Camouflage: everything you need to know about dark circles under eyes. Viktoriia Kosareva

change the daily routine and reduce stress level, improve sleep and rest.

      Eye strain

      Long hours of any screen time (computer, smartphone, TV), reading in insufficient light put extra strain on eyes making the skin darken. Again, this is due to vessels and capillaries becoming more visible because of muscle spasm.

      Makeup

      This encompasses excessive skin exposure to various substances. For example, decorative cosmetics and/or skin care products that do not match the skin type and age can also provoke the appearance of dark circles. In addition, abuse of treatments including various beauty injections with side effects significantly weakens skin and makes it duller.

      One must remember that natural and salon tanning, neglecting sunscreen, especially during the strongest sun activity, also result in sad consequences. Excessive exposure to ultraviolet light stimulates melanin secretion, which affects colour of skin in general and of under eyes in particular. The skin does not have time to recover and dark circles appear as a response.

      Bad habits

      Smoking and alcohol abuse has a detrimental effect on health, including skin condition. Over time, face gets a tired look, losing elasticity and ability to resist harmful substances. In this case bruises under eyes become one of the most noticeable features.

      Frequent and excessive consumption of fast food, canned food, coffee, and some seasonings also affects skin health and can provoke dark circles appearance. The use of products containing sugar, especially refined, as well as trans fat, has a particularly negative effect on skin condition. According to the research of one of the cosmetic companies producing care cosmetics, sugars destroy cells from the inside, slow down collagen synthesis, which leads to early ageing. Circles under eyes are exactly the first sign of excessive sugar consumption.

      Natural causes

      This group includes age-related changes. By around the age of 50, skin becomes less fresh, collagen and elastin, responsible for firmness and elasticity, are not produced as actively as before, making vessels on eyelids visible.

      Another cause of eyelids getting darker with age has to do with subcutaneous fat. This is the lower layer of epidermis, which sits on muscles and capillaries. There is no such fat in some body areas, so, for example, the colour of lips differs from that of the rest of the face. There is subcutaneous fat in lower eyelids, but it is very thin. With age, this layer becomes even thinner, resulting in the bruising effect. By the way, it is also sometimes observed in infants: their subcutaneous fat has not grown yet.

      Diseases

      Dark circles under eyes can be a symptom of a number of diseases. That is why a person suddenly develops these circles, it is important to consult a doctor. Diseases causing under eyes bruises comprise, for example:

      • Allergies, including pollinosis and conjunctivitis, which may result in small swelling and redness, creating grey or purple circles under eyes.

      • Osteochondrosis, a disease when structure of intervertebral discs is disrupted, which leads to serious malfunctions not only of musculoskeletal system, but also of other body systems. Other symptoms include: tinnitus, dizziness, numbness of fingers, impaired vision, eye floaters, frequent pains and burning sensations in the neck, a “lump’ in the throat.

      • Sinusitis causes circles to appear due to inflammation and swelling of sinuses for being located close to eyes. The following is also observed: swollen nose and excessive nasal discharge, a constant feeling of an unpleasant sweet smell, a bad sense of smell, a strong cough in sleep and other unpleasant symptoms in the respiratory tract.

      • Skin hyperpigmentation: this ailment most often provokes the appearance of yellowish circles. However, it can be prevented even on prone skin. Deep moisturising is required as well as creams or concealers with high SPF protect, both chemical and physical, to ensure complete protection. Meanwhile, to lighten skin under eyes, one should use products consisting vitamin A, C and niacinamide (a form of niacin, vitamin B3).

      • Thyroid gland disorders: hyperthyroidism (hyper-function, i.e. excessive activity of the gland) or hypothyroidism (hypo-function, i.e. insufficient activity of the gland) also lead to dark circles under eyes. By the way, thyroid disorder is often confused with increased fatigue and exhaustion which are symptoms of the disorder.

      • Serious pathologies: circles under eyes (not necessarily dark in colour) can be a symptom of kidney, heart, or adrenal gland pathology; cholecystitis, iron deficiency anemia, helminthiasis, cancer, etc.

      Determining the colour of the skin under eyes is just one step in diagnosing a disease. If a doctor spots ill-looking dark circles in the patient, they can give them a referral for various examinations, such as:

      • general or/and biochemical blood test

      • blood test for trace elements and/or hormones

      • general urinalysis

      • stool test

      • chest X-ray

      • X-ray of the cervical spine

      • bronchoscopy

      • electrocardiography

      • echocardiography

      • kidney ultrasound

      • thyroid gland ultrasound

      • heart ultrasound

      • neck and head vessels ultrasound

      Perhaps, with tests results a general practitioner will refer a patient to a specialist, for example, to an ophthalmologist, cardiologist, endocrinologist or gastroenterologist for further examination and a prescribed treatment plan.

      In this case a permanent makeup artist will not be able to deal with circles under eyes, as first of all the primary cause, the disease, should be eliminated. Once it is done, the artist can correct the remaining blemishes. It should be said that camouflage copes with hyperpigmentation and its consequences easily, significantly improving the quality of life of the client.

      Other causes of dark circles under eyes:

      There are factors which cannot be attributed to any of the above groups. These are causes such as:

      • drastic weight loss: with significant weight loss in a short period of time, skin loses its tone and elasticity, metabolic processes are disrupted. It is important to note that significant and rapid weight loss can also be a symptom of a serious pathology;

      • lack of eye care and the area around eyes, which leads to thinning of skin, loss of elasticity and signs of premature ageing;

      • improper drinking regime: insufficient water intake leads to accumulation of salt in the body, which causes swelling, including area under eyes. Excessive drinking in the evening also provokes edema;

      • eating salty foods in large quantities causes swelling;

      • taking certain vasodilating medications.

      There are plenty of things causing dark circles under eyes. Some of them can be handled on one’s own and quite simply, for example, by setting up a sleeping and nutrition routine. Others can only be handles by doctors. But, regardless of the cause of dark circles, it is absolutely necessary to deal with them as they spoil life both mentally by reducing self-confidence and physically by reducing and the quality of life when they are caused by a disease or disorder.