That puffiness highlights the hollowness that sits directly below it.” Light can't reflect evenly off the contours, leading to shadows in the area. “Not only do our eyes hollow out more, but the fat pad that sits around the eye and cushions it pushes out.

“It's kind of a double whammy,” says Rachel Nazarian, M.D., a New York City dermatologist. The bones around our eyes widen, creating a sunken look underneath.

“Sometimes, if there's chronic swelling,” Kaminska says, “blood can leak into the skin a little, and that can cause discoloration as well.'Īnd as we get older, our facial structure changes. These shadows - actually oxygen-depleted blood - can be compounded by poor blood circulation and a buildup of fluid, which contributes to puffiness. “As a result, it's easier to see dark blood vessels lurking beneath the surface.” Allergies, alcohol consumption, which is dehydrating, and, yes, fatigue can also compound the problem.Īnd then there's aging: “As we age, our bodies don't produce as much collagen, which makes the skin under our eyes thinner,” says Edidiong Kaminska, M.D., a Chicago-based dermatologist. It can also be triggered by frequent sun exposure. This type of discoloration tends to be genetic, occurring more often in those with darker skin.

Sometimes shadowy circles are caused by an excess pigment around the eyes, dark brown/black in color.

The good news: If you can figure out the reason behind your shadows, you may be able to lighten them up. They aren't dangerous, but they may make you feel self-conscious, suggesting that you might be exhausted or unhealthy when you're perfectly fine, thank you very much. Ah, those dreaded dark under-eye circles strike again.

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