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Dealing with Dark Under Eye Circles
Dark under eye circles are a cosmetic challenge many a woman faces as she gets older. Granted there are some people for whom age isn't a factor. But for most of us, it's just one more thing that sneaks up over time, until one day we look in the mirror and ask ourselves, "how did I get so tired-looking?". Since shadows under the eyes can make even the most energetic and upbeat of women look tired and gloomy, hiding them is usually a top priority. Getting rid of them altogether is even better!
What causes dark circles to form in the first place?
The most common reason for under eye circles is a thinning of the natural fat pad under the eye, which results in a sunken-in appearance. (Loss of fat under the skin is a normal part of aging). Hollow contours cast shadows, giving the illusion of darkened skin under the eyes, even when skin tone hasn't changed. Another part of the aging process is often an increase in the number of blood vessels in the skin below the eyes. Since the skin here is thinner and more translucent than elsewhere, the blue color of the veins shines through. That's also the most common reason for dark circles in younger people. Some women just have more than their share of blood vessels under their eyes. Prominent cheek bones and deep set eyes can also create the kind of hollow contours described above.
One more change that occurs with age is that tiny capillaries in the skin can weaken and become leaky. This leakiness can lead to a pooling of fluid in the area and hemoglobin, which is the pigmented part of the blood, can accumulate in these fluids. If you combine all of this with inflammation caused from chronic sun damage, and the downward pull of gravity, you have more than just dark circles. Now you have shadows and puffiness -- a real double whammy! And as if that weren't bad enough, hormonal changes and allergies can make all of this even worse.
OK, now that we know where they come from, how do we get rid of them?
There's no magic formula that will erase dark circles overnight, so the first thing to do is find a good way to camouflage them. A good cover-up will restore your radiant-looking, well rested appearance almost instantly. Cosmetics experts agree that you should choose a cover up with a yellow base to counteract the blue tones in your skin. And be careful not to use one that's too white, or you'll have a reverse effect -- instead of dark circles, you'll have bright white circles under your eyes!
Another thing to consider is whether your eyes are irritated from allergies, contaminated cosmetics, pollutants in the air, etc. If your answer to the problem is to constantly rub those irritated, watery eyes, then you're going to make the problem a whole lot worse. Plus, all that rubbing is going to wipe away the nice cover up you just put on, and grind that irritating mascara deeper into your eyes. Find out what's causing your eyes to burn, itch, and/or tear in the first place, and do whatever you need to do to clear up the problem.
Grandma may have been right after all.
Although some remedies are so old they seem like clichГ©s, they really do work. It's true that cool cucumbers placed over the eyes can reduce inflammation, thanks to certain enzymes contained in them. And moist, cool tea bags can shrink those puffy under eye areas rapidly, due to the anti-inflammatory effects of chemicals called tannins. Be sure to use real (caffeinated) tea bags, since those are the only ones containing tannins. Herbal teas, decafs, and infusions won't do the trick. Caffeine has the
added benefit of drawing water from the skin, so it works in tandem with the tannins.
Remedies from the lab...
If you're ready to go a little more high tech, Vitamin K products are known to benefit those problems caused by too many veins. It has also been show that topical vitamin A by-products such as retinol can be used in combination with vitamin K for an even more
When all else fails...
Cosmetics and home remedies can be very effective. But for some women, the results are disappointing . If you suffer mostly from thin, sunken skin and don't have puffiness, you may be a candidate for fat transplantation. This method is not for everyone, due to cost and the fact that injections are involved (if you hate needles, you'll probably cross this one off the list!). But fat transplantation has become very popular as a way of correcting dark circles that simply won't respond to any other kinds of treatment.
Remember also - One of our most basic beauty essentials is sleep!!
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