Dark Circle: Treatment, Procedure, Cost and Side Effects

Dark circles are often a huge inconvenience as they affect the way you look and give a perpetually tired aura. However, from a medical point of view, they pose no threat and can be left ‘untreated’ without worrying about any other issues from developing. Dark circles usually develop due to many different reasons.

Some of these include stress, lack of sleep, oversleeping, nasal allergies, ageing, exhaustion, eczema, reactions to certain types of makeup, and too much exposure to sunlight without the use of a good sunscreen. Most commonly, dark circles are treated by using cosmetic products that promise to get rid of them. There are many products available in the market that are designed just to prevent the formation of dark circles or get rid of them completely.

These include creams, gels, facial oils, and masks. They contain a variety of ingredients that lighten and brighten the skin under your eyes, making the dark circles go away. Some of the best ingredients to combat dark circles include aloe vera, argan oil, Vitamin E, almond oil, coconut oil, honey, and turmeric.

Another way to treat dark circles is to address the reason why they are occurring. One of the most common reasons why people suffer from dark circles is the lack of sleep, stressful lifestyles, and exhaustion. Regulating your lifestyle to include more rest and taking breaks between stressful schedules or activities can greatly reduce the appearance of dark circles. Remember, it’s not just about getting the right cosmetics in your arsenal – you’ve got to make sure that your body is well rested too.

Dark Circles formation around the eye is a result of natural ageing, which leads to the loss of fat and collagen in the particular area, followed by the visual prominence of blood vessels. Other causes that are responsible are allergy, hay fever, eczema, contact dermatitis, heredity, sun exposure, sickness, stress, irregular sleeping, rubbing of eyes, and irregularities in pigmentation.

The treatment largely depends on the product that you are using. For instance, most creams are meant to be applied daily, with focus on the under eye area. There are specific eye creams available in the market that can be applied at night. Some of these creams come with applicators that are meant to be kept cold.

These not only help apply the creams correctly, but also help reduce puffiness and swelling under your eyes due to the coldness. Other creams are meant for the day and can be applied after you have washed your face. Face masks have a specific application as well. They should be applied after you have finished washing your face so that you do not end up pressing any pollutants or dirt sitting on your face into your skin. This can cause more skin problems like clogging, acne, and dullness to appear.

Masks are usually meant to be applied twice or thrice a week, and certainly not every day. Once you apply them, you must wait for 10-15 minutes until they dry up, before washing it off. This helps rejuvenate your skin and remove dark circles. There are also many facial oils available nowadays and this type of cosmetic is currently in vogue. Facial oils can be used in different ways.

For instance, you can directly apply them onto your skin and massage them in. You can also combine them with another product to make sure that they last longer, such as combining it with your primer or foundation, especially if these products have a mattifying effect that you want to avoid. If you are not sure about which product type to use, you can always consult with a dermatologist to see which one can suit your skin type the most.

Any one with dark circles is eligible to use any of the product types that are mentioned above.

People without dark circles don’t have to worry about getting specific eye creams and masks to get rid of them. Also, sleeping less for one day or having one stressful day does not mean you need to use anti dark circle products to prevent them from occurring. Stress and fluctuating sleep cycles can be a natural part of the ebb and flow of life and work. It is only when they become super regular that you need to worry about the effect they may have on your skin and health.

As is the case with most products, one needs to be vary of certain side effects. Often, cosmetics that do not suit your skin type can have side effects. For instance, if you already have oily skin, you should not use facial oils as it may lead to even more oiliness and the formation of acne and clogged pores. Similarly, certain ingredients in cosmetic products may act as an irritant on your skin, especially if you are allergic to them.

Thus, you must be cautious and aware of the ingredients that go into the products that you are using. It is always a good idea to consult with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you are unsure about what to use for your skin. This can ensure you don’t end up with more problems.

One of the most important things to consider when it comes to dark circles is the amount of rest you get in your life. Minimizing the stress you face at work or regulating your sleep cycle can really help prevent the occurrence of dark circles, if you are already susceptible to getting them.

In the case of using cosmetics, it makes sense to continue to use them on a regular basis and create a routine for yourself. Infrequent usage can lead to sporadic treatment and results may vary. Also, read the instructions on each product carefully so that you are using it in a correct manner.

With most beauty products, it takes at least a month to see the full result of the treatment. Most treatments act slowly but in a way that your skin can manage.

The products that contain the least harmful materials are the ones that take the most time to work, while products with harmful ingredients such as bleach can work quickly, but are ultimately very bad for your skin and can lead to adverse effects, such as rapid ageing. Thus, you should not really pursue rapid results just for the sake of it.

The prices depend on the kinds of products that you will be using. Most under eye creams in India cost anywhere from Rs 200 to Rs 1500. This depends on the brands that you are using. The same goes for eye gels, and facial masks. Facial oils can cost anywhere between Rs 900 and Rs 2000. They can be found in drug store varieties as well as high end varieties when it comes to the brands.

As long as you use the cosmetics on a regular basis and as instructed by the labels, the results can be permanent. Irregular usage can lead to results that are not permanent or even consistent. If you use a concealer to simply hide the dark circles, the results obviously only last for as long as the product sits on your face.

In this case, to prolong the results as much as possible, you can use a setting spray or setting powder to make sure the product does not get washed off by sweat. The best way to make sure that the results are permanent is to ensure that you are sleeping regularly and facing less stress.

Poor diet and nutrition are some of the reasons responsible for Dark Circles. Hence, a well-balanced meal rich in essential nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants is important. Such food items include tomatoes, cucumber, blueberries, watermelon, oranges, beetroot, green vegetables, papaya, foods rich in vitamin E such as almonds, peanuts, spinach, broccoli, etc., and most importantly intake of lots of water.

There are many home remedies that can be used to combat dark circles and one needn’t resort to using cosmetics if organic treatments are preferred. Lemon juice is often used to brighten the skin and can be used to create a homemade pack with baking soda. Both help with dark circles and the baking soda creates a sort of paste that can sit on your face and dry the same way any other face pack purchased in the market can.

The same logic applies to using turmeric and honey to create a paste. The astringent properties in these ingredients can also help with dark circles, and both honey and turmeric are known to lighten the skin as well. Almond oil, coconut oil, olive oil, or jojoba oil can also be applied directly onto the dark circles to make them go away. You can also purchase aloe vera gels and apply them to your skin.

Summary: Dark Circles formation around the eye is a result of natural aging, which leads to the loss of fat and collagen in the particular area, followed by the visual prominence of blood vessels. A well-balanced meal rich in essential nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants is important for the prevention and management of such conditions. Those eatables include tomatoes, cucumber, blueberries, watermelon, oranges, beetroot, green vegetables, papaya, foods rich in vitamin E such as almonds, peanuts, spinach, broccoli, etc., and most importantly intake of lots of water.