It’s six in the morning. The alarm clock rings in a shrill tone that seems much louder than usual. Mondays are not nice days. Especially not when last night ended up being longer than planned. When you get to the bathroom, you dare to take a look in the mirror and realize what you feared: bluish shadows surround your eyes, swollen eyelids make it difficult to blink. Dark circles are a nuisance, make us look tired and are also difficult to get a grip on. But we declare war on the dark shadows!
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How are dark circles formed?
Dark circles are dark coloring of the skin areas around the eyes . As a rule, this discoloration is not a sign of a disease, but a purely cosmetic problem. Dark circles can be treated with creams or surgical procedures.
Two different mechanisms can trigger dark circles under the eyes:
- Excess pigmentation (hyperpigmentation)
Our skin contains special pigments, so-called melanins, which help determine the color of our skin. The more of them there are, the darker the skin layer appears. If the melanins accumulate more in certain areas, this is referred to as hyperpigmentation or melasma.
In the area around the eyes, this shows up in the form of blue-grey circles under the eyes. Hyperpigmentation can be caused by:
- Strong UV radiation (from sunbathing or solarium)
- Rashes and inflammation of the skin (e.g. due to an allergy, neurodermatitis or a contact allergy)
- medicines or drugs
- Hereditary Conditions
- Translucent Vessels
The condition of the skin can also be a cause of dark circles under the eyes. Since the area under the eye and the subcutaneous fatty tissue are particularly thin, blood vessels in this area can shine through. This quickly makes the areas around and under the eyes appear shadowy. How much the blood vessels shine through varies from person to person. It depends on the skin type and the thickness of the subcutaneous fat. Fair-skinned and slim people are often affected. Especially when there is stress, tiredness, too little exercise or a lack of fluids and sleep, the blood builds up and shimmers through the skin in the form of dark circles.
Other causes of dark circles are:
- lack of sleep
- dehydration
- malnutrition
- Increased alcohol and nicotine consumption
- iron deficiency
- environmental toxins
- Kidney or thyroid disease
Age changes can also cause dark circles. Because the skin loses substance and becomes looser. This helps the vessels shine through more.
SOS Beauty Tips:
- Tap the eye area lightly with a finger to stimulate blood circulation. This can help a lot with slight fatigue shadows.
- Creams and fluids containing caffeine stimulate blood circulation and the blue shadows are reduced. In addition, they provide moisture to let the eyes shine again.
- Covering concealers ensure an alert look. Tip: Liquid concealers are ideal because powder usually gets caught in the fine lines around the eyes and makes the skin look old. Apply just a small amount of concealer to the inner corner of the eye and pat into the first third of the eye. Save the outer eye area, because this way you avoid the well-known “owl’s eyes”.
- For Tenacious Shadows:
- After a sleepless night, the eyes are usually not only surrounded by shadows, but also swollen. Ice offers the solution here. Wrap ice cubes in a kitchen towel and place them on your eyes. Wait 2-3 minutes. Optionally, cooled chamomile tea bags on the eyes also help.
long term helper
- The most common reason we get dark circles under our eyes is lack of sleep. The ideal would be to sleep eight hours a day. It is understandable that this seems impossible for many because of work, family and other everyday to-dos. But it should be at least three eight-hour nights a week. Even more important than the number of hours is maintaining an even sleep rhythm, i.e. always going to bed and getting up at the same time. This is the best way for the body to recover, the skin to relax and the blood to circulate.
- Smoking and an unhealthy lifestyle with a lot of alcohol and a greasy diet promote the development of dark circles. So be healthy and change your diet. Worth it!
- It’s not a new trick, but it’s still very effective! Drink enough water, at least two liters a day. This ensures good blood flow throughout the body, including under the eyes.
- Sufficient exercise and fresh air stimulate blood circulation and make the rims of the eyes disappear.
- Dark circles can also be a sign of a deficiency. This is how shadows appear under the eyes when you suffer from an iron or magnesium deficiency. If dark circles appear suddenly and for no apparent reason, it is advisable to consult a doctor.
Effective home remedy
Grate equal amounts of cucumber and potatoes and squeeze out the juice. After about 2 hours in the fridge, the juice is nicely chilled and can be picked up with two cotton balls and placed on your closed eyes. Leave it on for about 15 minutes. Potatoes have an anti-inflammatory effect and cucumber provides important moisture.
Genetic Dark Circles
Genetically caused circles under the eyes, which usually cast yellowish or brownish shadows, are the result of hyperpigmentation in the eye area . Creams with highly concentrated vitamin A can be the solution here. The vitamin, which is also found in pumpkins and potatoes, gradually lightens the skin.
