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Dark Circles

Pigmentation around eyes also called as dark circles are one of the most common concerns among patients visiting a dermatologist. They often give a tired/sick look on the face of the patient. Various reasons contribute to formation of dark circles.

Peri orbital pigmentation: melanin (skin pigment) deposition in the skin around the eyes, leads to pigmentation. Melanin is produced by cells called as melanocytes, that contain the pigment.

Lack of sleep: irregular sleeping hours and lack of sleep can cause changes to occur in the skin quality of peri orbital skin. Wrinkling, formation of under eye bags, skin darkening and water retention can occur. Skin appears tired and dull.

Improper nutrition: lack of healthy diet and micronutrient deficiencies can also be the cause of poor skin quality in the under eye area. Collagen is a protein that keeps the skin taut and firm. Loosening of collagen causes wrinkling and sagginess. Collagen supplements also maintain skin firmness.

Chronic allergies: Atopic dermatitis, chronic sinusitis and nasal allergies can lead to violaceous hue in the under eye skin due to increase in vascularity of the tissues and chronic inflammation. Chronic inflammation can lead to textural changes and hyperpigmentation. People suffering from these conditions often have dark circles since a early age.

Genetics: darkening of the peri orbital skin can be hereditary or familial. Those patients with such condition pre-existing in the family are at higher risk of presenting with periorbital pigmentation.

Anatomical: deep seated eyes such as in Asians often give appearance of pigmented skin due to shadowing effect. Early loss of fat pad in periorbital skin, contributes to development of tear trough.

Lifestyle: unhealthy lifestyle choices like smoking, alcohol consumption, stress, often causes poor skin quality and early signs of aging to appear. Smoking increase oxidative stress and free radical damage of the skin. Alcohol consumption, increases water retention and accelerates development of under eye bags. Chronic stress fastens aging process.

TREATMENT

Lifestyle:

Lifestyle changes play a great deal in the improvement of dark circles. Proper sleep wake cycle, regular 8-10 hours of sleep is a must for relaxation and rejuvenation. Sleep helps in repair of tissues. Lack of sleep leads to fluid retention and under eye bags. It also accelerates deposition of pigment in the peri orbital skin.

Exercise improves the blood circulation in the skin. It improves tissue oxygenation and hydration of the skin. The skin is rinsed off the toxins and impurities. It adds to the glow and brightness of the skin.

Diet rich in anti-oxidants helps to fight oxidative stress and free radical damage. Fresh fruits and vegetables are a rich source of vitamins and anti-oxidants. Ample amounts of these should be included in the diet. Anti-oxidant supplements also work to minimize the tissue of free radical stress. Vitamin C, E, A, zinc, astaxanthine, are good source of anti-oxidants and must be supplemented.

Water and fluid levels help to maintain the skin hydration and elasticity. Hydrated skin is supple and taut. Tissue water content is essential component to maintain skin health and turgor.

Meditation helps to calm the mind. It is a great tool to balance out the stress hormones in the body. Stress leads to increase in levels of certain hormones in the body. These chemical mediators cause vasoconstriction in the tissues, reducing the blood supply. Chronic state of low oxygen levels causes changes to appear in the skin.

Chemical peels:

Peels for the under eye area include mandelic and arginine peels. Multiple session 15 days apart are essential to achieve pigment lightening. Peels exfoliate the superficial layer and supresses melanin synthesis in the skin. The pigment forming cells produce less pigment and this in turn lightens the skin colour.

Q switch laser:

Q switched laser is a therapy that targets pigmentation in the skin. The laser light is selectively absorbed by the pigmented cells and on striking it, it is dissipated. Multiple sessions are required to achieve pigment lightening. The laser light selectively targets the pigment, with minimal effects on the surrounding skin. The laser also tones the skin by stimulating collagen and elastin synthesis. This results in firmer and youthful skin.

Mesotherapy:

Mesotherapy involves injecting a cocktail of skin lightening solutions into the skin. The solution is injected either using a mesogun or electroporation. The cocktail of mesolution contains vitamin C, glutathione, marine extracts, antioxidants and skin whitening solutions. Mesotherapy is a popular treatment for pigmentation on the face.

At Meraki skin clinic, we offer a comprehensive approach to treatment. Our skin experts evaluate the patients to help them decide the best treatment option. Once the cause of the dark circles is established, only then can results be achieved with targeted therapy. This also requires proper patient counselling and understanding of the results.