Dark Circles: Home Remedies, Causes and Treatment

B

Medically reviewed by

Bajaj Finserv Health

Skin & Hair

14 min read

Key Takeaways

  • Both your genes and your lifestyle have a role to play in the development of dark circles
  • Staying hydrated and getting the recommended hours of sleep consistently may just be the best approach for most people
  • Staying up past your normal sleeping time consistently can be one reason for dark circles.

While there are some health complications that pose a serious risk to your wellbeing, there are others that are purely aesthetic in nature and may affect your confidence. Dark circles are a good example of the latter, and many seek medical care or treatment for it solely because of how it affects their appearance. While there are numerous reasons for dark circles, some genetic and others based on lifestyle, a common reason for treatment is that dark circles make you look older than you actually are. This opinion is not entirely ill-founded as dark circles under eyes are a sign of aging.

As a result, it is fairly common for men and women to try all types of home remedies for dark circles when learning how to get rid of dark circles. These often include one using chemicals in the form of creams, lotions or other such substances without any professional guidance whatsoever. This is something you should avoid as not every product marketed as a dark circles remedy works well across the board. Further, high concentrations of certain chemicals that are known to help reduce dark circles can cause hyperpigmentation and make matters worse.

To avoid such complications, take a step back to understand what causes dark circles and learn about some of the most common and effective dark circle treatment measures you can employ.

Home Remedies For Dark Circles

Cold tea bags

One of the easiest and most effective ways to eliminate these dark circles is by using cold tea bags. For speedy results, use tea bags of green tea or chamomile. Dark circles may be somewhat alleviated by the residual caffeine's ability to constrict blood vessels and lower blood flow.

Usage Method - Cold tea bags should be soaked in water and chilled in the refrigerator. Take them out of the fridge and lay them gently over both of your eyes for 10 to 15 minutes. Repeat as necessary.

Grated cucumber or grated potatoes

This is undoubtedly one of the best treatments. They also assist in the reduction of puffiness around the eyes. These calming vegetables have anti-inflammatory properties that assist in decreasing inflammation around the eyes and prevent darkening. They also contain vitamins, antioxidants, and other beneficial nutrients.

Usage Method - Place the grated potatoes or cucumber on your eyes after grating them. After 10 to 12 minutes of relaxation, take them off. As an alternative, you may also squeeze the juice from potatoes or cucumbers. Soak a cotton ball in the juice, then apply it over your eyes. Ensure that the whole region surrounding the dark circles is covered. After 1 to 3 minutes, rinse it off with cold water.

Cold milk

Cold milk cleanses the eyes naturally and helps to calm the delicate skin around the eyes. Lactic acid, which can also help brighten skin and decrease puffiness, is a component of cold milk. Additionally, the potassium in the milk helps skin retain moisture longer, giving you smoother, more supple skin.

Usage Method - Use milk by dipping a cotton ball in cold milk and placing it over the eye region. After holding it for a time, rinse your eyes with cold water. Repeat at least three times every week!

Head Elevation

The regions around our eyes are also impacted by how we sleep. A couple of cushions placed under the head will lift it and stop fluid from collecting behind the eyes, which would otherwise make them appear puffy and bloated.

Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera works well as a moisturizer. Skin that is properly hydrated will be healthier and less likely to sag. Aloe vera also aids in skin hydration to delay premature aging.

Usage Method - Apply aloe vera gel beneath the eyes softly and massage for 5-7 minutes before going to bed. If you don't feel sticky or unpleasant, skip the rinse.

Almond oil and Lemon juice

Almond oil and lemon juice together are another tried-and-true treatment for dark circles. Ascorbic acid, an important ingredient in lemon juice, works in conjunction with other nutrients to help minimize water retention, which can give rise to puffy circles under the eyes. Additionally, it has a little bleaching effect. However, if applied undiluted, it might have the reverse effect and harm the skin.

Usage Method - Use a teaspoon of almond oil and a few drops of lemon juice together, then gently massage the mixture around the eye region. After massaging it for two to three minutes, let it rest. Rinse and repeat.

