06/08/2017
WHAT CAN CAUSE DARK CIRCLES?
It can be helpful to know why you may be experiencing dark circles to see if you can make lifestyle changes to help in addition to incorporating products formulated to address dark circles. Visible —like many other complaints and concerns—can be caused by a number of reasons. Some of the most common include:
Genetics: Do mom or dad have noticeable dark circles? It’s very possible the cause of your concern lies in your very own DNA. Most-often these type of dark circles are brown-toned.
Allergies: Ever notice how your dark circles look even worse during the same time of year you experience seasonal allergies? Fact is, dark circles—especially blue-toned dark circles—can often be caused by the same factors that give you the sniffles and itchy, watery eyes.
Sun Damage: Like many other forms of skin discoloration, the appearance of darkness and shadows under the eyes can be due to prolonged and unprotected sun exposure. The sun’s UV rays can cause our skin to produce excess melanin, the pigment that gives it its color. Like dark circles caused by genetics, this type is often brown in tone.
Fatigue: This may seem like a no-brainer, but lack of sleep can be a cause of visible under-eye shadows. Lack of sleep can make you appear paler and more hollow-eyed, according to the Mayo Clinic. Too many all-nighters in a row? Chances are you’re reaching for the concealer to cover up those bluish-tinted circles.
Age: As we age our skin can become thin and naturally loses fat and collagen. When this happens, the blood vessels under our eyes—an area where skin is already so thin—becomes more apparent causing the appearance of dark circles to be more obvious.