There are numerous factors potentially contributing. I hope by the end of this post you will be able to have a better idea of different treatment options, according to your specific needs.

What Causes Dark Circles?

Most commonly, dark circles are due to sleeping habits, sun exposure, hydration, and anatomic structures.

It is important for you and your provider to figure out which contributing factors apply to you in order to effectively and successfully correct.

So many times I have patients in my chair saying “I have dark circles so I want filler” or “I have dark circles so what eye cream do you recommend,” when neither of those treatment options will ultimately help the patient achieve optimal results.

4 Factors Contributing to Dark Circles

Sleep

Research shows that 8 hours of sleep reaps many benefits, not only for your overall health, but can also play a role with your skin. Lack of sleep inhibits adequate skin hydration and collagen renewal which, in turn, makes the skin appear overly pale and dull extenuating darkness under the eyes. I get it, for some of us it just isn’t in the cards to get 8 full hours of sleep but it’s worth mentioning!

Sun

I cannot stress enough the importance of a daily zinc (sunscreen) moisturizer. Zinc is the only physical block from the sun (titanium is too, although research shows zinc is slightly more broad spectrum). When the UV rays reach our skin it causes inflammation and produce post inflammatory hyperpigmentation. Basically, it is causing the skin to appear darker. Wearing a daily zinc-based moisturizer will prevent this darkening. 

Hydration

I tell all of my patient’s they should be drinking half of their weight in ounces every single day. When your skin’s cells are dehydrated it appears more translucent. The skin beneath your eyes is the most fragile and thin on your body as it is, therefore if you are not hydrated the skin can appear darker underneath the eyes. 

Anatomy

The anatomy around your eyes has two contributors that could be the reasoning behind your dark circles. 

1. The bone around your eye is not as pronounced as the average person and causing a more sunken in appearance.
2. We all have “fat pads” surrounding our eyes. As we age, gravity takes a toll and pulls the pads down. This, sometimes, is corrected with a lower blepharoplasty (plastic surgery). If the fat pad is pronounced enough, plastic surgery is the only feasible correction because adding any type of filler would only accentuate the bulging pad.  

Dark circles due to anatomy are able to be corrected by filler in most cases. Filler is hyaluronic acid, which your body produces on its own, and is used to augment lost volume. You must have some extent of volume loss to need fillers otherwise you can create what is called Tyndall Effect in which the filler causes dark circles underneath the eye from the filler being placed too superficial (because you did not have hollows to place the filler initially).

Products I Love for Dark Circles

There are a few products I do recommend that will reverse dark circles by different mechanisms of action on a cellular level. 

Skinceuticals A.G.E. eye complex (SHOP HERE) is my all time favorite dark circle and anti-wrinkle eye cream. It works by correcting glycation, or natural aging of the skin,  and contains optical diffusers that makes the skin instantly appear brighter. I use this twice a day!

A more affordable alternative is the Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Eye Cream (SHOP HERE). The mechanism of action behind this product is vitamin C in the form of ascorbic acid (the best form of Vitamin C!) and pigments to instantly brighten and illuminate the under eye area. I used this prior to investing in the Skinceuticals A.G.E. because let’s be honest.. We all have a budget and, trust me, I get it’s hard to dish out that much when you’re just getting your feet wet in skincare. 

Ultimately seek counsel from you provider and decipher which factors contribute to your dark circles. Together, you will be able create a treatment plan tailored to your needs!