Under Eye Dark Circles

You need to help me figure out what has caused this. Do you have problems with your kidneys at all? Or are you just someone who really sleeps very poorly? Or is it a case of you perhaps not having looked after your skin very well, and now these signs are starting to show? Do you perhaps suffer with water retention and poor drainage and poor circulation (often this results in swelling and puffiness)? All of these things could cause you this problem. Very often I use the technique of injecting dermal filler under the eyes and this sorts this problem out beautifully, but sometimes (depending on the cause of your problem), that is not the best treatment choice. It’s definitely very beneficial to use a good eye product that promotes drainage and really hydrates the eye area very well as this will certainly help the condition but also help to maintain the results of any treatment option we end up choosing. Treating an eye area could require anything from Carboxy therapy to Botox to Laser Therapy. It really does depend on your particular skin. Treating the cause of a problem is always better than simply targeting a symptom. 

The bottom line is that dark circles can actually be caused by quite a few things. The most common things are naturally stress and lack of sleep, but these are not the only causes. Poor circulation and poor drainage around the eye area is a common one. Another is if you are quite thin and the area beneath the eyes is fairly hollow, then the skin in that area tends to be very thin and the area lacking in volume and so the blue tinge from underlying blood vessels shows through as dark circles. There are other things like systemic illnesses that can also cause dark under eye circles. It can even be as a result of having regular sinus or hay fever attacks. So there are in fact quite a lot of triggers. But we wouldn’t really be able to pin point what is causing your particular issue unless we got a proper medical history and got some more information from you. So the best advice I can give you is to rather visit a Skin renewal Doctor who would be able to assist. Obviously being under 18 a parent or guardian should accompany you. You can find your nearest Skin Renewal branch at www.skinrenewal.co.za

Pigmentation and dark marks are probably the concern we see the most at our skin clinics and if the pigmentation are superficial, they can be quite simple to treat. But pigmentation does sometimes tend to sit slightly deeper, especially hormonal pigmentation. This deep pigmentation are more difficult to treat. But essentially there are 3 steps to successfully treat/minimize pigmentation/dark marks; 1. Daily use of an SPF 50, unprotected sun exposure will induce more pigment to form and the spot may become darker. We recommend Heliocare 360, this SPF will not only protect your skin from UVA and UVB, but also from visible and infra-red light. 2. We need to speed up your cellular turnover rate, to get the pigment out. This can be done by the use of exfoliating ingredients such as Retinol or AHA’s (Alpha Hydroxy Acids).3. We need to ensure that the pigment cells don’t produce any more excess pigment. This is done by the use of pigment suppressing ingredients such as certain peptides, kojic acid and alpha arbutin. Lamelle Luminesce range are a good option for you as it covers step 2 and 3. The range has a cleanser, day and night cream as well as a very potent serum called Brighter Concentrate that can be used daily. As for the dark circles, here we need to look at what is causing it. It might be pigment forming around the orbital area, then it needs to be treated like above, or it can be due to a lack of drainage. We need to ensure that we have sufficient lymph draining around the orbital area, if not, toxins begin to build up and it shows as dark discolorations. Using an eye cream that contain certain peptides as well as Vit K will help with this. 

In the case of dark circles, you may find that this is happening due to poor drainage under the eye area, which can happen if your glasses rest on the orbital bone, which slows down your circulation under the eyes. In a case like this there are a few things you can do. Firstly, rather changing to frames that do not cause this issue and secondly, treating the area to increase the circulation again, such as some carboxytherapy treatments. If however, it is NOT a drainage issue, we need to look at whether it may be due to the skin thinning under the eyes, in which case an under eye filler can help you. Or if it is pigmentation under the eyes, then we need a completely different approach. If you would like us to take a look and help you, I would highly recommend that you come and see me or one of our doctors.

Dark circles around the eyes can be caused by various factors and the treatment thereof will depend on this cause. It might be due to insufficient lymph drainage in the area or it might only be pigmentation that formed. A lack of sleep, stress and inflammation in the body can all be factors that play a role. I would recommend using an eye cream daily to keep the circulation going in the area as well as hydrate and moisturise the delicate skin around the eyes. I am not entirely sure what brands are available in Zimbabwe, but we do have an online store where you can purchase a suitable eye cream. I would recommend you use Neostrata Bionic eye cream, this eye cream, if used daily, will help with all the above concerns. Please visit https://onlineskinshop.co.za/shop/neostrata-bionic-eye-cream-2/ to get more info on the recommend eye cream.

Hollowness under the eyes is quite common and it’s a condition we treat often at Skin Renewal. Yes, collagen definitely play a role, it give support and structure to our skin. Collagen works together with elastin and hyaluronic acid to ensure the skin stays plump and youthful. The best treatment option for you will be dermal under eye fillers. These fillers are made of Hyaluronic acid that will plump the under eye area to relieve any hollowness. Other treatments that can be done to prevent this include Carboxytherapy and Radiofrequency. These treatments will increase collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid product to retard the ageing process in that area. Using a good topical eye cream will also assist in preventing under eye concern. Be sure to use one that contain growth factors and peptides to ensure the best results.

Dark circles around the eyes can be caused by several factors, such as a lack of drainage in the area, it can be pigmentation that formed or it can be due to a systemic imbalance. The treatment will depend on the cause. Treatments such as Carboxy therapy can help stimulate circulation in that area, improving the drainage. Certain chemical peels can be done to brighten and lighten the eye area by reducing the pigment that has formed. As for the Milia, these needs to be extracted by a qualified therapist; ensuring the area is well exfoliated in future will ensure that they don’t return. Please do not try and extract them yourself, using an incorrect technique can cause damage that may lead to scarring. Topical eye creams are also a good investment as they have the ability to stimulate collagen to reduce fine lines and tighten the skin around the eyes. Neostrata Bionic eye cream is an excellent eye cream to start with. It contains concentrated ingredients that will gently exfoliate and hydrate the delicate eye area, as well as preventing the breakdown of collagen. Regarding the marks post acne, this is known as PIH, post inflammatory hyperpigmentation, and is a condition we see often in our clinics. PIH can be treated with a course of chemical peels combined with Laser genesis that will gently increase cellular turnover to improve the marks and texture of the skin. Skin Needling are also an excellent option to improve the appearance of marks and blemishes on the skin. Home care products , such as Lamelle Brighter concentrate serum can be used to suppress any underlying pigment to prevent the marks from becoming darker. The use of a SPF daily is vital, I would recommend Heliocare 360, this sunblock does not only protect you from UVA and UVB, but also provides protection from visible light and Infrared-A. I would recommend that you visit one of our clinics so that we can do a comprehensive skin analysis and prescribe a treatment plan that suits your needs and concerns the best.