Dark Under Eye Circles Treatment Lake Bluff IL

Goodbye, Raccoon Eyes
Q What causes dark undereye circles, and can anything be done about them?

A The usual suspects—sun damage, age, and genetics—can cause them, but there’s also a lesser-known culprit: inflammation, says dermatologist Nelson Lee Novick, of Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. Inflammation from allergies, a lack of sleep, or eye-rubbing can cause undereye blood vessels to become dilated or clogged. Also, age can thin undereye skin, making underlying blood vessels more visible; sun can darken skin; and genetics can make you more predisposed to it all.

As usual, prevention is the best medicine. Get plenty of sleep, and elevate your head with two pillows. Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen (UVB rays can darken circles), and sunglasses that filter both UVA and UVB.

But if these strategies don’t help, you do have options other than a good concealer. New studies have shown that a topical therapy combining vitamin K with retinol can help. “After 16 weeks, a computer measured 70 percent reduction in subjects’ undereye discoloration,” says dermatologist Mel Elson of Burns, Tennessee, who has studied the vitamin combo. Products that contain sufficient amounts of the vitamins, he says, include Vita-Cap Dark Circle Eye Serum from Esteem by Naomi Judd, and Lumineyes by Mary Kay.

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