Which Kind Of Under-Eye Circles Do You Have?

Dark circles are a common beauty problem, but not all under-eye circles are created equal. The color of your dark circles can help you decide what kind of treatment is most effective for your condition.

1. Purple Under-Eye Circles 

Most commonly caused by pigmentation or a family trait, these kinds of dark circles are most commonly found in medium to dark-skin types. 

- Treatment : Try a skin whitening cream containing retinol or antioxidants like vitamin C. An aesthetic physician can recommend a laser resurfacing treatment such as Fraxel to help decrease the dark pigment. Always use a high-UV protection sunscreen to prevent further darkening of the area. 

2. Blue Under-Eye Circles 

This type of dark circles are commonly caused by lack of sleep or a stressful lifestyle. Allergies that affect the eyes and give you a stuffy nose can also add to bluish circles. 

- Treatment : Bluish dark circles can go away quickly with proper rest and controlling your stress with exercise and meditation. If you have allergies, try to avoid the conditions that cause congestion and irritation to your eyes and nose, or try some allergy medication. Try  antioxidant creams with active ingredients such as Coffeeberry extracts to improve circulation in the eye area. Gentle eye massage can also be effective to improve under-eye drainage.  

3. Brown Under-Eye Circles

Red or brown tinted dark circles are generally caused by aging or genetic factors, and are an effect of blood vessels showing through the thinning skin of the under-eye area. Fair-skinned people tend to have more translucent skin, which makes enlarged blood vessels show up clearly. 

- Treatment: A retinol cream can help to improve the condition of your skin by increasing the collagen in the area.  Your aesthetic physician can also help by using dermal fillers to plump up the area, disguising the red blood vessels beneath. A pulsed dye laser can also be beneficial by shrinking the blood vessels so they are no longer as visible. 

4. Shadowed Under-Eye Circles

Shadowed under-eye areas are caused by aging or weight loss, and are a symptom of the loss of fat pads under the eyes. In this type, there is a visible valley or groove in the under-eye area between the eyes and the cheek fat. 

- Treatment: Trying to treat this type of under-eye circle with creams is impossible, as no type of cream can make fat re-grow in the area. A quick solution is dermal fillers, which can quickly replace the lost volume under the skin. 

- Cosmetic Medicine, MD

Dr. Liow Tiong Sin is an aesthetic practitioner who practices in Kuala Lumpur and Melaka, Malaysia. He has more than 12 years of expertise with non-surgical cosmetic treatments, and conducts training courses for other doctors from all around Asia. 
To connect with Dr. Liow, Like Cosmedmd's Facebook page, visit Beverly Wilshire Medical Centre's website at http://www.beverlywilshiremedical.com or drop him an email at cosmedmd@gmail.com