelet-rich plasma (PRP), as ‘all fantastic treatments used for dark circles’.
If you’re not familiar with these treatments, here’s a quick summary:
Microneedling encourages collagen production using tiny, sterilised needles in the undereye area to make them smoother and firmer.
Mesotherapy is a procedure where amino acids, minerals, enzymes, and vitamins are injected into the skin using a needle similar method to Acupunture.
PRP injections are a minimally invasive procedure in the under eyes to help reduce fine lines and wrinkles and can rejuvenate the area.
There are also ‘ancient’ beauty secrets that have stood the test of time in keeping those fine lines and wrinkles at bay. In a previous story, a dermatologist revealed an interesting insight into a beauty routine straight from Japan that potentially keeps you youthful and hydrated! Learn more about it here.
Each skin reacts differently to certain products. So, consult your dermatologist to know which products you can use!
Members, what do you think of their advice? Do you also have other ways of minimising dark circles? Let us know in the comments below!
And while a good concealer can help, you might be surprised to learn the secrets to removing those under-eye bags.
According to these dermatologists, it's not always lack of sleep that’s the culprit
Dermatologist Dr Cristina Psomadakis explained that while there are a number of factors that can contribute to under-eye bags, most of the time, 'it's not one size fits all'.
'Many different causes' can be responsible for your eye bags.
Dark circles under our eyes can be caused by different factors. Credit: Shutterstock
She explained that these may include ‘genetics, anatomy, the vasculature and lymphatics, and the quality, age and pigmentation of the skin itself’.
However, how they look is beyond your control.
‘Dark circles particularly affect people of Indian, Hispanic, Middle Eastern, and Far East Asian origins, and the process begins in childhood,’ Aesthetic Oculoplastic Surgeon Dr Sabrina Shah-Desai said.
Dr Cristina said, ‘Some of it has to do with facial anatomy; for example, if you have a prominent forehead or inset or bulging eyes, this can cast shadows on the under-eye area that is perceived as darkness;
‘A good tip is to have someone check if that skin remains dark with your head tilted back.’
Age is also a contributing factor.
‘As we age, the eyelid skin becomes progressively thinner and loses its elasticity and tightness,’ Dr Sabrina said.
‘Youthful, taut skin reflects light well, giving it luminosity; however, increasing loss of collagen and hydration with worsening laxity in the skin makes the under-eye area appear duller.’
'Years of sun damage, exposure to high energy visible (HEV) light (from smartphones and computer screens) and environmental pollutants lead to hyperpigmentation of the eye area.’
Now, for the ultimate question: Can dark circles be removed?
Dr Cristina said this ‘really depends on the cause and extent’, but she added,’ With correct care and treatment, you can often get very good results.’
Aside from skincare, lifestyle shifts may be needed to help minimise the appearance of dark circles.
‘One of my top tips is to avoid caffeine and alcohol as both are stressors to the body and cause dehydration, which may worsen fine lines,' said Dr Sabrina.
'Sleep is so important as it's when the body repairs itself. Always aim to get six to eight hours [of sleep]. Smoking can deplete the body of vital antioxidants and dry out the skin while leaving it looking dull.’
Dr Cristina advised staying hydrated and added, ‘Remove all make-up carefully; you'd be surprised how often it looks worse because mascara or eyeliner hasn't been removed properly.'
'For those with a lot of puffiness in the morning, sleeping with your head elevated can help.'
Dermatologists shared some tips on how to minimise dark circles. Credit: Shutterstock
If you always incorporate skincare in your daily routine, Dr Sabrina shared the first rule in doing anything with it.
'SPF is important all year round and especially when caring for the eye area, to help minimise sun damage and pigmentation'.
Dr Cristina recommended using a ‘combination of ingredients’ to address ‘the variety of underlying causes’.
There are products you can use under your eyes to target these. Dr Cristina suggested using ‘hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and triglycerides’ that can ‘deeply hydrate and moisturise the skin so it looks smooth and less crepey’.
She also recommended including ‘caffeine to improve micro-circulation’, ‘retinoid to reduce wrinkles’, and ‘of course, the power of a good concealer’.
Dr Sabrina’s favourite ingredients to combat dark circles are ‘vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, caffeine, retinoids, glycolic acid, vitamin E, and niacinamide.'
She also suggested trying some treatments, like microneedling, mesotherapy, or Platelet-rich plasma (PRP), as ‘all fantastic treatments used for dark circles’.
If you’re not familiar with these treatments, here’s a quick summary:
Microneedling encourages collagen production using tiny, sterilised needles in the undereye area to make them smoother and firmer.
Mesotherapy is a procedure where amino acids, minerals, enzymes, and vitamins are injected into the skin using a needle similar method to Acupunture.
PRP injections are a minimally invasive procedure in the under eyes to help reduce fine lines and wrinkles and can rejuvenate the area.
There are also ‘ancient’ beauty secrets that have stood the test of time in keeping those fine lines and wrinkles at bay. In a previous story, a dermatologist revealed an interesting insight into a beauty routine straight from Japan that potentially keeps you youthful and hydrated! Learn more about it here.
Each skin reacts differently to certain products. So, consult your dermatologist to know which products you can use!
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