Dermatologist explains how to actually get rid of dark under eye circles

Dark circles are one of the most common skincare concerns, affecting people of all ages

However, according to Dr. Aamna Adel, an expert in skincare, identifying the cause of your dark circles is crucial to finding the right treatment. 

Here’s how to figure out the type of dark circles you have and what to do about them.

Step 1: Identifying the Cause of Your Dark Circles

Dr. Aamna Adel shares a simple yet effective test to help you determine what’s causing your dark circles: 

“If you struggle with dark circles, I'm going to tell you a really easy way to work out what's causing them and how to treat them. 

“All you're gonna do is just pinch the skin underneath your eye. If that darkness doesn’t fade and it just moves with the skin, that means that you have excess pigment.”

On the other hand, “if you pinch your skin and the pigment disappears, that means that it's been caused by visible vessels underneath your skin, and it means that your dark circles are vascular.”

Step 2: Treating Dark Circles Caused by Excess Pigment

If pinching the skin reveals persistent darkness, you likely have excess pigment under your eyes. 

Dr. Adel explains that this type of dark circle is often caused by the overprodiction of melanin in the skin. 

To address this, she recommends targeting the pigmentation with specific skincare ingredients:

“To treat it, you’re going to look for eye creams that have ingredients like vitamin C, niacinamide, and retinoids. 

“Those are going to work to reduce that excess melanin in your skin and improve the appearance of your dark circles.”

Ingredients to Look For:

• Vitamin C: Helps brighten the skin and reduce pigmentation.
• Niacinamide: A form of vitamin B3 that lightens dark spots and improves skin barrier function.
• Retinoids: Stimulates cell turnover and collagen production, which can lighten pigmentation over time.

Step 3: Treating Vascular Dark Circles

If pinching the skin causes the darkness to disappear, your dark circles are likely due to visible blood vessels under the skin. 

Vascular dark circles are often a result of thin skin, poor circulation, or fluid retention, making blood vessels more apparent. According to Dr. Adel:

“To treat it, you're going to look for eye creams that have ingredients like vitamin K and caffeine, and that is going to help.”

Ingredients to Look For:

• Vitamin K: Known for its ability to strengthen blood vessel walls and reduce the appearance of vascular dark circles.
• Caffeine: Reduces puffiness and constricts blood vessels, making them less visible.

Step 4: Don’t Forget SPF

No matter the cause of your dark circles, one crucial step that many overlook is protecting the delicate under-eye area from sun damage. 

Dr. Adel pushes the importance of daily SPF application:

“But most importantly, no matter what the cause of your dark under-eye circles are, you need to make sure that you are wearing an under-eye SPF. 

“So many people forget to apply sunscreen underneath their eyes, but trust me, it is one of the best things that you can do for your dark circles.”

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