Under Eye Circles - Know Forms Of It!

One of the biggest signs of not getting enough sleep is to see dark circles under your eyes. For some people, this can be evident after a single all-nighter while for others, it can take a few nights of no sleep for it to become visible. However, sometimes, even when you get sufficient sleep, your eyes don’t look as bright as they should and are shadowed by dark circles. Thus, along with a lack of quality sleep, other factors such as age, genetics and lifestyle also play a role in the development of dark circles.

There are four main types of dark circles categorised on the basis of their colour and appearance.

1. Purple under eye circles: Genetics are largely to blame for purplish under-eye circles. This is typically caused by pigmentation and hypersensitivity of your skin to external factors such as UV radiation. Ageing also plays a role in this type of under-eye circles. As the skin ages, it becomes thinner, bringing the capillaries to the surface. As these capillaries weaken, blood may leak out to the surrounding tissue leaving behind a purplish shadow. This can be noticed especially in the case of fair-skinned people.
2. Blue under-eye circles: Bluish under-eye circles are preventable and largely affected by your lifestyle. They are signs of stress, not getting enough sleep, allergies and nasal congestion. These conditions restrict the amount of oxygen in the blood and thus makes capillaries turn from a healthy red to a bluish hue.
3. Brown under-eye circles: This is caused due to genetics and overexposure to sunlight which results in hyperpigmentation. These are more commonly seen in medium or dark skin tones and are the most difficult type of under-eye circles to treat.
4. Dark shadowy under-eye circles: Ageing and drastic weight loss can also contribute towards the development of dark under-eye circles. In reality, such dark circles are not caused by a change in skin colour but by the loss of fatty tissue under the eyes. This creates a rift or groove between the eyes and cheek muscles where the eyes cast a shadow.

As with any other health condition, prevention is better than cure when it comes to under-eye circles. The best way to treat under-eye circles is by getting enough sleep, having a well-balanced diet and following a regular exercise regimen. You could also use an under eye cream to nourish the skin and keep dark circles from appearing.