Dark circles - get away and remove

synonym

Halonation of the periorbital eye region

English: eye creams

Definition of dark circles

Dark circles under the eyes are primarily dark skin changes under the eyes and sharply defined shadows, the causes of which can be varied.

How do dark circles occur?

Dark circles under the eyes appear as shady, dark skin changes under the eyes. In most cases they are sharply delimited, but can also merge with normal skin color in a diffuse color.

In most cases, the dark skin color of circles under the eyes is caused by overpigmentation of the skin or by the blood vessels showing through in this area. An acceleration of the blood circulation in the skin area under the eyes means that a particularly large amount of blood flows through this skin area per minute and passes through the vessels. The blood vessels in this area are very full and come into closer contact with the overlying skin. The circulating blood shimmers through from the outside and impresses as a dark color of the well-perfused skin area. Other regions around the eyes are less well supplied with blood, and so there is a strong delimitation.

In addition to the coloring of the skin under the eyes from increased blood flow, there are several other causes of dark circles. A pigment increase in the area of ​​the skin under the eye should also be mentioned here. This can be congenital or acquired.
The causes of congenital overpigmentation of the skin are largely unknown. A hereditary factor plays a crucial role in this. With overpigmentation, more pigments are closer to each other in a smaller area than with normal pigmented skin areas. The increasing density causes the skin to darken.

In some cases it occurs at Allergy sufferers to a ring in the eyes. The dark circles are permanent in severe allergy sufferers, in less severely affected patients the dark circles occur only in one Allergy flare to days. In principle, rings under the eyes can occur with any allergy. Strikingly often, however, dark circles are related to the clinical picture of Neurodermatitis.
Severely affected atopic dermatitis patients have permanent overpigmentation mostly under the skin, which appear as dark circles. The exact cause of this overpigmentation is not known.

Dark circles are not painful, and do not affect the patient somatically. However, it should be emphasized mental Component, since permanently undercutting eyes often have a stigmatizing effect and often as Flaws be valid.

In addition to allergy sufferers, it can also affect numerous Deficiency symptoms to get dark circles. A difficult one Iron deficiency can cause dark circles under the eyes to a considerable extent. Most people who suffer from under-eye circles regularly or irregularly, however, tend to have one cause acute or chronic overexertion. This can just as well be a long screen work that is carried out over many hours without breaks, as well as one chronic lack of sleep.

At lack of sleep there is long stress on the areas around the eye Muscleswhich leads to an increased need for oxygen in these so-called periorbital eye muscles. The result is an acceleration of the blood transport to these muscles. It comes to the above described Increased blood flow the periorbital region (skin area around the eye). This increased blood flow is reflected in the darkening of the eyes, Fatigue dark circles arise.
This type of reaction arises in all areas of the body where there is one Malnutrition and Overuse of the structures under the skin. In the eyes, however, this phenomenon is particularly clearly visible, since the skin is particularly thin here, so the blood can shimmer through here particularly clearly.

Dark circles are for medical reasons almost never required treatment. In addition, the treatment of dark circles is very difficult. As a rule, the cause of the dark circles should be found and remedied. For inherited overpigmentation of the skin under the eyes, therapy options are very limited and mostly are plastic-surgical Treatments reserved. Even with chronic allergy sufferers, this does not mean that good treatment of the allergy will make the dark circles disappear. Dark circles that have arisen from a chronic overload situation are easier to treat.
Here those affected should Reduce workload and take frequent breaks. Screening work should be interrupted regularly and the eyes closed for a few minutes to relax the eye muscles. Furthermore, chronic lack of sleep should be reduced and avoided. With consistent implementation of the general protection the dark circles disappear very quickly.

