What causes dark circles under the eyes?

What causes dark circles under the eyes?

Dark circles and bags under the eyes are common problems that many factors can cause. Luckily there are ways to get rid of them or at least decrease them and prevent them from happening in the future.

In order to know how to get rid of bags, you need first to understand what causes them in the first place. There are four leading causes for eye bags: 

• Allergies

• Lack of sleep

• Genetics

• Age

 Let's explore each one individually so you can see which is your biggest issue!

 Allergy

Many people are not aware of the connection between allergies and dark circles under the eyes. When you have an allergic reaction, your body produces histamines to defend itself against foreign invaders. These histamines can cause several symptoms, including itchy skin or sneezing, leading to blood vessel swelling and puffiness around the eyes. This is what causes dark circles under your eye area when you have allergies.

If you feel that allergy is causing you tired eyes, the best way to deal with it is to see a medical professional. Anti-allergic treatments are generally safe and effective and, of course, identify and avoid the allergen the thing(s) you are allergic to, such as the pollen of some flowers.

 Lack of Sleep

Insomnia (having difficulties falling asleep) is the most common sleep disorder affecting one in every three individuals, so you are not alone if you are having sleep problems. It is reported that chronic sleep deprivation is a risk factor for many health problems, including heart disease. Now new research reveals that sleep deprivation may also cause dark circles under the eyes due to an accumulation of fluid below the skin's surface.

“Let’s start by creating good habits”

Get enough sleep

Stay hydrated

Reduce the stress in your life

How can N E R I N E™ Eye Cream help?

 The formulation addresses this problem by combining active peptides such as octapeptide SNAP-8, Leuphasyl Peptides, Tetra-Peptide and vitamin C. As shown in the scientific studies listed below, these peptides have been proven to reduce the appearance of wrinkles while vitamin C to induce collagen and elastin formation (1-5). In addition, the formulation contains Eyes­eryl®, a peptide developed by Lipotec, USA, which stimulates the drainage of fluids, helping remove the fluids accumulated under the eyes.

 Vitamin C not only enhances skin structure but also decreases melanin formation, lighting the skin. Finally, the cream also contains caffeine, which tones the blood vessels making them less visible. So, as you can see, this is an integral, all-around cream that addresses all the causes of dark circles and bags under the eyes. The result is a gradual decrease in the bags under the eyes and improving the dark shades. Together with the skin gaining in tone, which translates to a reduction of wrinkles, the brighter look of your eyes will be soon noticeable.

So, the next time you find yourself with bags under your eyes or a lack of tone in your skin, consider giving this product a try. It has been shown to work on even sensitive skin types and is clinically studied for its effectiveness. You won't regret it!

  1.         M. Avcil, G. Akman, J. Klokkers, D. Jeong, A. Celik, Efficacy of bioactive peptides loaded on hyaluronic acid microneedle patches: A monocentric clinical study. J Cosmet Dermatol 19, 328-337 (2020).

2.         A. Kluczyk et al., Argireline: Needle-Free Botox as Analytical Challenge. Chem Biodivers 18, e2000992 (2021).

3.         R. Hata, H. Senoo, L-ascorbic acid 2-phosphate stimulates collagen accumulation, cell proliferation, and formation of a three-dimensional tissuelike substance by skin fibroblasts. J Cell Physiol 138, 8-16 (1989).

4.         S. T. Boyce, A. P. Supp, V. B. Swope, G. D. Warden, Vitamin C regulates keratinocyte viability, epidermal barrier, and basement membrane in vitro, and reduces wound contraction after grafting of cultured skin substitutes. J Invest Dermatol 118, 565-572 (2002).

5.         J. H. Jeong, M. B. Kim, C. Kim, J. K. Hwang, Inhibitory effect of vitamin C on intrinsic aging in human dermal fibroblasts and hairless mice. Food Sci Biotechnol 27, 555-564 (2018).

What can be done?

Although insomnia can be a symptom of other health issues such as depression, it is most often caused by environmental factors affecting your life and the quality of sleep. For example, you are dealing with stressful situations at work or in your social life, or not having the right "sleeping conditions" due to noise, light, or engaging with social media during sleep time. In addition, the use of stimulants before going to sleep, such as caffeine and alcohol, can add to the problem. 

Sometimes, making small changes addressing the causes contributing to your insomnia can have a tremendous positive impact on improving the quality of your sleep. However, if the problem persists, we recommend you seek professional help in sleep disorder clinics, helping people like you daily.

 Genetics

Some people also experience dark circles under their eyes because they produce too much melanin in that area. Melanin is the pigment that gives colour to the skin. The amount of melanin produced by the skin is genetically controlled. Because the melanin absorbs light, it creates a shadow. In these cases, the options are limited as the skin is programmed to work that way. However, using products to reduce skin pigmentation such as our Moisturiser for Hyperpigmented Skin, could help.

 Age

The most common cause of dark circles is associated with age and age-related skin changes. The area under your eyes is heavily vascularised, meaning that there are many fine blood vessels behind the skin, which normally cannot be seen when the skin is thick and healthy. However, as we get older, the skin becomes thinner and less elastic, resulting in the skin becoming more transparent and the dark tissue behind creating the dark circle. At the same time, the skin is less capable of keeping its tone, and small water retention can result in the formation of puffy eyes. Given that hormonal changes can affect water retention maintaining well balances the body's electrolytes by being well hydrated will do wonders for alleviating puffy eyes.