Under Eye Circles and Under Eye Bags - The Causes and How to Treat Them Effectively

Eyes are the mirror of the soul. Unfortunately, often times eyes are the first to show the signs of aging. Or anything that might be going on in our lives like stress, medical conditions, or having a crisp too many the night before. But we need to differentiate between under eye circles and under eye bags.

Causes of under eye bags

Under eye bags can be a build-up of fat deposits. It can also be a fluid build-up that happens for any number of reasons (you might sleep on your side or have a medical condition that makes you more prone to it for example). They might be down to allergies. Or you just might have had too much salty food the night before. Also? Under eye bags might be a result of older age (*cough* the JOY!).

What can you do about under eye bags?

One of the tried and tested home remedies is to use something cool to help reduce the swelling. Green tea compresses, spoons, cucumber slices - any of these will do the trick in a pinch.

If you suffer from allergies, anti-histamine might help (obviously, consult with your GP prior to taking any medication).

If you are young and you only get puffy when you have too much salty food or alcohol the night before, well... just avoid both later in the evenings and drink plenty of water.

Another good tip is to sleep in a more elevated position to avoid fluid build-up.

Causes of under eye circles

The skin underneath our eyes is thin. Because of this, the blood vessels are more clearly seen and hence those lovely blueish, purplish dark circles. Likewise, as we grow older our skin gets thinner still and that is why our dark circles might be even more prominent. Often times you can be more genetically predisposed to have dark circles (if one of your parents has a thinner skin for example).

In some cases, dark circles can also be a result of an excess melatonin production (people with darker skin tones are more prone to suffer from this condition). And let's not forget that various medical conditions and/or medication can also be the cause.

What can you do about under eye circles?

Apart from slapping on a concealer, there are no quick fixes with under eye circles. If you suspect they might be down to a medical condition (for example if you are anaemic), see your GP.

If your dark circles are more prominent because the skin underneath your eyes is thinner, include a retinol product in your routine. Retinol boosts collagen production and in turn, your skin should gain some firmness and volume.

If your dark circles are a result of an increased pigment in the skin underneath your eyes, you can use products with active ingredients that will help brighten the area such as vitamin C. And it goes without saying - always use sunscreen.

Also - when doing your morning and evening routines, treat the skin around your eyes gently. No need to pull or tug at it.

If you are looking for an eye cream that will hydrate the under eye area and treat dark circles at the same time, try our Vitamin K Dark Circle Repair cream.

The formula uses 5% micro-encapsulated vitamin K that helps repair the fragile capillaries that are one of the culprits for under eye circles. We combined it with Haloxyl™, a peptide complex, that reduces the dark pigment that gathers around the fragile capillaries. A blend of naturally derived humectants and oils replenishes and hydrates the skin, while a combination of vitamins C, E, and Q10 soothes inflammation.

Do you suffer from dark circles and/or under eye bags? Did you find any products that help you deal with the problem?