Rosewater

This one may undoubtedly be referred to as grandma's secret cure. Rosewater is reviving and revitalizing, and it works for virtually all skin types and skin-related problems. Additionally, it works well as a skin toner and is a moderate astringent.

Usage Method - Place cotton eye pads over the eyelids after soaking them in rose water. For 10 to 15 minutes, leave it on. To achieve the optimum effects, repeat each night for a month.

Tomatoes

Natural bleaching agents include tomatoes. They also include antioxidants, which assist in lessening the discoloration around the eyes.

Usage Method - Use tomato juice by combining it with a spoonful of lemon juice and dabbing it under both eyes. After about 10 minutes, let it sit before rinsing it off with cool water. As an alternative, you may also drink tomato juice combined with little lemon juice and mint leaves to get rid of dark circles.

Meditation and Yoga

Stress, despair, and an unpredictable lifestyle are underlying causes of dark circles. So trying to maintain composure and calmness is one of the wisest approaches to dealing with dark circles. This isn't always doable, as stress is a constant in our lives. Thus, it is beneficial to consider yoga and meditation in your daily routine.

Most significantly, yoga tackles most physical issues from the inside out, calming the mind and regulating the body clock.

Regular Sleep

Getting adequate sleep on a regular basis is perhaps one of the most crucial elements to consider while attempting to get rid of dark circles. Your body needs time to relax, heal, and renew, which is why getting adequate sleep is important. Your skin will seem younger as a result, and your general health will also improve. Poor skin condition is one of the earliest signs of interior health problems. Regular, quality sleep is your best long-term defence against avoiding and decreasing dark circles.

Dark Circle Causes

As mentioned, both your genes and your lifestyle have a role to play in the development of dark circles. To help you better understand this, here is a breakdown of a few common causes of dark circles.

1. Fatigue

This is arguably the most common cause for dark circles and one that you should take most seriously. Staying up past your normal sleeping time consistently can be one reason for dark circles. This is because sleep deprivation makes a person’s skin pale and this allows darker tissue to show more easily. In addition to that, lack of sleep causes puffy eyes, which then cast a shadow on the skin under the eye.

2. Genetics

In some cases, dark circles may just be an inherited trait that travels through the family. Other medical predispositions, like those to thyroid disease, can also cause dark circles.

3. Overexposure to the sun

When exposed to the sun, the body produces melanin, a pigment that is responsible for skin colour. Overexposure to sunlight leads to excess production of melanin, which increases pigmentation around the eyes.

4. Dehydration

Insufficient supply of water in the body can cause your eyes to seem sunken and dull. This can make dark circles a lot more prominent as the skin lies in close proximity to the underlying bone.

5. Strain

Overstraining the eyes can cause the blood vessels to enlarge. This causes the skin to darken, resulting in dark circles. This is among the most common causes for dark circles in the younger population due to increased use of smartphones and laptops for both work and entertainment.

6. Age

As mentioned earlier, dark circles are a sign of age. This is because the collagen and fat needed to maintain the skin’s elasticity decreases with age and as a result, the darker blood vessels near the eye are a lot more visible. Moreover, the skin also becomes thinner, making it easier for darker pigments to show.

7. Allergies

Allergic reactions or eye dryness cause itchy, puffy eyes. Rubbing can cause the dilated blood vessels to swell or break. As a result, the swelling can cause dark shadows to form, which can be seen as dark circles.

Dark Circle Treatment

While there are few home remedies you can go with, approaching a specialist is generally your best bet. In most cases, home remedies should serve as a viable solution; however, there are medical procedures that also offer a more permanent fix. Here are few treatments doctors may suggest for dark circles.

Micro needling:

Also known as collagen induction therapy, this technique involves puncturing the skin and seeks to reduce dark circles by addressing pigment issues. It is normally performed over several sessions, over the course of a month, but can cause bleeding and infection.