Please also read our article on this Consequences of lack of sleep

Illustration of dark circles

Figure dark circles (A, B) and muscles of the eye area (C)

a - Constant overpigmentation
b - Blood vessels show through
c - pigment growth
d - allergy
e - neurodermatitis
= Atopic eczema
(Chronic skin disease)
f - deficiency symptoms
(Iron, vitamin C, zinc)
g - overexertion
h - Chronic lack of sleep

  1. Lateral tendon hood muscle -
    Epicranius muscle
  2. Upper lid plate -
    Superior tarsus
  3. Lower lid plate -
    Inferior tarsus
  4. Eye sphincter
    (Eye ring muscle) -
    Orbicularis oculi muscle
  5. Small zygomatic muscle -
    Zygomaticus minor muscle
  6. Upper lip lifter -
    Levator labii superioris muscle
  7. Nasal alar elevator -
    Levator labii superioris alaeque nasi muscle
  8. Nasal muscle -
    Nasalis muscle

You can find an overview of all Dr-Gumpert images at: medical illustrations

Causes of dark circles

Dark circles are a sign of an increased need for oxygen in the eye muscles.

There are numerous Causes of eye bags.
The most common Cause are

  • Overexertion and
  • too few or too short rest periods.

If the eyes are strained, it comes to one increased Oxygen demand the muscles and skin that surround the eye. An accelerated one results Delivery of blood.
The skin under the eyes is thin that Blood vessels shimmer just under the skin and are visible from the outside when the rapidly flowing blood is below the surface.

Another point is that at Overexertion the body tries to get more blood for the overused organs, but on the other hand the blood less oxygenated is than in a rested metabolic situation. More oxygenated blood is always darker than blood freshly loaded with oxygen. Another reason why the skin under the eyes shimmers dark. The dark skin is not sharply demarcated. The dark-looking areas of the skin settle annular under the eye and impress as dark circles.

Another reason for dark circles are allergic reaction. To date is a cause not exactly knownwhy heavy Allergy sufferers also struggle with dark circles under the eyes. It is noticeable, however, that especially patients with Neurodermatitis mostly chronic Have dark circles. One theory is that the skin under the eyes is particularly thin and therefore sensitive, and for you Atopic dermatitis flare-up is always particularly badly affected. Repetitive attacks put such stress on the skin under the eye that it becomes one Darkening comes.

With some Metabolic diseases dark circles under the eyes can also occur. So here would be the so-called Cryptopyrroluria to call. It is a substance that is excreted in the urine when the disease occurs. In addition to numerous other symptoms, dark circles are often the first sign of these rarer ones Illness.

Furthermore, some Deficiency symptoms lead to dark circles under the eyes if left untreated. Above all, this would be a difficult one Iron deficiency disease which can lead to dark circles in a very pronounced stage. Also a pronounced one Vitamin C deficiency or a Zinc deficiency can make itself visible in the form of dark circles. If dark circles appear for the first time, deficiency symptoms should also be excluded and eliminated in addition to the other numerous causes. For diagnosis, a complete blood count with the corresponding one is here vitamin- and Trace element determination necessary.

You can find a lot more information on this topic at: Cause of dark circles

Dark circles from iron deficiency

Iron deficiency is one of the main causes of dark circles.

An iron deficiency can be responsible for the appearance of dark circles. This occurs mainly in women. Often there are other symptoms in addition to the dark circles, such as cracked fingernails, on. Will the Iron deficiency fixed, the dark circles usually disappear again.

Iron can be taken as a supplement to food in the form of tablets. However, enough iron for the body's needs can usually be ingested through food. In some women or even young girls, it can be due to the Menstruation there is severe iron loss, which requires the use of iron tablets.

Iron is found in animal foods, but also in fruits and vegetables. Are particularly ferrous Pork liver, Blood sausage and egg yolk. But also millet, White beans, oatmeal and Peas Herbal products contain a lot of iron. Oranges and Lemons are also a good supplier of iron.

Dark circles in men

Dark circles bother men just as much as women, because it stands for an irregular lifestyle and at work you quickly get rumored to party all night long.
It is therefore understandable that both genders want to declare war on the dark circles and do something about it. It is important to first of all get to the bottom of the cause and eliminate them, as this can often have a better effect on the dark circles than through external treatment or simply covering the dark circles.

Important measures against dark circles are therefore also in men

  • Drink plenty of water
  • get enough sleep
  • balanced diet (see "Paleo Diet")
  • Exercise three times a week

In addition, an eye cream that contains caffeine, hyaluronic acid or similar ingredients can support the regeneration of the eye area (especially in the evening).

