Causes of Circles Under Eyes

Under-eye circles, otherwise known as dark circles, black circles, blue luggage, rings, raccoon eyes or panda eyes, plague even the famous and beautiful. Abe Vigoda, Benicio Del Toro and Keira Knightly are just a few of the celebrities who have under-eye circles. While millions of people have them, and the so-called cures are many, there are just a few real causes of under-eye circles.

Definition

Under-eye circles are just what the name implies. Affecting both men and women, and sometimes children, infraorbital circles are medically defined as a set of conditions that present as excessive dark rings around the eyes.

Heredity

Rings run in families. They are generally an inherited trait, much like complexion or freckles, and have no underlying medical cause. Because the skin around the eye is thin, blood that passes through the veins near the surface shows through the skin, casting a bluish hue. The thinner and more translucent the skin, the darker the circles.

Pigmentation

Both fair-skinned and dark-skinned people are affected by dark circles. The Mayo Clinic reports that an irregular amount of skin pigmentation around the eyes is sometimes associated with people of color, including blacks and Asians.

Sun Exposure

The sun not only tans the body, but darkens under-eye circles as well. Too much exposure to the sun raises melanin levels and brings the melanin to the surface of the skin, producing a darker tint around the eyes. Wear sunglasses to prevent further discoloration of the area.

Congestion, Allergies & Ezema

Nasal congestion and allergies can dilate the blood vessels around the nose and eyes, producing an effect that appears as dark smudges. Eczema, often accompanied by hay fever, may cause dark circles as well. Rubbing your itchy eyes because of allergies or eczema can also exacerbate the problem.

Aging

With age, dark rings often become more obvious and permanent. Aging produces thinner skin and a loss of fat and collagen, which causes the rings to become more pronounced.

Other Causes

While heredity is the primary cause of under-eye circles, the Mayo Clinic lists a number of other factors that may worsen the condition, including smoking, alcohol and caffeinated drinks. In addition, the paleness that occurs during pregnancy, menstruation, fatigue, a cold or sinus infection has the tendency to accentuate dark circles.

References

• WD
• Mayo Clinic
• Symptoms Their Causes & Cures; Alice Feinstein, ed; 1994

Resources

• Beauty Den