Under eye circles can be caused by a number of different things: lack of sleep, sinus problems, sun exposure, age, allergies, smoking, and even genetics. The appearance of undereye circles results from where the bone along the orbit of the eye transitions to just skin. Naturally, there may be a groove in this area that makes the undereye appear hollow, shadowed, and thus darker. The skin is also very thin in this area, allowing the underlying structure to be seen through the skin. Blood vessels and muscle can all be slightly seen through thin skin, again making the area appear dark or pigmented. There are several different approaches to help manage and treat this troublesome issue that many of us suffer from. This includes prevention, treatment, and the benefits of cosmetic procedures for under eye circles. This information will hopefully help you decide which approach (or combination of them!) to take, and which ingredients to look for in products designed to help get rid of those dark circles.
1. Prescription Retinols
Products that include a retinol, especially prescription strength retinols such as Renova are an essential part to a good skincare regimen. Retinols helps with cell turnover and collagen synthesis, and can be used for restoring and reviving skin around your eyes by thickening the collagen to help reduce wrinkles and crepy texture. Retinols can be a bit irritating to use, so make sure you follow the correct directions.
2. Eye brighteners and depuffers
Brightening ingredients such as Vitamin C can reduce the appearance of dark circles by inhibiting melanin which causes pigmentation on the surface of skin. Eye creams with caffeine also can help reduce puffiness and the appearance of undereye bags. At The Derm Institute one of our favorite eye creams is Neocutis Bio-Restorative Lumiere Eye Cream, which contains caffeine, for depuffing, Vitamin C for brightening, along with PSPs (or Processed Skin Cell Proteins) that harnesses the power of growth factors and cytokines to boost skin thickness. It is also packed full of anti-oxidants such as green tea extract to firm the skin This is an ideal all in one product for dark undereye circles and is available for purchase at The Derm Institute.
3. Fillers and Peels
One of the most powerful ways to address undereye darkness, circles, and sometimes even puffiness are in-office procedures such as chemical peels and hyaluronic acid injectable fillers. Products such as Restylane are sugar molecule gels that can be administered under the eye through a syringe, leaving the undereye area lifted and brightened dramatically. By adding volume back into the undereye, the skin here can be filled in to smooth out any negative contours, effectively eliminating the dark color and shadowing, and erasing the perceived tired look. Not all dermal fillers can be injected in this area, as have more of a tendency to lump than others. Placement is also extremely important, as too superficial placement can lead to a bluish visible tint under the skin. Here at The Derm Institute, Dr. Chiu is an injection instructor, and has extensive experience in addressing this area, including the use of microcannula technique to reduce bruising if necessary.
Physician-grade medium to deep chemical peels including the Phenol Peel can also be used to lift superficial pigmentation, sunspots, address wrinkles and refresh the texture ,
The best part about these procedures is that they can lead to rejuvenation lasting over a year, contact us to find out more!