Dark circles in women

No woman likes dark circles and yet many are affected. The causes are very different. lack of sleep and stress are the most common causes of dark circles. If these deficits are corrected, the dark circles usually disappear again. Also Sedentary lifestyle, Nicotine or wrong Diet can be reflected in the eye area. Especially in women there is often an iron deficiency or another Vitamin deficiency the cause of this. But women can also do one genetic predisposition for dark circles. Another cause can also be chronic diseases or Medication side effects be.

The eye area is very susceptible to reflect external influences such as stress, as the skin there is very thin at half a millimeter. There is hardly any fatty tissue here, but there are many blood vessels that shimmer through the thin skin. If the factors that are responsible for the dark circles are eliminated, the dark circles usually disappear again. If this is not the case, it should be clarified whether there is a deficiency symptom or an allergy.

Women are plagued by dark circles significantly more often than men. On the one hand, this is due to the fact that Women overall have thinner skin than men and so the blood vessels are clearly visible through the skin even with small changes. On the other hand, women are usually more bothered by having dark circles than men.

Women can act against their dark circles in a number of ways. The simplest method is that Concealment with suitable make-up. Before doing this, the eye area should be adequately hydrated and cooled. By cooling the eyes, the eyes look fresh and swell again. For this you can cooling eye creams or but cold picklesthat are placed on the eyes. A massage of the bags under the eyes up to the nose can also have a decongestant effect on the dark circles. When choosing an eye cream, care should be taken to ensure that it contains mainly natural ingredients so that the skin is not additionally irritated. A Insider tip in the treatment of dark circles is the use of hemorrhoid ointment. This has a decongestant and blood circulation-inhibiting effect, but it should no Contains cortisone. The ointment can be mixed with the normal day cream. If none of these methods help, there is an option to have dark circles surgically removed. However, this involves high risks and should be considered carefully.

Dark circles in children

If children have dark circles, this is the case Lack of sleep is rarely the cause. Rather, they are Expression of many causal complaints.
This includes a stuffy nose or a allergy.
An inflammation in the nasal passage and a congestion of the nasal secretions ensure that the veins around the child's eyes expand and thus appear darker.
Since the skin in children still is thinner than in adults, the vessels in the eye area quickly become visible. In these cases, the cause for the expansion is usually hay fever or an allergy, but it can also be inflammation lead to a blocked nose and the resulting enlarged vessels, which are expressed in dark circles. After treating the blocked nose, the dark circles usually disappear again quickly.

The children suffer from Neurodermatitis, it can also cause itching, swelling and dark circles around the eyes. The incidence of the disease is increasing in industrialized countries.

Dark circles can also inherited become. Then the cause is one increased pigmentation the skin, one that casts shadows Shape of the eye socket or similar. The hereditary dark circles let through at a later age cosmetic surgery improve, but should remain untreated in childhood if possible, if there is an independent improvement in the course of development.

Chronic lack of sleep, a frequent unprotected stay in the Sun or a lack of fluid intake also leads to dark circles in children. Especially in the context of Gastrointestinal diseases Ensure that there is sufficient fluid intake and, if necessary, bring the child to the hospital, as children have fewer reserves than adults.
Iron deficiency, vitamin C- Deficiency or other nutritional deficiencies can lead to dark circles under the eyes in both children and adults.

How can you best hide dark circles?

There are various options for concealing dark circles. First of all, the Eyes chilled and with Hydrated so that a good foundation is created. Drink a lot and adequate sleep are also important so that no dark circles appear permanently. Also one balanced nutrition is important.

To cover the dark circles is best a Concealer. This should be chosen one or two shades lighter than the actual skin complexion. In this way, dark areas are brightened and the natural freshness effect is achieved. Concealer is available as a powder or with a creamy texture. Powdery conealers can also dry out the skin, so it should not be used on dry skin. Creamy concealer is applied point by point under the eyes and gently patted in.

Older women shouldn't use too much concealer as it can collect in the wrinkles around the eyes. If the dark circles are very pronounced, a corrector can be applied before the concealer. This can be used to hide dark circles under the eyes. These shimmer around in one reddish tone, the corrector should be selected in green. Bluish dark circles can be covered with pink will and brownish-purple with a Yellow or orange tone. Then the make-up can be applied. This should also be good for the Skin type be coordinated.

Can you remove dark circles?

