 Acne
Dry Skin
Oily Skin
 Under-Eye
Wrinkles
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Cause
Under-eye dark circles and bags are a result of swollen blood vessels that cause the delicate under-eye skin to bulge. Additional causes of dark circles include:
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Shrunken under-eye fat pads and a deterioration of collagen & elastin that render the under-eye skin virtually translucent to the blood vessels just below the surface. |
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Dry under-eye skin, caused by damage to the skin's protective barrier (stratum corneum). |
A dense concentration of tiny blood vessels lies just below the surface of the under-eye skin. These blood vessels drain through the veins in the nose. They can become enlarged when there is: i) nasal congestion caused by allergies, sinus infection or colds; or ii) a build-up of toxins due to poor lymphatic drainage - brought on by factors such as, stress, fatigue, illness or overindulgence (e.g. alcohol). This swelling causes bulges (bags) to form just below the eyes; and their purplish color becomes more apparent through the paper-thin under-eye tissue – giving the appearance of dark circles.
Further, over time the anatomy of our face changes, which may pre-dispose some of us to develop dark circles as we age. The infraorbital fat pad (the fatty layer located just above the cheek bone and below the eye) becomes thinner. Also, the skin tissue itself thins, due to a deterioration of collagen & elastin (the connective tissues that give skin its firmness and elasticity). Together, these factors can make the under-eye skin virtually translucent to the concentration of purplish blood vessels just below the surface.
Finally, dark circles can also form when the under-eye skin is dry and dehydrated. This dehydration is caused by damage to the skin's protective barrier – also known as the stratum corneum, which creates a deficiency of water and sebum (oil) in the skin cells. When this happens, water evaporates and the under-eye skin can become dry and hallowed looking.
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