| Heredity. In most cases, the dark circles under the eyes are blood vessels that can be seen through the skin. The skin around the eyelids (periorbital skin) is the thinnest skin in the body (around 0.5 mm thick compared with 2 mm in other areas). Like varicose veins, dark circles under the eyes are usually an inherited trait]. When blood passes through the large veins close to the surface of the skin, it can produce a bluish tint. The more transparent the skin—also an inherited trait—the darker the circles appear. In people with a deep-set bone structure, shadowing can also contribute to the dark color under the eyes.
Allergies, asthma and eczema are all conditions that causes the eyes to itch can contribute to darker circles due to rubbing or scratching the skin around them. Hay fever sufferers in particular will notice under-eye "smudges" during the height of the allergy season. Some food allergies can also cause the area under the eyes to appear darker.
Medications that cause blood vessels to dilate can cause circles under the eyes to darken. Because the skin under the eyes is very delicate, any increased blood flow shows through the skin.
Anemia or the lack of nutrients in the diet, or the lack of a balanced diet, can contribute to the discoloration of the area under the eyes. It is believed that a lack of mineral iron can cause dark circles as well. Iron deficiency is the most common type of anemia and this condition is a sign that not enough oxygen is getting to the body tissues.
The skin can also become more pale during pregnancy and menstruation and (due to lack of iron), allowing the underlying veins under the eyes to become more visible.
Fatique and a lack of sleep or excessive tiredness can cause paleness of the skin, allowing the blood underneath the skin to become more visible and appear bluer or darker. Dark circles are likely to become more noticeable and permanent with age. This is because as people get older, their skin loses collagen, becoming thinner and more translucent. Circles may also gradually begin to appear darker in one eye than the other as a result of some habitual facial expressions, such as an uneven smile.
Periortibal hyperpigmentation is the official name for when there is more melanin produced around the eyes than is usual, giving them a darker color. There are treatments and althoug to date there has been no end-all to curing or reducing dark circles, there are many home-made ingredients that can help make the dark circles less visible.
Applying an eye cream that contains Vitamin K and Retinol is also thought to help. Recent research has shown that skin creams containing these two ingredients reduce puffiness and discoloration significantly in many patients. Long-term daily use seems to have the greatest effect. Make-up can also be used to change the coloration of any exposed skin. Some dermatologists may recommend a hydroquinone solution often mixed in an oil free moisturizer that acts like a skin bleach; it has been shown to have results in some people after a few months of daily use.
Pigmentation Hormonal Pigmentation/skin problems
Melasma produces dark brown patches of pigmentation on sun-exposed areas, usually in the face. Melasma tend to appear during pregnancy (but can fade there after), and in women who take oral contraceptives and will also fade if they discontinued the use thereof although it can occur in anyone. This disorder is most common in sunny climates and in people of Latin or Asian origin. Melasma produces irregular patchy areas of dark color that are the same on both sides of the face. The pigmentation most often occurs in the centre of the face and on the cheeks, forehead, upper lip, and nose. These patches do not itch or hurt and are only of cosmetic significance. You can use sunscreen on the dark patches and avoid sun exposure to prevent the condition from getting worse.
Age Spots
Also known as liver spots or sun spots are a common form of pyperpigmentation – where patches of skin become darker than the rest of your complexion. Once again our biggest enemy is the sun and the damage it cause to our skins. Pigment-production cells deep in the skin, called melanoytes, are stimulated by sunlight to produce more pigment to protect us from the sun, and sometimes they can go a bit crazy and overproduce. The most important thing you can do to prevent this from happening is to never bake in the sun and now I might sound like and old record to you but you have to wear face cream with SPF of at least 15 on your face all year round. Intense pulse light and laser works best for age spots and I think IPL is the most effective although it’s more suited to paler skins. Peels can also do wonders by literally peel off those surface layers of dead skin, revealing newer skin beneath. Hyper pigmentation
Well known as brown spots, occur when to much melanin pigments are deposited on the dermal layer. They are commonly found in darker skin types, Brunner’s with olive complexions and mostly in women more than men.
Hyper pigmentation Dark Skin
Darker skin tones, mostly black skins, have its own rewards and problems. The rewarding side is that dark skin is known for being virtually wrinkle-free and not boasting signs of visible aging until much later in live. That is because the skin is typically more oily and thicker than lighter skins and the dermis is more compact.
Some problems like dark circles in darker skins are more apparent, and harder to camouflage. Although the skin is thick, the amount of melanin is dense, and makes the under-eye area very pigmented. Tissue fillers are the most likely treatment that will work for this problem. They can experience hyper pigmentation from anything that causes inflammation. Skin breakouts that are in their end stage can leave these kinds of problems. A combination of skin treatments like skin peels and laser therapy is good procedures for this skin type.
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