It goes way beyond not getting enough sleep.
When you spot those pesky dark circles
under your eyes, is your lack of sleep the first thing you blame? While
getting a decent amount of shut eye is incredibly important, being
tired isn't the only reason your skin appears red, purple, and even a
little blue. These are seven other things that could be keeping the area
under your eyes from looking their best and brightest.
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1. Your parents passed on bad genes.
That's
right — your parents could be to blame for your dark circles. "There
are hereditary conditions that run in families that can lead to darkness
under the eyes," explains New York City dermatologist Dr. Bruce Katz,
Director of the Juva Skin & Laser Center in New York. "This is very
common in people with Mediterranean backgrounds." The good news: if
it's pigmentation, there are specific lasers dermatologists can use that
can help you get rid of it.
2. Eczema could be leading you to rub.
While
the eczema itself may not lead to the dark circles, the constant
rubbing and itching most certainly can. "Excessive rubbing can lead to
increased swelling, inflammation, and broken blood vessels in the eye
area, which can give the skin a dark, almost bruised appearance," says
dermatologist Dr. David E. Bank, Director at The Center for Dermatology, Cosmetic & Laser Surgery in Mt. Kisco, NY.
3. Allergies can make you itchy.
Skin
conditions like eczema aren't the only health concern that can cause
your under eye woes. "Allergies often trigger histamines in the body
which cause blood vessels to dilate," explains Dr. Bank. "Since the skin
on our eyelid and under eye area is some of the thinnest in the body,
it may cause those swollen blood vessels to appear darker than the rest
of the face." Long story short: Take care of those allergies ASAP, then
your derm can treat the pigmentation.
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4. Your makeup could be irritating you.
It seems counterintuitive — makeup is supposed to cover up those dark circles,
right? But if you're using a product, whether it's a mascara,
eyeshadow, or even concealer, that bugs your skin, it could be leading
to worsened circles. "Some people develop allergic reactions to makeup,
and they get circles from the irritation, rubbing, and scratching,"
warns Dr. Katz. If you notice your eyes are looking a little rough after
using that trendy new eyeliner, perhaps steer clear.
5. Your bone structure could be to blame.
Surprisingly,
your circles could have nothing to do with your actual skin — it could
simply be the way your face is shaped. "When people have deep tear
troughs under their eyes, the shadowing and indentation can cause the appearance of darkness,
but it's not actually from pigment or veins," says Dr. Katz. If this is
your personal dilemma, Dr. Katz says fillers from a certified pro can
even out the eye area.
6. Veins can give you a blue tint.
If
your eye areas look particularly blue, it could simply be your blood
vessels. "Blue veins under your eyes look dark, too, so it makes the
eyelids and under eyes appear to have dark circles, but really it's just
the veins under the skin," explains Dr. Katz. Try using one of these concealers to cover 'em up.
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7. You're not protecting your skin from the sun.
You
may think heading outside could brighten up your skin, but not if you
let your delicate under eye area get too exposed. "Eyelid skin is the
thinnest in the body, so sun damage shows up quickly in this area in the
form of dilating and increased blood flow," says Dr. Bank. "As a
result, you can see a dark glow or color through the transparency of the
skin." Just another reason to wear SPF!
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