Wednesday, May 6, 2015

Tips to Improve Dark Circles under the Eyes from Dr. Poinsette


We have all seen these circles and probably had them for one reason or another. There are five main reasons they occur, and each cause has different symptoms and requires different treatment. Read below for how you can reduce the appearance of dark circles.

Bags Caused by Fat Pads
Bags are caused by increased fat below the eye. The best solution is called blepharoplasty which is removal of this extra fat and lid by a plastic or dermatologic surgeon.

Puffiness
Puffiness occurs because the skin below the eye is very thin and sensitive to fluid collection. The loose thin skin around the eyes can swell for various reasons including seasonal allergies, sinus infections, crying, or water retention from high blood pressure or eating food high in sodium.  Suggestions for treating this puffiness include:

1. Treating seasonal allergies with over the counter allergy medications or see your doctor for prescription allergy or sinus infection medication.

2. Switch your sleep position. Sleeping on your stomach or sides can encourage fluids to collect under your eyes. Try sleeping on your back and add an extra pillow under your head.

3. Avoid rubbing your eyes, going to bed with makeup on, and harsh cleansers. Anything that irritates the eyes can cause fluids to pool.

4. Place an ice pack, slices of cucumber, or even a package of frozen peas on eyes. This causes tightening of the vessels around the eyes and can lessen puffiness.

5. Some eye puffiness can be the result of an underlying medical condition (thyroid, heart, or kidney diseases) especially if the eye bags appear suddenly and none of the above conditions apply. These conditions can cause fluids to be retained under the eyes.

Hyperpigmentation
Hyperpigmentation or darkness of color of the skin around the eyes is very common in darker skin types. Genetics, rubbing, and inflammation from skin diseases, such as, eczema may play a part in exacerbating the pigmentation of the thin under-eye skin.  Recommendations include:

1. Avoid rubbing the area around the eyes.

2. Retinoic acid creams (Retin-A, Tazorac, tretinoin) can help slough the dark pigmented skin. It should, however, be used in small amounts with increasing use over several weeks to avoid irritation.

3. Skin lightening creams with azaleic acid, glycolic acid, and hydroquinone have shown success in lightening the under eye darkness.

4. Light chemical peels and IPL (Intense-pulsed light) may help minimize the pigmentation especially if it seems to be the result of sunlight.

Tear Trough
Tear Trough or hollows under the eyes are caused by a loss of volume in the area and shows up as a dark circle. It can be caused by genetics, significant weight loss, and the aging process that causes the loss of fat in the area. The best way to treat this problem is with a filler like Restylane or Juvederm, etc.

The skin around the eye becomes thinner with age as well which causes the blood vessels to be more easily seen. This can lead to a bluish tone to the skin under the eye which casts a dark shadow under the eye making the area appear dark or sallow. This can be helped by eye creams that contain caffeine which constricts these vessels. Lasers can also be used to treat the larger veins.

Wrinkles
Wrinkles can be improved with Botox and laser resurfacing.

In addition to these solutions, there are some other daily steps you can take to reduce the dark circles, including the application of sunscreen and moisturizer, avoid smoking and use a concealer that is a slightly lighter color than your skin tone.  


If your at home treatment of your dark circles is not earning you the results you want, come see us at Greenville Dermatology. We can assess the reason behind your dark circles and figure out a treatment plan that will improve your look. Call us at (864) 242-5872 to schedule an appointment today.

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