What Are Dark Circles?

Periocular discoloration is the clinical name for what most people just call dark circles. It means the skin around the lower eyelid looks darker or more shadowed than the rest of your face.

Whether you would call yours dark circles depends a lot on how they look to you. The usual causes are genetics, extra pigment, the color of the blood vessels sitting underneath, the shape of your face, and not sleeping enough.

Why does periocular discoloration affect facial aesthetic?

They tend to make people look tired and a little older than they are. They are not always black, either. Some are dark brown, some blue, and some closer to purple.

Plenty of people are fine with theirs and leave them alone. Others would rather soften or get rid of them for cosmetic reasons.

What causes periocular discoloration?

Dark circles do not all share the same color, and that color is a useful clue. Knowing which type you have points you toward the treatment that will actually help.

Purple periocular discoloration

If your circles look purple, it usually means you have a medium-dark to dark skin tone and a genetic tendency toward them. Pigmentation can cause this type too. (1)

Blue periocular discoloration

Blue circles most often come from a lack of sleep and a stressful, sedentary lifestyle. If you have allergies, they can make things worse by adding a bluish tint. (2)

Brown periocular discoloration

Brown circles tend to show up with age and a genetic predisposition. On fair skin, the skin can be thin enough that the blood vessels underneath show through, which is not a great look. (3)

Shadowed periocular discoloration

When you lose weight quickly, you also lose fat from under the eyes, and a groove forms there. That groove makes the eyes look sunken, which casts the shadow that reads as dark circles. (4)

Other risk factors

1. Nonwhite ethnicity

Dark circles are more common in people with darker skin, thanks to differences in pigment and the amount of melanin in the skin. (5)

2. Genetic predisposition

If dark circles run in your family, there is a good chance you will develop them at some point yourself. (6)

How to prevent periocular discoloration?

There are plenty of ways to reduce dark circles, and some can clear them entirely. Just remember that what works well for one person may do nothing for you.

Get enough sleep

Poor sleep and ongoing fatigue are tied to darker circles under the eyes. If your skin is pale, they can make you look even paler. When sleep and stress are the cause, getting seven to eight hours a night can clear them up. (7)

Elevate your head

Before bed, prop your head up with an extra pillow. Keeping it raised cuts down on the puffiness that comes from fluid pooling in the lower lids. Those bags deepen dark circles and make them stand out more. (8)

Cold compresses

When the blood vessels under your eyes dilate, the circles look worse. A cold compress tightens those vessels, which softens the circles over time.

Reduce sun exposure

Wear sunglasses to keep the skin under your eyes out of the sun and away from UV rays.

Moisturizers

Some good over-the-counter moisturizers can clear dark circles and other discoloration. The best ones usually contain caffeine, aloe vera, retinol, vitamin C, or hyaluronic acid.

Cucumber

Thick cucumber slices help with dark circles, especially the bluish kind. Lay them over your eyes for 10 minutes, then rinse with water. Doing this twice a day works best.

Almond oil and vitamin E mixture

A mix of almond oil and vitamin E is surprisingly effective. Apply it to your face before bed each night and rinse it off with cold water in the morning. It helps fade dark circles and clear out your pores.

Vitamin K and caffeine mixture

Studies show that rubbing a mix of caffeine and vitamin K around the eyes can noticeably reduce fine lines and wrinkles.

Tea bags

Steep caffeinated tea in warm water, then chill the bags in the fridge for a few minutes. Lay them over your eyes for a little while, then rinse. The caffeine softens fine lines and wrinkles and tightens the skin under the eyes.

How to treat periocular discoloration?

There are several ways to treat dark circles. Pick the one that suits your situation, since not every method works for everyone.

Skin-lightening cream

Your dermatologist might suggest a skin-lightening cream with azelaic acid, glycolic acid, or hydroquinone. Most are available over the counter, but it is worth checking with your doctor before you try one. (9, 10)

Laser therapy

Dark circles often come from cells damaged by oxidative stress. Lasers can target those cells and their darker pigment, then break them down with heat. They can lighten the darker areas and help your skin build new collagen. (11, 12)

Chemical peeling

Your dermatologist may also recommend chemical peels to lighten the area and fade the circles. Peels usually use retinoic acid, hydroquinone, or glycolic acid, and some doctors blend in lactic acid, salicylic acid, and resorcinol. (13)

Blepharoplasty

If your dark circles come from fat building up in the lower lid, blepharoplasty can help. Removing that fat reduces the shadow the eyelid casts, which softens the circles. (14)

Under-eye fillers

If your dark circles come from lost volume under the eyes, fillers may be the best fix. They replace the missing volume, and the circles fade as a result.

Restylane and Juvederm are the usual choices here. Both are hyaluronic acid fillers that restore volume and tighten the skin noticeably. (15)