Everyone knows that if you do not get enough rest, dark circles under your eyes can let the world know you are tired. This occurs in the young and old, which is why we equate dark circles with the need for rest. However, dark circles are more common as you get older and may have nothing to do with getting enough sleep.
Lack of hydration is often the reason dark circles appear when you are tired. Your body balances your hydration when you sleep, and lack of sleep can pull water from beneath the skin under your eyes, allowing the dark blood vessels underneath to show and cause dark circles. However, not all dark circles are caused by coloring, but can be a shadow from bags under the eye.
Aging and Dark Circles
As you get older, it is common to lose fat under the skin in the face. Bone and other facial tissues can also diminish, causing hollows under the eye. This can cause a darkening under the eyes that make you look “old and tired” even if you feel young and energetic. Bags under the eyes also can occur as you get older as the skin, tissue and fat fall due to gravity and a loss of elastin in the skin. Bags can create shadows under the eyes, making you tired.
Treatments for Dark Circles
There are some creams that can help hydrate the skin or lighten darker skin, helping reduce the appearance of dark circles. Other non-surgical options include using dermal fillers to plump under the eyes to reduce bags, shadows and hollows that cause dark circles. For permanent removal of dark circles, eyelifts, cheek lifts and implants in the upper cheek can be used. Consult a plastic surgeon that specializes in oculoplastic surgery to learn more about surgical and non-surgical options for removing dark circles.
Posted on behalf of:
Kami Parsa, M.D.
Oculoplastic Surgery
465 N Roxbury Dr. Suite 1011
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
(310) 777-8880