The dreaded phrase “you look tired” comes with the instant mental image of dark, deflated under-eye circles. But contrary to popular belief, fatigue isn’t the only reason dark circles crop up. Hereditary predisposition, dilated blood vessels, thinning skin, discoloration, allergies and skin irritation contribute to these unwanted accessories. While concealer is your best bet to camouflaging their appearance, some topical vitamin treatments, a regular moisturizing routine and a healthy lifestyle may help keep fatigue, hyperpigmentation and dry skin around the eyes at bay.
First Line of Defense
One culprit behind dark circles is enlarged or dilated veins around the eyes. While vitamin K supplements have been popularly lauded for the ability to de-puff the eye area by improving circulation, no definitive studies have been completed on this front. However, you can give your topical vitamin K routine a boost with a cream containing a retinol. This ingredient encourages collagen production and new cell growth, which may help give your eyes a fresher, brighter appearance. It won’t hurt to up the vitamin K in your diet with healthful broccoli, cabbage, seaweed and dark greens but these additions won’t necessarily de-puff your eyes or give you glowing skin after a couple days of religiously healthy snacking. Laser treatments at your dermatologist’s office are one of the only proven methods to decrease the visibility of blood vessels more effectively than either diet or topical creams. Read more
