By 
The eye area is one of the most aesthetically important parts of our body. When the eye area looks bright and vibrant, it gives a person a healthy and youthful appearance. Under-eye bruising is the appearance of a darker colour in the skin of the lower eyelid compared to the surrounding area and is caused by a number of different mechanisms around the eyes. Although it is often not a health problem, it can be a major source of aesthetic anxiety as it can have a very negative impact on people’s emotional state.
Who has dark circles?
As we age, the skin around the eyes becomes thinner because of the loss of fatty tissue. This change causes dark circles to become more pronounced in older people. Pitting can also occur under the eyes. This can also make the under eye area look darker. Under eye bruising is more visible in older people.
Under eye bruising is also more common in people who are not white. Under eye bruising is more noticeable in people with dark skin.
It would not be wrong to say that genetic factors are important. People with dark circles can also be seen in other people in the same family.
What are the dark circles under the eyes?
Under eye bruising is the accumulation of haemosiderin pigment in the skin as a result of leakage of small capillaries around the eyes under the skin. Dark circles are one of the most common causes of aesthetic problems around the eyes because they make the face look tired, sad and older.
Who gets dark circles? What are the risk factors?
Dark circles can occur in people with protein and iron deficiencies due to malnutrition, in people with a genetic predisposition and in the elderly. It can also be caused by genetic and environmental factors.
Why do under eye bruises occur?
Under eye bruising occurs when the orbicularis oculi muscle and the blood vessels under the skin, which become thinner with age, approach the surface of the skin. The formation of dark circles is often caused by factors such as genetics, anaemia, fatigue, malnutrition, poor diet, too much sleep, dehydration, vitamin deficiencies, hypothyroidism and some metabolic syndromes.
The causes of dark circles, which can be seen in men and women of all ages and races, are as follows
- Genetic causes such as congenital brown spot increase
- Some skin conditions such as atopic dermatitis, allergic contact dermatitis, lichen planus pigmentosus, fixed drug eruption
- Natural ageing process
- Contraceptives, oestrogen replacement therapy, some cancer medicines
- Eye drops for glaucoma
- Pregnancy, coagulation disorders, vitamin K deficiency, increased pigmentation due to microhaemorrhages
- Insomnia, excessive fatigue and prolonged screen time
- Smoking – alcohol consumption, stress
- Intensive sun exposure
- Heart and circulatory disease, liver and kidney disease, goiter
- anaemia
- Poor nutrition
- Excessive salt intake
- Not drinking enough water
- As we age, our skin becomes thinner and less elastic. The amount of subcutaneous fat and collagen, which gives the skin its elasticity, decreases. As a result, the dark blood vessels under the skin become more prominent, causing the area under the eyes to appear darker.