ABOUT
Dark circles which are often described as “Tired eyes” may be the result of facial ageing affecting both men and women of all ages. Dark eye circles and under eye bags make you look 10 years older than your current age.
CAUSES
- Facial Ageing
- Volume loss into the cheeks
- Thinning under eye skin
- Bulging under eye fat
- Lifestyle choices
- Less sleep
- Caffeine consumption
- Alcohol Consumption
- Smoking
- Hyper pigmentation caused by melasma
- Allergies
- Nasal Congestion
- Heredity
- Environmental Exposure
- Thyroid or Eczema
TREATMENT
Dark circles are treated by rectifying their cause, hence the treatment mode varies depending on the causative factor.
If multiple factors are leading to the dark circles then more than one type of treatment modality is warranted. Below are some of the recommended treatment methods
Dark Circle Eye Cream
It contains topical bleaching agents for skin lightening. It is recommended for dark circles caused by hyper pigmentation or sun damage.
IPL for eye circles
Vascular pigmentation issues under the eyes manifest as visible as dark purple or blue under eye circles, in this scenario IPL or Photofacial is recommended.
Laser Skin resurfacing and Chemical Peels
These methods work by increasing the collagen production, decreasing pigmentation and increasing the overall skin quality. These are most effective when used in combination.
Facial fillers for Dark Circles
When the cause of dark circle is due to thinning of skin or loss of facial fat, then hyaluronic acid fillers are injected into the skin to restore volume in the that particular area.
The body absorbs the Hyaluronic acid over a period of months in a year, thereby rendering the results only temporary. For permanent results a person’s own fat is recommended as the filler.
Fat injections
Fat is grafted from a suitable site in the patient’s body, processed and then injected into the tear troughs to treat the dark circles. These are typically recommended for dark under eye circles caused due to thinning under eye skin Or Fat and tissue loss in the under eyes or the upper cheeks.
The results are usually permanent but not always guaranteed as fat cells don’t always survive the transfer process.
Surgery
One of the most effective way to permanently treat dark circles is by Blepharoplasty aka eyelid surgery. This may done in combination with arcus marginalis release, placement of tear trough implants, and the addition, removal, or repositioning of under eye fat for effective results depending on the case.
Cheek Lift
Cheek descent, or drooping is a common result of facial ageing. In these cases a cheek lift or a mid-facelift can offer an effective and permanent remedy. This surgery also helps in reducing the under eye puffiness and deep nasolabial folds.
Dark Circle Creams
Over the counter creams rarely provide a long term solution with significant results , however they can offer a temporary solution for masking the dark circles.
Some of the commercially available ones are
- Sesderma eye patches
- C-Vit undereye cream
PREVENTION
The following are some minor remedies and life style modications which can be employed for an effective management of Dark circles
- Quit smoking and Alcohol consumption.
- Get good , timely ,regular sleep. Sleep deprivation often makes the dark circles obvious.
- Large sunglasses help protect eyes from Sun’s rays and thereby help in decreasing the pigmentation.
- Do not rub the areas around the eyes
ASSOCIATED COSTS
Click here for the cost for treating dark circles.