How To Get Rid Of Dark Circles Under Eyes

Expert advice on how to get rid of dark circles under eyes and some of the causes and treatments for them. Inlcuding advice for men.

Dark Circles Under Eyes

How To Get Rid Of Dark Circles Under Eyes

We all suffer with them from time to time: dark circles under the eyes. What causes dark circles under eyes varies - from sleepless nights to genetic reasons. In this article you can read about the causes and ways to remove dark circles under your eyes for both men and women.

What are dark circles under eyes?

Dark circles under eyes are actually the visible effect of blood vessels that darken when your body does not get enough oxygen or moisture. It’s not surprising that the eyes are the first to be affected: the skin under the eyes is very thin, because it contains no fatty tissue. Instead, you will find many blood vessels and lymph nodes there. If the body does not get enough oxygen or fluid, the blood flows more slowly and is darker in colour. These blood vessels are visible through the fine, almost transparent skin under the eyes. Depending on your skin type, the shadows under your eyes will be brownish or bluish. In some families, dark circles are genetically determined - meaning that the very thin skin around the eyes is hereditary.

Read on for everything you need to know about how to get rid of dark circles under eyes and dark circles under eyes treatment.

What causes dark circles under eyes?

What causes dark circles under eyes varies from person to person. They often appear when you have had too little sleep, but there are plenty of other causes for dark circles around the eyes.

Both men and women can experience dark circles under their eyes, but they are particularly common in these groups of people:

- Those with darker skin tones are more prone to hyperpigmentation
- Older people having thinner skin, which becomes more prone to dark circles under eyes
- People with some medical conditions, such as thyroid issues

While some people might be more prone to it than others, there are many causes of dark circles under eyes and most of us will suffer from dark circles under eyes at some point.

Let’s take a look at what causes dark circles under eyes:

What causes dark circles under eyes?

1. Lifestyle

Our way of life is often one of the biggest causes of dark circles under eyes. Sleeping through the night, drinking too much wine or smoking causes too little oxygen in the blood - which can lead to dark circles under eyes.

healthy diet to combat dark circles under eyes

What causes dark circles under eyes?

2. Diet

Your diet can also be one of the causes of dark circles under eyes. If you eat unhealthily, you will often be deficient in vitamins and minerals - the first sign of a lack of vitamin C and zinc can be dark circles under your eyes. Iron deficiency anaemia, a condition where the blood is lacking red blood cells, can also cause dark circles under eyes.

What causes dark circles under eyes?

3. Medical reason

Dark circles under the eyes are often harmless, but they can also have a medical cause, which you should always discuss this with your doctor.

Medical reasons behind dark circles under eyes include:

- Anaemia (Iron Deficiency) - low iron levels in the body resulting in a poor supply of oxygenated blood to the skin, including under the eyes
- Thyroid issues - thyroid disease can create fluid retention, particularly around the eyes, and this puffiness can lead to dark circles under eyes
- Psoriasis or eczema on the face - these conditions inflame and irritate the skin, which can lead to redness or darkening of the skin. They also tend to be itchy, and rubbing the area will further exacerbate dark circles under eyes

What causes dark circles under eyes?

4. Allergies

Do you suffer from hay fever and rub your eyes a lot? Frequent rubbing causes irritation to sensitive skin and can exacerbate dark shadows under the eyes.

What causes dark circles under eyes?

5. Screens

Sitting in front of your computer for long hours puts a lot of strain on your eyes and can make blood vessels around the eyes enlarge, sometimes causing dark circles under eyes.

What causes dark circles under eyes?

6. Stress or anxiety

Underlying psychological causes? Stress at work, or in your personal life, or general anxiety can also be reasons for dark circles under your eyes.

What causes dark circles under eyes?

7. Being tired

For many of us, this is the most common reason for dark circles under eyes.

Not getting enough sleep can make the skin dull and pale, showing up dark tissues and blood vessels beneath the skin. Sleep deprivation can also cause fluid to build up below your eyes making your eyes appear puffy. Sometimes, what appears to be dark circles under your eyes may be shadows cast by puffy eyelids. Conversely, oversleeping can also cause dark circles under eyes.

What causes dark circles under eyes?

8. Ageing

Dark circles under eyes are more common as we age, as the skin becomes thinner and loses its fatty tissue and, with it, its bounce and elasticity. Thinner skin around the eyes allows the blood vessels beneath your skin to become more visible and the area to appear darker.

Puffy eyes also develop as we age and, again, what we see as dark circles under eyes may be the shadow puffy eyelids cast or hollows under your eyes that develop as a normal part of ageing.

What causes dark circles under eyes?

9. Dehydration

When your body is lacking water, the skin around your eyes can become dull and your eyes look saggy and sunken due to the close proximity of the bone around your eyes.

What causes dark circles under eyes?

