Periorbital dark circles are dark blemishes around the eyes. There are many causes of this symptom, including

heredity Heredity, also called inheritance or biological inheritance, is the passing on of traits from parents to their offspring; either through asexual reproduction or sexual reproduction, the offspring cells or organisms acquire the genetic inform ...

and

bruising A bruise, also known as a contusion, is a type of hematoma of tissue, the most common cause being capillaries damaged by trauma, causing localized bleeding that extravasates into the surrounding interstitial tissues. Most bruises occur clos ...

Causes

Anatomical factors

Bony structure and prominence of the

orbicularis oculi muscle The orbicularis oculi is a muscle in the face that closes the eyelids. It arises from the nasal part of the frontal bone, from the frontal process of the maxilla in front of the lacrimal groove, and from the anterior surface and borders of a short ...

can contribute to infraorbital dark circles. Skin in the lower eyelid is very thin which accentuates subdermal features.

Allergies, asthma, and eczema

Any condition that causes the eyes to itch can contribute to darker circles due to rubbing or scratching the skin around them.

Hay fever Allergic rhinitis, of which the seasonal type is called hay fever, is a type of inflammation in the nose that occurs when the immune system overreacts to allergens in the air. Signs and symptoms include a runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, red, i ...

sufferers in particular will notice under-eye "smudges" during the height of the allergy season. Also, dark circles from allergies are caused by superficial venous congestion in the capillaries under the eyes.

Medications

Any medications that cause blood vessels to

dilate Dilation (or dilatation) may refer to: Physiology or medicine * Cervical dilation, the widening of the cervix in childbirth, miscarriage etc. * Coronary dilation, or coronary reflex * Dilation and curettage, the opening of the cervix and surgic ...

can cause circles under the eyes to darken. The skin under the eyes is very delicate, any increased blood flow shows through the skin.

Anemia

The lack of nutrients in the diet, or the lack of a balanced diet, can contribute to the discoloration of the area under the eyes. It is believed that

iron deficiency Iron deficiency, or sideropenia, is the state in which a body lacks enough iron to supply its needs. Iron is present in all cells in the human body and has several vital functions, such as carrying oxygen to the tissues from the lungs as a key ...

and vitamin B₁₂ deficiency can cause dark circles as well. Iron deficiency is the most common type of

anemia Anemia or anaemia (British English) is a blood disorder in which the blood has a reduced ability to carry oxygen due to a lower than normal number of red blood cells, or a reduction in the amount of hemoglobin. When anemia comes on slowly, th ...

and this condition is a sign that not enough oxygen is getting to the body tissues. The skin can also become more pale during

pregnancy Pregnancy is the time during which one or more offspring develops ( gestates) inside a woman's uterus (womb). A multiple pregnancy involves more than one offspring, such as with twins. Pregnancy usually occurs by sexual intercourse, but ca ...

and

menstruation Menstruation (also known as a period, among other colloquial terms) is the regular discharge of blood and mucosal tissue from the inner lining of the uterus through the vagina. The menstrual cycle is characterized by the rise and fall of hor ...

(due to lack of iron), allowing the underlying veins under the eyes to become more visible.

Fatigue

A lack of sleep and

mental fatigue Fatigue describes a state of tiredness that does not resolve with rest or sleep. In general usage, fatigue is synonymous with extreme tiredness or exhaustion that normally follows prolonged physical or mental activity. When it does not resolve ...

can cause paleness of the skin, allowing the blood underneath the skin to become more visible and appear bluer or darker.

Age

Dark circles are likely to become more noticeable and permanent with age. This is because as people get older, their skin loses

collagen Collagen () is the main structural protein in the extracellular matrix found in the body's various connective tissues. As the main component of connective tissue, it is the most abundant protein in mammals, making up from 25% to 35% of the whole ...

, becoming thinner and more translucent. As facial fat descends and fat volume decreases, the somewhat inflexible ligaments can result in orbital rim and facial hollowing.

Photoaging Photoaging or photoageing (also known as "dermatoheliosis") is a term used for the characteristic changes to skin induced by chronic UVA and UVB exposure. Tretinoin is the best studied retinoid in the treatment of photoaging. The deterioration ...

has similar effects. Hemoglobin breakdown products such as

hemosiderin Hemosiderin image of a kidney viewed under a microscope. The brown areas represent hemosiderin Hemosiderin or haemosiderin is an iron-storage complex that is composed of partially digested ferritin and lysosomes. The breakdown of heme gives rise ...

and

biliverdin Biliverdin (latin for green bile) is a green tetrapyrrolic bile pigment, and is a product of heme catabolism.Boron W, Boulpaep E. Medical Physiology: a cellular and molecular approach, 2005. 984-986. Elsevier Saunders, United States. It is the pi ...

can leak from the vascular contributing to pigmentation changes. Circles may also gradually begin to appear darker in one eye than the other as a result of some habitual facial expressions, such as an uneven smile.

