Under Eye Darkness

Spring has almost sprung! It is time again to shake off the winter blahs and prepare ourselves for some much needed fun in the sun. For many people, spring means renewal, spring cleaning and of course, getting yourself summer ready. Nothing says, "Hello Spring!" like a well-rested appearance. But some of us have trouble looking as fresh, because of the dark circles under our eyes. These shadows can make us look both more tired and older than we really are.

The first step in treating dark circles is to identify the underlying cause.  Some factors which can cause dark circles are:

• allergies
• aging
• dehydration
• congential (genetic condition which runs in family)
• abnormal blood vessel formation
• thryoid
• or excess caffeine.

For some of us, even with plenty of sleep, genetics can get the best of us and create these unsightly shadows. Luckily, there are ways to correct this-no extra sleep required. 

For patients with pigmentation which causes the dark circles:

-To begin with, start with conservative products and work your way up to more assertive products if you are not seeing the results. And be sure to only use on product at a time.
-When using these products, daily sun screen use is essential.
-Discontinue use of eye lightener after 4-6 months, once dark areas are lighter.
-If you experience any irritation, discontinue use of product.

Products in order of least powerful to most powerful:

1. Patrica Wexler MD Dermatology Under Eye Brightening Cream	2. Peter Thomas Roth AHA/Kojic Under Eye Brightener	Triluma Cream - a prescription cream

Other causes of dark circles can be a result of aging or a loss of volume. Many times a small amount of facial filler can be placed here so that the dark circle is less emphasized. The analogy here is to think of deep water in the ocean verus shallow water. Deep hollows, both in the ocean and on our face, lead to darkness. By softening these depressions, the circles can become deemphasized.