The best remedy for dark circles is rest and relaxation.

the easiest method Removing dark circles is the treatment of the triggering cause. In the simplest case, the person concerned should

  • more Rest breaks indulge,
  • longer sleep and
  • often exhausting Screen work interrupt.

At allergic Treatment of the cause is in principle also for patients possible. In severe allergy sufferers, the Frequency of attacks medication often reduces the accompanying dark circles not prevented become.

In case of Deficiency symptoms should be the missing vitamin or Trace element are fed into the body and care is taken that the level does not drop again.
Next to the dark colored skin are Grooves often accompanying and round off the image of haloned eyes from. The main type of treatment in the operating sector here are mainly the Injected cavities. This is what the substance is for Hyaluronic acid which is also present in the body and especially in the plastic surgery are very often used for corrections.
Depending on how deep the dark circles are, correspondingly high doses are used Hyaluronic acid used. The amount ranges from 0.25 ml to 1 ml. After the injection, one should take about 1 month Repetition as the hyaluronic acid is broken down again by the body at certain intervals.

The dark skin under the eyes can also be tried lighten. There are numerous skin lightening agents Skin creams, which should also be applied to the skin at regular intervals to reduce the overall effect of the dark circles. In addition to plastic-cosmetic medicine, there is a whole range of cosmeticswhich are offered for sale on the open market. These funds promise the successful and permanent Removal of dark circles and To reduce the haloed effect.

Most Creams and Substances do not keep what they promise, especially since they have to be reapplied at regular intervals. costs for plastic medical treatment are in almost none Case covered by a health insurance company and must be covered by those affected. In some cases it comes to be very strong mental charges through the dark circles. In this case it can be a psychological one Assessment and there is a slim chance that the cost of dark circles treatment will be paid, even if only proportionally.

Cover dark circles

If immediate relief of dark circles is necessary or desired, then covering the dark circles works best. The face gets a kick of freshness, looks livelier and the dark circles under the eyes are hidden for a few hours.
Before covering the dark circles, moisturizing care of the sensitive area around the eyes is necessary so that the covering product does not settle unattractively in wrinkles caused by dryness. After the care has been absorbed well, the covering can then begin.

It is important to choose a suitable concealer for covering the dark shadows. With light gloss pigments, dark circles can also be brightened, as the light is reflected in this way.
The product should be one tone lighter than the natural skin tone and have a creamy or liquid consistency.

It is also possible to prime the dark circles with a concealer in an orange tone so that the blue cast is balanced out (complementary colors!) Before the actual concealment tone comes over it.

The concealer is distributed point by point in a semicircle under the eye, gently patted in and the transitions blurred.

Inject under dark circles

If the dark circles are to be treated medically, there are now gentler methods as an alternative to surgery.
Here, the thin tissue under the eyes is injected and thus padded. Either one uses one's own fat for this or Hyaluronic acidwhich is then injected under the thin layer of skin. The skin layer becomes thicker as a result and the many fine blood vessels are no longer transparently visible.

Autologous fat injection

In the Autologous fat variant fat is sucked out of the buttocks, thighs or stomach and then injected under the eyes to plump up the thin skin there. The remaining part of the removed fat cells can be frozen so that it is available for possible follow-up treatments of the eye area.

Injection with hyaluronic acid

Hyaluronic acid is an important component of connective tissue in the entire human body and can store enormous amounts of water, which keeps the connective tissue plump and the skin taut.
Hyaluronic acid can now be produced artificially, so that with this method no tissue has to be removed from the body before the procedure.

Risks
Both interventions are medical interventions and so there are also possible risks and side effects with the injection of dark circles. These include bruises, swelling and bumps in the eye area. In extreme cases, nerve damage can also occur.

costs
Injecting dark circles under the eyes is one of the medically unnecessary interventions and for this reason is not covered by health insurance companies. The costs of the intervention are therefore to be borne by yourself:

  • per treatment with hyaluronic acid: approx. 500 - 1500 euros
  • per treatment with autologous fat: approx. 3000 euros.

Both procedures are performed on an outpatient basis, so that there is no overnight stay in the clinic, but the patient can go home on the same day.