Chemical peels:

These are used to lighten dark pigmentation under the eye and contain a range of chemicals such as hydroquinone, retinoic acid, and glycolic acid.

Fat removal:

Otherwise known as lower lid blepharoplasty, this treatment removes the fat in the eyelid, thereby reducing the shadow cast and thus, the appearance of dark circles.

Tissue fillers:

When there is volume loss under the eyes, you can have dark circles, and tissues fillers may serve as a solution. Your doctor may inject a filler such as Juvederm.

Laser surgery:

This approach uses heat to vaporise damaged cells and reduce the darker pigment. It can also induce collagen formation, which helps keep skin younger.

Dark Circle Other Remedies

There are several additional natural home cures for dark circles in addition to the ones mentioned above. Here is a short selection of some fantastic substitute choices:

  • Vitamins, especially vitamins A and C, which both support good skin, are abundant in orange juice. Apply a mixture of orange juice and glycerin under your eyes
  • Vitamin E oil can assist in preventing or lessening the severity of dark circles by fighting the damage. It functions by eliminating free radicals, which are known to harm cells
  • If you want to use fewer skincare products, coconut oil is ideal for sensitive skin because it is gentle and organic. Coconut oil can lessen the baggy appearance while calming the skin and reducing irritation
  • Both coconut oil and turmeric are natural anti-inflammatory substances. You may use some pineapple juice to apply it to your under-eye skin (or another base substance of choice)
  • High levels of flavonols, which are plant chemicals linked to protection against UV radiation damage, may be found in dark chocolate. Enjoy a piece of dark chocolate sometimes. Flavonols are connected to a slower ageing process because they help mitigate some of the effects of sunshine. It will be beneficial to your skin and stomach
  • The cellular structures of your body include vital nutrients called omega-3 fatty acids, which are also good for healthy blood circulation. As previously indicated, inadequate blood flow is a major cause of puffy eyes and dark circles
  • Salmon and certain nuts are foods high in Omega-3 fatty acids that may enhance blood flow throughout your body and prevent the onset of dark circles
  • A bloated appearance can be caused by high salt intake (especially the sodium in salt) and a lack of fluids. Reduce your salt intake, and increase your regular water intake
  • Alcohol dehydrates the body much as salt and caffeine do. It causes your body to release a lot of fluids, which also causes the symptoms of a hangover. When you don't wake up on the weekend with swollen eyes, you'll notice the consequences of cutting back on your alcohol intake

How To Reduce Dark Circles

Given the fact that the medical treatments are mainly centred on cosmetic procedures, you may want to try a few home remedies first. These are some measures you can consider.

  • Get adequate sleep every day, at least 8 hours
  • Use cooled, caffeinated tea bags on your eyes to slow the aging process
  • Try a cold compress on the eyes to help blood vessels constrict
  • Opt for beauty products with vitamin C content
  • Place chilled cucumber slices on the eyes to reduce swelling
  • Apply sunscreen on your face, especially under the eyes, for UV protection
  • Remove any makeup before going to bed to avoid allergic reactions
  • Quit smoking as it depletes the vitamin C in the body, needed for collages formation

Skincare For Dark Circles

Away with that UV light

Dark under-eye circles can be brought on by excessive sun exposure. Try using a light-activating moisturizer if you don't want to cover your face with sunscreen every day. Your skin will seem more even-toned, and you will be shielded from UV rays with moisturizers with SPF. Also, use UV-blocking sunglasses instead of trendy ones.

Accept vitamin K

According to a 2015 research, using vitamin K with an emu oil base beneath the eyes for four weeks decreased dark circles [1].

Put some coffee in your eye cream

Due in part to caffeine's anti-inflammatory properties, the tea bag remedy is effective. Coffee can benefit your skin in addition to being your go-to morning pick-me-up. Coffee may instantly brighten dark circles beneath the eyes when added to an eye cream mixture.

Boost the retinoids

Dark circles can be caused by ageing, and retinoids are well-known in skin care for slowing down the signs of ageing. Retinoids work to reduce skin discoloration by accelerating cell renewal. Start off slowly to prevent drying out your skin because they may be rather powerful.

