What are dark circles?

Dark circles are deep marks located on the eyelids and under the eyes, with coloring formed by the large concentration of blood vessels or melanin, dark circles are divided into:

Vascular: bluish due to excess fluid retention, accumulation of hemoglobin and poor blood circulation, the region is usually swollen.

Pigment: brown dark circles caused by excess melanin around the eyes, hormonal factors and sun exposure, is a type of melasma caused by the accumulation of melanin in the thin skin of the eyes.

Sanguines: has a purplish color

Deep: The eyeball cavity is deeper and has a brown collar.

Cause of dark circles

Dark circles can arise from several factors and it varies according to each type, but among the main causes of dark circles are:

• Buildup of vessels and poor blood circulation
• Sleepless nights and physical fatigue
• Excess melanin
• Heredity
• Respiratory diseases
• Smoke
• Consumption of alcohol and drugs
• Sleep with makeup
• Bone structure of the face

Treatment for dark circles

There are several creams and treatments to soften the appearance of dark circles, but for each type a specific treatment is necessary, so it is recommended to visit the dermatologist to indicate the best option for your dark circles. But there are still some options that are indicated most of the time for each type of dark circles.

Vascular dark circles: intense pulsed light, laser and lymphatic drainage are the best options for these dark circles, filling with hyaluronic acid is indicated for those who have very thin skin.

Pigmented dark circles: thioglycolic acid peels and lasers help to depigment the area of brown spots, whitening cosmetics with alpha arbutin can also be used in these dark circles.

It may also be necessary to use creams to assist and complement the treatment.

Products and actives indicated for dark circles

• Kojic acid
• Ferulic acid
• Phytic acid
• Thioglycolic acid
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin K
• Pher resorcinol
• Retinol

Brighteners that contain these assets in the formula help to soften the appearance of dark circles.

How to take care of dark circles at home

It is not possible to treat deep dark circles at home because they require effective treatment, but for superficial dark circles (when they become swollen) from a sleepless night or tiredness, you can take care of them at home with a few tricks.

Iced Chamomile Tea Sachets: Chamomile tea is an antioxidant, and a natural anti-inflammatory that constricts blood vessels and encourages the vessels to return to normal size, thus decreasing the purplish appearance of the eyes.

How to use: apply the iced chamomile tea sachets to the eyes, leave it on for 10 minutes, remove and rinse with cold water.

Cucumber slices: Cucumber contains flavonoids in its composition, they help reduce puffiness, soothe the skin and lighten dark circles.

How to use: cut two slices of chilled cucumber, put it on your eyes for 15 minutes, then wash your face with cold water

Cold water compresses: ice water helps to shrink the vessels and reduces dark circles, it's a great solution for those superficial dark circles.

How to use: make cold water compresses and apply on dark circles for 20 minutes.

Gauze soaked with milk: milk has great properties for those who have dark circles, it lightens, moisturizes and renews the skin.

How to use: soak pieces of gas or cotton in iced milk and place under dark circles for 15 minutes, then wash your face with cold water, the result will be slightly lighter dark circles.

It is worth remembering that these homemade tricks slightly reduce dark circles, it is not as effective as a whitening treatment or cream.

How to prevent dark circles

Improve sleep quality: it is recommended that a person sleep at least 8 hours a night, during sleep our skin is completely renewed, sleeping less than that causes dark circles to appear.

Avoid excessive exposure to the sun: it is essential that you apply sunscreen daily (especially if you are going to be exposed to the sun), the eye area is thin and very delicate, so, if possible, apply an appropriate cream for the area.

Decrease consumption of alcohol and cigarettes: alcohol also causes fluid retention, and this reflects on dark circles that are much more swollen, since smoking contributes to dark circles under the eyes.

Have a good diet: eat healthy foods and reduce the amount of salt in your food, sodium can cause fluid retention and make the eye area swollen.

Remove makeup completely: sleeping with makeup is bad for the skin in several different ways, if the makeup is in the eye area it's even worse, because it will cause dark circles.

If you wake up with dark circles and don't have time to do a trick to reduce it, you can disguise it with makeup, they are true allies to hide unwanted dark circles.

Apply a concealer according to the shade of the dark circles:

Purple or brown under-eye circles: yellow concealer

Bluish dark circles: coral concealer

Orange dark circle: blue concealer

Apply the concealer drawing an inverted triangle on the dark circles, give light taps to spread the product.Then apply a layer of concealer similar to your skin tone, and then apply a tinted foundation or sunscreen all over your face.

Habits that can make dark circles worse

• Sun exposure without protection
• Scratching eyes
• Sleepless nights
• Premature aging
• Makeup residues.

Dark circles are boring, right? But it's very common, if it's a genetic problem, you can do many treatments but they don't disappear completely, other types of dark circles can improve but depending on your habits and care, they can come back, so take good care of them.

Do you have dark circles? What type? How do you take care of them?