Sun exposure

Prompts your body to produce more melanin, the pigment that gives skin its color.

Periorbital hyperpigmentation

''Periorbital hyperpigmentation'' is the official name for when there is more

melanin Melanin (; from el, μέλας, melas, black, dark) is a broad term for a group of natural pigments found in most organisms. Eumelanin is produced through a multistage chemical process known as melanogenesis, where the oxidation of the amino ...

produced around the eyes than is usual, giving them a darker color.

Treatment

At one time,

hydroquinone Hydroquinone, also known as benzene-1,4-diol or quinol, is an aromatic organic compound that is a type of phenol, a derivative of benzene, having the chemical formula C6H4(OH)2. It has two hydroxyl groups bonded to a benzene ring in a ''para'' ...

solution was often mixed in an oil-free moisturizer that acted like a skin bleach. However the use of hydroquinone for skin whitening has been banned in European countries due to health concerns. In 2006, the United States

Food and Drug Administration The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA or US FDA) is a List of United States federal agencies, federal agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA is respon ...

revoked its approval of hydroquinone for over the counter preparations warning that it may cause cancer or have many other detrimental effects. The use of hydroquinone skin-whitening products can be toxic, harmful or lethal for humans. Modern treatments include topical creams that are marketed for the condition. Various ingredients have been researched, developed and included in these creams. For example, recently, chemical compounds called

alpha hydroxy acids α-Hydroxy acids, or alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs), are a class of chemical compounds that consist of a carboxylic acid with a hydroxyl group substituent on the adjacent (alpha) carbon. Prominent examples are glycolic acid, lactic acid, mandelic acid ...

(AHAs) have been added as a beneficial ingredient to creams for dark circles. Specialist treatments including

laser A laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of electromagnetic radiation. The word "laser" is an acronym for "light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation". The fir ...

and

intense pulsed light Intense pulsed light (IPL) is a technology used by cosmetic and medical practitioners to perform various skin treatments for aesthetic and therapeutic purposes, including hair removal, photorejuvenation (e.g. the treatment of skin pigmentation ...

skin surgery can also be used. A compounding cream of ''

Pfaffia paniculata ''Hebanthe erianthos'' (many synonyms, including ''Iresine erianthos'' and ''Pfaffia paniculata''), known as suma or Brazilian ginseng, is a species of plant in the family Amaranthaceae. The specific epithet is also spelt "''eriantha''", although ...

'', ''

Ptychopetalum olacoides ''Ptychopetalum'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Olacaceae, native to the Amazon rainforest. Indigenous name for the genus include marapuama, muirapuama and mirantã, translating roughly to 'potency wood'. The species are shrubs or ...

'' and ''

Lilium candidum ''Lilium candidum'', the Madonna lily or white lily, is a plant in the Lilium, true lily family. It is native to the Balkans and Middle East, and naturalized in other parts of Europe, including France, Italy, and Ukraine, and in North Africa, the ...

'' has also been reported as an effective treatments.

Low-level laser therapy Low-level laser therapy (LLLT), cold laser therapy, or photobiomodulation (PBM) is a form of medicine that applies low-level (low-power) lasers or light-emitting diodes (LEDs) to the surface of the body. Whereas high-power lasers are used in la ...

autologous Autotransplantation is the transplantation of organs, tissues, or even particular proteins from one part of the body to another in the same person ('' auto-'' meaning "self" in Greek). The autologous tissue (also called autogenous, autogene ...

fat transplantation and

hyaluronic acid Hyaluronic acid (; abbreviated HA; conjugate base hyaluronate), also called hyaluronan, is an anionic, nonsulfated glycosaminoglycan distributed widely throughout connective, epithelial, and neural tissues. It is unique among glycosaminoglycans ...

fillers are also alternative treatment options. In addition, many skin care ingredients can help in the form of eye creams. Caffeine is a potent vasoconstrictor that has been proven to improve the look of dark circles by constricting, or tightening, the dilated vessels under eyes. Vitamin C can help brighten hyperpigmentation as well as thicken the dermal layer of skin which conceals dark circles.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Periorbital dark circles Eye diseases Symptoms Periorbital conditions