A topical agent can be used

To cure dark circles and hyperpigmentation, a physician could advise using a topical whitening lotion. An ingredient in these lotions prevents your skin's melanin from being produced.

Hydroquinone is the bleaching chemical most frequently given. It may take 5 to 7 months of usage before it becomes effective. Hydroquinone is only accessible with a doctor's prescription.

Keep up with kojic acid

Kojic acid is a fungus derivative that occurs naturally. Kojic acid has been used to cure hyperpigmentation, even though it would seem like the last thing you want to put near your eyes. However, it might also cause contact dermatitis and redness as adverse effects.

Azelaic acid can be added

Azelaic acid was initially used to treat acne, but it was later discovered that it also affected the tyrosinase enzyme, which aids in the synthesis of color. Azelaic acid is safe to take for extended periods of time since it truly slows DNA production.

Take some vitamin C (topical)

Another vitamin that may be used to alleviate dark circles beneath the eyes is this one. It doesn't specifically target melanin, but it does encourage collagen development and aid in concealing the blood clots that create dark circles.

Understanding how to reduce dark circles is a lot easier when you understand the cause as many home remedies target these specifically. In fact, staying hydrated and getting the recommended hours of sleep consistently may just be the best approach for most people. However, there may be certain cases where professional intervention may be required, especially when the dark circles are particularly prominent and common home remedies have failed. Thankfully, with Bajaj Finserv Health, availing the services of the best dermatologists around you is now simpler than ever!

This healthcare app brings healthcare services right to your fingertips. With it, you can search for the best doctors and book appointments at their clinics online. What’s more, for appointments that don’t need a physical check-up, you can opt for a virtual consult and avail healthcare services over video, from the comfort of your home. This is particularly effective when seeking medical advice on how to remove dark circles remotely.

FAQs

Q2. Is aloe vera good for dark circles?

A tropical plant called aloe vera is frequently used as a home treatment for dark circles. Aloe vera may increase skin hydration, maintain mature skin, and reduce inflammation, all of which encourage the elimination of dark circles. However, further human studies are required.

Q3. Can ice remove dark circles?

By constricting dilated blood vessels, cold compresses can assist in reducing swelling. The puffiness brought on by dark circles can also be reduced by using a cold compress. All you have to do is gently wipe the eyes with ice cubes that have been wrapped in a clean towel.

Q4. What deficiency causes dark circles?

Dark circles that are accompanied by weakness, fatigue, and dizziness may indicate an iron deficiency. The oxygen supply to the body tissues is compromised if you have an iron deficiency. Your dark circles will appear more obvious because the skin will appear paler as a result.

Q5. How to get rid of dark circles overnight?

Apply ice cubes to your eyes by wrapping a fresh washcloth around them. For the same result, you may alternatively apply a washcloth that has been dampened with cold water to your under-eye area for 20 minutes. Get some extra sleep. The look of dark circles may be lessened by getting enough sleep.

Q6. How to remove dark circles in 2 days?

Aloe vera gel may be the best option if you're trying to figure out how to get rid of dark circles in two days. The miracle plant Aloe Vera has a potent natural ointment called aloe vera gel. Aloe vera gel may be found inside chopped aloe vera leaves. Numerous facial and hair masks include it. In addition, it's a component of your everyday cosmetics. It hydrates and nourishes your skin while also giving it a healthy glow.

Published on 24 Nov 2020Last updated on 12 Jan 2023
  1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4300604/

Please note that this article is solely meant for informational purposes and Bajaj Finserv Health Limited (“BFHL”) does not shoulder any responsibility of the views/advice/information expressed/given by the writer/reviewer/originator. This article should not be considered as a substitute for any medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always consult with your trusted physician/qualified healthcare professional to evaluate your medical condition. The above article has been reviewed by a qualified doctor and BFHL is not responsible for any damages for any information or services provided by any third party.

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