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Dark Circles
Dark Circles
From ageing to allergies, there are various possible reasons for the emergence of dark circles. They can age the face prematurely and create an impression of fatigue or stress. This page will outline some of the causes of under-eye bags before describing the dark circle treatments that we offer to restore vibrancy and brightness to your skin.
What Are Dark Circles?
Dark circles are the shadowy blemishes that appear beneath the eyes. They are extremely common, and they can be caused by ageing, lifestyle, or genetic factors. They can be black or purple, and they affect people of all ages and of either sex.
What Causes Dark Circles?
Genetics
Our genes play a significant role in whether we develop under-eye bags. A genetic predisposition to other conditions which cause dark circles, such as thyroid disease, can also increase a person’s likelihood of developing them.
Sleep deprivation
If we do not get enough sleep, our skin becomes pale and dull. This loss in colour and vibrancy makes the skin less opaque, and consequently, the blood vessels beneath it become more visible. The visibility of dark, red blood vessels through the thin skin surrounding the eyes makes the under-eye area appear dark.
Ageing
As we age, our skin becomes thinner and frailer. This is because our body produces less collagen, a protein that maintains the skin’s strength and elasticity. This thinning of the skin makes it more transparent, and consequently, the dark blood vessels beneath it become more visible. As a result, the skin surrounding the eyes appears to darken.
Dehydration
The skin needs to be hydrated to maintain its elasticity and plumpness. If you do not drink enough water, your skin will become weak and thin, and this can increase the visibility of the blood vessels behind it.
Allergies
When you have an allergic reaction, your body produces histamines. These are chemicals that your immune system releases to fight the allergen, and your blood vessels will dilate to increase blood flow and help the histamines do this. The enlarged vessels are more visible through the thin skin surrounding the under-eye area, causing it to darken.
Eyestrain
When you spend a lot of time looking at the computer, television or phone, your eyes must strain to see. This means that your eyes are working harder, and the blood vessels leading to them become enlarged to increase blood flow to the eyes. These larger vessels are more visible beneath the skin, which darkens the skin surrounding your eyes.
Dark Circle Treatments
We offer several effective treatments for Dark Circles, such as:
Tear Trough Fillers
When you have an allergic reaction, your body produces histamines. These are chemicals that your immune system releases to fight the allergen, and your blood vessels will dilate to increase blood flow and help the histamines do this. The enlarged vessels are more visible through the thin skin surrounding the under-eye area, causing it to darken.
Platelet-Rich Plasma Therapy (PRP)
Platelets are fragments in your blood that support cell growth. Plasma is the liquid component of the blood in which the platelets float. During PRP therapy, a small sample of blood is taken from the patient and spun in a centrifuge. This machine separates out the different components of the blood. The platelet-rich plasma is then injected into the under-eye area, where it begins adding strength and brightness to the skin.
Medical Skin Peel
A medical skin peel (also known as a chemical skin peel) is a specialist treatment that erases dark circles whilst simultaneously reducing the appearance of wrinkles, open pores and other blemishes. During the treatment, an exfoliant solution will be carefully applied to the skin surrounding your eyes. This will remove the damaged top layer of skin and reveal the fresh healthy layer beneath, erasing under-eye bags.
Tixel
Tixel is a new, groundbreaking skin treatment that restores strength and vibrancy to tired skin. The procedure is named after the apparatus which is used, called the Tixel device. This instrument uses heat energy (known as Thermo-Mechanical Ablation Technology) to strengthen the thin skin surrounding the eyes. Heat is transferred to the skin by gently pressing the device’s titanium tip against its surface. This triggers a healing process, whereby the body works to refresh and rejuvenate the skin. By restoring strength to this fragile skin, the blood vessels behind it become less visible. This erases dark circles, leading to a healthier, more youthful look.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Are Dark Circles Permanent?
For many people, dark circles are not permanent and a change in lifestyle factors will remove them. However, if your dark circles are the product of your genes or ageing, it is unlikely that they will disappear on their own, though these can be removed by cosmetic procedures.
2. How Can I Improve The Hollowing Out Under My Eyes?
You can improve the hollowing out under your eyes by changing certain lifestyle factors. Getting enough sleep every night, drinking enough water, and eating a nutritious diet will help to reduce the appearance of dark circles. However, under-eye bags are also caused by genetic factors and ageing. In these cases, cosmetic treatments can remove hollowing out under the eyes quickly and effectively.
3. Are Dark Circles Hereditary?
Your genes can make you predisposed to dark circles, so if you have a family history of them then it is more likely that you will develop them.
4. How Many Treatments Do I Need?
A single tear trough treatment is sufficient to remove dark circles, whilst approximately three PRP treatments are required. Two to three separate Tixel treatments will be sufficient. The number of skin peels that are required depends on the intensity of the treatment: light peels require monthly treatments to maintain the look, whilst medium peels should be repeated after 6-12 months, and deep peels can produce results that last for ten years without needing to repeat the procedure.
5. Are There Any Side Effects To The Dark Circle Treatments?
Both PRP and tear trough treatments involve injections, so you may experience some redness or bruising at the injection site for 2-3 days following the treatment. Tixel may also cause some redness at the site which has been treated, as well as some possible swelling or tenderness, but this will disappear within four hours following the procedure. Finally, medical skin peels have the potential to cause cold sores to return if a patient has suffered from these before.
6. How Effective Are The Dark Circle Treatments?
PRP, tear trough fillers, tixel and skin peels are all exceptionally effective non-surgical methods for removing under-eye bags. Notably, both PRP and tear trough treatments use natural substances to brighten the under-eye area. Tear trough fillers use hyaluronic acid, whilst platelet-rich plasma is taken from a sample of the patient’s blood. This means that both procedures are non-invasive and natural ways to restore vibrancy and strength to the skin that surrounds the eye.
When a wart is removed by surgical excision, only one treatment is required, whilst patients will require 2-4 treatments of cryotherapy to remove a wart permanently. Generally speaking, three laser treatments are required to remove a wart.
7. Will The Dark Circles Return After The Treatment?
Dark circles will return approximately one year after a tear trough treatment. Similarly, dark circles will reappear after roughly six to twelve months following PRP. Deep skin peels can erase dark circles for as long as ten years (though this will depend on a patient’s lifestyle habits), whilst lighter peels can only do so for a few months. Similarly, the effect of tixel can last for years if healthy lifestyle habits are maintained.
8. How Many Days Will It Take For Dark Circles To Go Away?
Your dark circles will disappear immediately after a tear trough treatment, and these results will improve during the first two weeks following the treatment. It takes approximately 3-4 weeks for PRP and Tixel to erase under-eye bags. Light skin peels typically take 2-3 weeks to produce results, whilst medium and deep peels can take up to four months.
9. Are Dark Circles Caused By Vitamin Deficiency?
It is possible for vitamin deficiencies to cause dark circles. A deficiency of vitamins K, E, C, and A can all cause your skin to appear dull, thin and frail, which will increase the visibility of blood vessels around the eye area.