Home remedies for dark circles

To treat the eye bags You don't always have to buy expensive creams or use treatments. First of all, you can also try to remove the dark circles with the help of classic home remedies:

Tea / tea bags

Cold but still moist bags can be used against the dark circles black tea or Camomile tea help. To do this, draw two bags of the tea in hot water and then let them cool in the refrigerator. If the tea bags are cold, they can be placed on the closed eyes for 10 to 15 minutes. Instead of the cold tea bags, lukewarm ones can also be used. The tea and its ingredients should soothe the eyes, the cold also helps to reduce puffiness. In principle, it doesn't matter which type of tea is used. Teas containing caffeine, such as green or black tea, should also constrict the blood vessels due to their caffeine content.

Milk & Quark

In order to be able to apply the milk to the eye, a cotton pad is soaked in the milk and this is then placed on the eye for 10 minutes. In addition to milk, cold quark can also be applied under the eyes, which can then take effect for up to half an hour. After that, the curd should be washed off with water.

potato

A raw potato slice can also help to get rid of the dark circles. The potato slices are placed on the closed eyes for 10 to 20 minutes. The starch contained in the potato is supposed to reduce the unsightly dark circles.

Cold teaspoon, ice cubes & water

Put a teaspoon in the fridge or freezer and take it out when it's cold enough. Then place the teaspoon with the round side on the eye. Alternatively, ice cubes, chilled / frozen vegetables or special eye cooling glasses that can be bought can be used. If you have to go quickly in the morning, it can help to wash your face with cold water.

Cucumber slice

From a cucumber (preferably from the refrigerator) cut two slices and place them on the eyes for about 10 minutes. The cucumber slices provide moisture and at the same time help against puffiness of the eyes when cooled.

almond oil

Put a few drops of almond oil on the dark circles and massage gently into the skin, preferably leave it on overnight and repeat several days a week. The almond oil is said to keep the skin firmer and help against dark circles. The massage also promotes drainage via the lymph vessels.

Less salt in the food

If you use too much salt, the body tends to retain water, which can also be noticeable in puffy eyes, bags under the eyes or dark circles. It can therefore help to reduce the salt content in food and no longer salt every dish.

Read a lot more information on this topic at: Home remedies for dark circles

Dark circles in the baby

Even in babies, dark circles can develop.

However, the cause does not always have to be a disease. Children have thinner skin around their eyes than adults.
If the skin type is also very light, even in babies the blood vessels can shimmer through the skin as dark circles. Another harmless cause can be the genetic predisposition to dark circles.

If there are many family members with dark circles in the family, a genetic cause is very likely. However, the dark circles can also occur due to illness. If the baby suffers from an infection or gastrointestinal flu at the same time, the formation of dark circles under the eyes in babies can indicate a lack of fluid.
This should be taken into account, as hydration is important as a treatment. Therefore, advice should be sought from a pediatrician if there are additional symptoms that indicate an infection. Also in the context of a cold, a cold or an allergy, dark circles can form around the eyes due to the blocked nose.

Furthermore, even in babies, the dark circles can indicate insufficient sleep. A regular daily rhythm is therefore important for babies. Therefore, when developing noticeable dark circles, care should be taken to ensure that the baby is getting enough sleep.

Definitions

  • dark circles under the eyes
    the dark color of the area below the eyes is usually congenital or caused by insufficient sleep.
  • Remove dark circles
    If your dark circles are not caused by fatigue or other factors, there is the possibility of an operation to remove them.
  • Dark circles in children
    when children have dark circles under the eyes, a lack of sleep is rarely the cause. The dark circles are more likely to be caused by allergies, inflammation, neurodermatitis, etc.
  • black circles under the eyes
    Dark circles can also be very dark to black, which can be caused by excessive fatigue.
  • chronic dark circles
    For most people, dark circles occur depending on the situation and are e.g. caused by tiredness; However, there is also the chronic form in which the dark circles are always there.
  • Dark circles causes men
    In men, too, the cause of dark circles is usually lifestyle and can be caused, for example, by too much work and too little sleep.
  • red circles under the eyes in children
    Red circles under the eyes also occur in children. Causes can be, for example, an allergy, lack of sleep, inflammation or neurodermatitis.
  • Iron deficiency dark circles
    A pronounced iron deficiency can also lead to dark circles, which is more common in women.