How to Find the Root Cause Behind Under Eye Circles

Our eyes are the focal point of our appearance. It is often stated that the eyes are the windows to the soul. After all, the eyes silently give away information about mood, energy level, and overall demeanour. If we analyze the eyes closely, however, we can easily note that the eyeball does not give away much information. Most of the information we obtain from the eye comes from the tone and the shape of the eye-surrounding structures.

Due to the capacity of the eyes to silently say many things about the face of an individual, they have become a focus of cosmetic manipulation. Most of the methods of manipulation are aimed at making the face look younger, happier, more relaxed, and healthier. It's shocking to learn that eyelid surgery was the third most requested cosmetic surgery procedure in 2013. Filler injections were the second most common minimally invasive procedure, up 13% from the year before (1). With those injections, the area where the lower eyelid meets the cheek was manipulated to make the under-eye area look less hollow.

Oftentimes, the focus of cosmetics is to lighten the skin under the eyes. While lighting the skin under the eyes may decrease the appearance of dark circles, the anatomy of dark circles under the eyes is much more complex than that. In fact, only "bleaching" the skin under the eyes can make dark circles under the eyes look a lot more visible.

Under-eye circles, also known medically as periorbital dark circles, are a natural, common skin condition that affects both men and women of all ages and ethnicities. Around the eyes, they look like dark rings or shadows that are three-dimensional. Many assume that the issue arises due to the darkness of the skin. The skin beneath the eyes is thin and delicate, so the underlying blood vessels and muscles show through, making the circles look darker. (2)

There are many medical factors that can contribute to the development of under-eye circles, such as allergies, lack of sleep, stress, smoking, and excessive sun exposure. They can also look much bigger if you have a health problem like thyroid disease or anemia (2,3). From a naturopathic point of view, the best way to prevent or reduce the appearance of under-eye circles is to identify and address the underlying cause. Some simple steps you can take include getting enough sleep, avoiding allergens, staying hydrated and using good-quality sunscreen. If they are caused by a medical condition, treating the condition will usually help to improve the appearance of the circles (3). Aside from health problems, there are other things that can make dark circles under the eyes look worse. Those factors can be anatomical or dermal.

The under-eye area has many supporting structures that include ligaments, fat pads, and musculature. The ligaments and bones underneath the skin of the face support the soft tissues and affect how the face looks as a whole. (3,4)

While for many, the physical structure of the face naturally accumulates shadows under the eyes, the natural process of ageing may change the appearance of an individual with a lit under-eye area to that of someone with a more shaded under-eye area (2,3). Age-related changes in the midface cause shrinkage in the undereye padding. The shrinking of under-eye padding is usually caused by:

1. Orbital rim recession
   
   
2. Midfacial and malar bone volume loss
   
   
3. Tightness of the orbital and facial retentive ligaments 
   
   
4. Facial fat sinking and fat volume declining

If you don't have enough padding under your eyes, the area under your eyes will naturally look darker. (5,6)

Dark circles under the eyes may be caused in part by the quality of the skin in that area. The skin on the lower eyelid is one of the thinnest parts of the body. Since there is little to no subcutaneous tissue, the skin and the orbicularis muscle are very close. This makes the signs of ageing show up more in these areas than in the rest of the face (6). Changes in the face caused by aging and the environment include a loss of elasticity and tone due to the loss of collagen and/or elastin:

• Skin ageing - caused by thinning skin (due to collagen loss)
  
  
• Dyschromia - skin unevenness
  
  
• Telangiectasia - dilated or broken blood vessels
  
  
• Seborrhoeic changes - redness on light skin and light patches on darker skin
  
  
• Actinic changes - flat and scaly areas (2,4,6)

Peptides are becoming more and more popular as a way to reduce the look of dark circles under the eyes. In general, peptides make it easier for collagen to be made in the skin's extracellular matrix. This makes the skin more plump and resilient (8). Peptides are becoming more and more popular as a way to reduce the look of dark circles under the eyes. In general, peptides make it easier for collagen to be made in the skin's extracellular matrix. This makes the skin more plump and resilient (8). Peptides are the "building blocks" of proteins. They are made up of two or more amino acids that are linked together. Peptides send messages to cells and encourage the production of collagen, which, among other health benefits, makes skin firmer. (9)

A healthy lifestyle is always the key to maintaining health and beauty. If you notice that your under-eye area is getting darker over time, it is important to see a healthcare provider to make sure that there are no underlying medical conditions that are worsening the problem. While there are many at-home treatments and remedies for under-eye circles, it is important to note that your skincare ingredients can play a significant role in enhancing the health of the delicate skin of the under-eye area. Healthy habits like avoiding late nights, maintaining hydration, and reducing alcohol intake in the event that you consume too much alcohol are key.

Improving skin texture and looking into reasons for under-eye puffiness and vascular causes of dark circles improves your odds of enhancing the overall appearance of under-eye circles.

Improving how you protect your skin from UV rays may also help reduce dark shadows by stopping the skin under your eyes from making darker pigments and preventing sun damage. Simply using sunglasses may significantly protect the undereye areas and make the skin less susceptible to darkening. Enhancing skin elasticity with collagen-promoting natural ingredients can significantly reduce the hollow appearance of the under-eye area.

Finally, understanding the cause of dark circles is a personal investigation into health. The best treatment is one that targets the root cause of your own issue.