10. Genetics

Dark circles under eyes can be inherited. Studies have found if someone has dark circles under their eyes, these are likely to appear in other family members.

What causes dark circles under eyes?

11. The sun

The skin on our eyelids is the thinnest in the body and so particularly susceptible to sun damage and hyperpigmentation - which can show up as dark circles under eyes. Be sure to apply sun cream to the delicate eye area to avoid dark circles under eyes.

Now that we know what causes dark circles under eyes - how do we get rid of them?

How to get rid of dark circles under eyes

Are you wondering how to get rid of dark circles under eyes? Don't worry, you can prevent dark circles with a few simple tricks. To start with, get enough sleep and drink plenty of water. Home remedies and special eye creams for dark circles can also help to get rid of, or camouflage, dark circles under your eyes. Specialised products that contain ingredients designed to target dark circles under eyes will also help to revitalise the skin around your eyes.

How to get rid of dark circles under eyes:

Get longer and better better sleep - some experts believe sleeping on your back with your head slightly raised will help reduce dark circles under eyes
Drink plenty of water - dry skin is a major cause of dark circles under eyes
Cut down on your caffeine - coffee, in particular, can be dehydrating and sap the brightest from the skin around your eyes
Exercise - working out stimulates blood flow which helps to keep skin looking healthy
Wear sunglasses on sunny days to reduce hyperpigmentation and help to prevent the appearance of dark circles under eyes
Quit smoking - smoking cigarettes and inhaling second-hand smoke worsens dark circles
Work to reduce stress levels - healthy lifestyle habits can help to decrease the appearance of dark circles - this includes reducing your alcohol intake and upping the amount of fruit and veg you eat

woman smiling without dark circles under eyes

Dark circles under eyes treatment - eye creams

woman using eye cream to avoid dark circles under eyes

Dark circles under eyes treatment include eye creams that can help to reduce their appearance. They provide the skin with important ingredients that have a positive effect on the thin tissue under the eyes. Do you want a younger look? Then use the NIVEA Q10 Plus Anti-Wrinkle Eye Contour Cream. This formula contains the same active ingredients as those found in the skin, helping to reduce wrinkles and dark circles under or around the eyes.

Cellular Luminous630 Anti-Dark Circles Eye Treatment Cream treats three main causes of dark circles; pigmentation, dehydrated skin and puffy and dull skin to visibly reduce dark circles under eyes.

How do you use eye cream? Gently tap eye creams into the skin and do not rub: use your fingertip and pat from the inner corner of the eye outwards.

Products For Dark Circles Under Eyes

Dark circles under eyes treatment - the best home remedies for dark circles

Black tea helps to reduce swelling and releases antioxidants to the skin. Try placing two cold tea bags on your closed eyes for 10 minutes. This will help to freshen the skin and reduce dark circles under eyes!
A massage with almond oil for better blood circulation. Gently massage the skin around your eyes with a few drops of oil, always working from the inside out.
Cucumber is a proven method for getting rid of dark circles under eyes. They contain many vitamins and have a high moisturising effect. Try putting cucumber slices on your closed eyes to help combat dark circles under eyes.
First aid from the fridge: Special eye masks with gel, that you keep in the fridge, are a slightly more expensive solution - but effective. They help to narrow the lymphatics and blood vessels around the eyes, which in turn helps to reduce the appearance of dark circles under eyes.

Dark circles under eyes treatment - tinted day cream

Whether your dark circles are genetically determined or you haven't had enough sleep, a miracle cure to camouflage dark circles or bags under your eyes is concealer. Concealer is available in stick form or as a thin cream. Preferably choose a shade lighter than your natural skin tone or the makeup you use. The rule is: a small amount is enough to hide dark circles. Apply the concealer directly under the eye with a fine brush or with your fingertips and spread evenly. Gently blend the concealer colour with your skin tone so you don't see the contrasting circles.

Skin-plumping collagen and hydrating hyaluronic acid are key to diminishing dark circles under eyes. Thinning skin and dull, dehydrated under eye skin are common companions of dark circles under eyes.

Dark Circles Under Eyes Men

Dark circles under eyes treatment - for men

As we've covered, when it comes to dark circles under the eyes, men and women can experience them. Perhaps you're wondering how to hide or get rid of dark circles? While there are a variety of products that can help, it's important to remember that men and women have slightly different skin.

With this in mind, NIVEA offers a men's eye cream for dark circles, designed specifically to improve the skin beneath the eyes. The NIVEA MEN Anti-Age Hyaluron Eye Cream is a fast-absorbing moisturising cream enriched with Hyaluronic Acid to reduce bags under the eyes and signs of tiredness that men may experience. It can visibly reduce deep wrinkles and firm the skin below the eyes while providing 24 hours of hydration.

Discover NIVEA MEN face care