Dark Circles: What They Are, Causes & How To Treat Them

We all get them over time, whether we’re young or aging gracefully, we all fall victim to dark circles under our eyes. Why? Because there’s so many different things that can trigger it. From fatigue, to the natural progression of aging and more, you’re not invincible to those dark circles. 

On a positive note, since it is something that inevitably happens to all of us, there has been plenty of research into how we can reduce the look of dark circles. That’s why we’re here to let you know not just how to treat them, but about the causes, what they really are, and of course how to do your best to avoid them.

What are dark circles?

Let’s start with the basics -- what exactly are those dark circles under your eyes? Well, first and foremost, they’re extremely common. That’s because what they really are is a result of thinning skin under your eyes. 

When this happens,  your under eye blood vessels end up appearing more visible than ever before. As a result of this, puffy eyes happen which is due to the appearance of dark shadows and water retention under your eyes.

What are the causes?

Now that we know what these dark circles are, we can start talking about exactly what causes them. Fatigue is one reason, and what everyone believes to be the most logical explanation of these, and it makes sense. Tiredness does play a role in having dark circles under your eyes since when you’re sleep deprived, your skin can become paler than it normally is which makes those blood vessels far more obvious. Blood circulation in the eye area also tends to slow down, which makes blood to pool in this area. Capillaries (blood vessels) begin to stretch and leak, leading to puffy, dark eye circles. 

Like we mentioned though, there’s quite a few other factors, one being aging. As we all age, our skin around our eyes starts to thin out which is exactly what sparks dark circles. When it starts to this this is what makes them look more swollen and puffy. 

 If you have allergies, you probably notice dark circles more often as well since it can also be a contributing factor. Your body releases something called histamines when you have an allergic reaction, which is what can cause that itchy feeling and redness in your eyes. This leads to rubbing them to relieve that which causes irritation and puffiness which directly contributed to dark circles.

If you’re iron deficient or anemic, this is also a contributing factor. Why? Because of that insufficient amount of red blood cells as an anemic or iron deficient person, those cells cannot carry as much oxygen as they need through your skin. This includes that skin under your eyes and it can lead to dark circles. On top of that, those with anemia often see their complexion getting increasingly pale making it even more apparent.

Last one we’ll mention is alcohol consumption. We all love our glass of wine at the end of a long day, but it can also be a culprit to dark circles. With alcohol dehydrating your body it also does this to your largest organ -- your skin. It also causes blood vessels to dilate underneath your eyes which ends up making those dark circles more obvious. 

How to avoid them

 So, how can we try to avoid dark circles? Unfortunately, it’s difficult to. Almost everyone will experience them quite regularly in their lifetime because well, we all age! 

There are ways that you can work to try and avoid them though. First and foremost, think about your personal health! Get those 8 hours of sleep, relax when you’re stressed out, cut back on alcohol consumption and make sure you’re eating a healthy diet. 

That sounds like a lot, we know, but it doesn’t mean you need to do it all. These are all just contributing factors and changes you can make in your daily life. Of course, it’s also always a good idea to use an eye serum or cream (like our NEW Diamond Contour Ultimate Hydration Firming Eye Serum pictured above) to really keep your under eyes as hydrated and healthy as possible. 

How to treat them

If you regularly get dark circles under your eyes, or if you wake up one morning after a poor sleep, there are ways you can help decrease the look of them. We recommend using our Diamond Contour Ultimate Hydration Firming Eye Serum to help diminish the look of dark circles. Let us explain a little bit more about why this product helps. 

The Diamond Contour Ultimate Hydration Firming Eye Serum works to brighten, firm and smooth the area around your eyes. It works specifically to brighten those dark circles we’re talking about, the swelling and puffiness associated and also smooth the fine lines that inevitably come with age. 

This powerhouse uses 3 anti-aging peptides, 4 types of hyaluronic acid, liquid crystal and more to give that area just what it needs to fight what you don’t want to see.