Many of my clients complain about dark circles around the eye area. A new mom wrote in “Rachel, I am not getting much sleep these days my eyes have very dark circles around them and I can’t seem to get rid of them, what can I do about this?” Dark circles or hyper-pigmentation is caused for many different reasons one of the most common reason is rubbing/tugging at the eyes. Sometimes people do this unconsciously or it could be caused by wearing glasses that rub constantly against the skin. The most challenging thing about under eye circles is that for many people its apart of your DNA, this is why it is not uncommon to see small children with under eye circles. People from Mediterranean, Middle East and African cultures carry this trait and pass it down through generations. The sun is also a factor in what causes darkness. If your under-eye area is exposed to the sun on a regular basis, it is very likely you will have dark circles.
..Here are some things you can do to help….
- STOP rubbing or pulling at the skin around your eyes.
- Wear sunscreen year round, sun exposure increases the likelihood of hyper-pigmentation.
- Drink water!! Drink water! Drink water! At least 10 glasses a day, you need more if you are breastfeeding or work out.
- Moisturize and protect your skin by using an eye cream that contains vitamins C, E or K.
- As a daily treatment use cold tea bags as a compress for the eyes, caffeine contained in tea will help constrict the tiny blood vessels.
Don’t forget internal health issues are also linked to under eye circles, in particular the health of the colon, if your body is not eliminating waste as often as it should this can cause a dull, dark sluggish appearance to both the skin and eyes.
There are some things that only a licensed Skin Therapist can administer such as a chemical peel or use of professional products. Should you need more advance treatment contact a skin therapist of your choice. Always remember “Skin is the window to the body’s overall health”
