No need to lose more sleep over dark eyes
As a beauty concern, dark under-eye circles would rank pretty high alongside radiance and redness. There are many myths surrounding the causes of this darkness; poor hydration, lack of sleep and stress are all thrown up as reasons. While some of these might be contributors, none are the root cause. We spoke with GP and skin expert Dr. Deborah Lee of Dr. Fox, Online Doctors, Prescriptions and Pharmacy, to discover the root causes of dark circles and how to care for the eye area.
Dr. Lee says, ‘Under-eye dark circles go by the proper medical name of periorbital hypermelanosis. There is a common theory that dark circles are due to lack of sleep, but in fact, there is little medical evidence to back this up. As the name suggests, under eye darkness is due to deposition of the pigment melanin in the thinner, more delicate skin under the eyes,’ she adds. ‘It tends to worsen with age due to skin sagging and loss of subcutaneous fat. Research has shown there is more deoxygenated blood in the periorbital tissues of those with under eye circles. This is said to be due to haemodynamic vasocongestion. The darkness is also made worse by dehydration, and they also tend to run in families, suggesting a genetic predisposition. However, although many people with dark circles report a lack of sleep, research has not been able to categorically link the darkness to sleep deprivation.’
Personally, I experienced a massive increase in under-eye darkness after a period of consecutive sinus infections, for these I had one laser treatment to clear away the deoxygenated blood. The treatment was painless, effective, and the treatment made a huge difference, so there is hope.
For mild darkness there is always a good corrective concealer, but what about general anti-ageing for eye area?
Dr. Lee suggests incorporating an eye cream into your regime around the mid-20s, but it’s never too late to start if you’re 10, 20, or even 30 years older than that.
She says, ‘Eye creams that contain retinol, speed up cell turnover and can be used from age 25. Retinol also stimulates the production of elastin and can help prevent the development of fine lines and wrinkles,’ she recommends. ‘Eye creams containing vitamin C – a potent antioxidant that can be used at any age from 18 onwards, and Hyaluronic acid which plumps out the skin, that can be used from age 20. If you start using these creams in your twenties, they will have the best chance of antiageing effects. However, there is no specific age at which starting to use them is mandatory.’