“The beauty of a woman is beheld within her eyes“
Eyes can speak and our thoughts are reflected through our eyes.
The skin around the eyes is very thin and delicate as compared to other parts of the body. Any changes happening in the deeper layers of the skin are easily visible on the surface. Dark circles are a common problem with both genders and all age groups.
Causes
Under eye circles can be caused by a number of different things:
lack of sleep, seasonal allergies, sun exposure, ageing, smoking, allergies to ingredients of make-up, hair dyes, some medicated applications. Stress (physical or mental) is a major killer of healthy glowing skin. Iron deficiency can also lead to pigmentation around the eyes. In a certain subset of people, dark circles run in the family.
Prevention
Sleep for at least seven to eight hours every day.
Try to ease your stress.
Get treated for allergies, hay fever, asthma, and nasal congestion too. Abstain from rubbing your eyes all the time.
Avoid eye cosmetics if you are allergic to them and be gentle when cleansing and removing eye make-up.
Always moisturise the skin under the eye. Dry, dehydrated skin will make the under eye area dull and more prone to allergies.
Glares protect your eyes as well as the skin around the eyes from the harsh effects of UV rays.
Have a diet rich in iron and vitamin C. Dried beans, dried fruits such as raisins and apricots, eggs (especially egg yolks), iron-fortified cereals, liver, lean red meat, pork, poultry, seafood, dark green leafy vegetables, peas are rich in iron. Include citrus fruits, tomatoes, peppers, melon, and spinach for vitamin C.
Treatment
When choosing a cream or serum to reduce dark circles around the eyes, look for vitamins C, E, K or retinol in the ingredients. Also, make sure it contains moisturisers and antioxidants to keep the thin skin protected.
Glycolic and arginine peels do help in reducing the dark circles.
Resistant pigmentation under the eyes can be treated with Q-Switched Nd:YAG Laser.
The best treatment for sunken eyes is hyaluronic acid filler injection. This evens out the hollowness and reduces the shadow, which is cast due to sunken eyes, thereby reducing the appearance of dark circles.
There are a number of home therapies or quick fixes for that ‘refreshed’ look, that have been followed by one and many through the years. Application of cucumber slices over the eyes and relaxing for ten minutes is definitely an all-time favourite, as is putting a cool tea bag. Although, application of almond oil, raw potato grind, tomato, and coconut oil are common practices, these do not help in reducing dark circle. Yes, they may make you feel refreshed, but they don’t help solve your problem.
