Dark Eye Circles: A Woman’s Nightmare

Dark circles are quite common but they are usually temporary and can be treated.  It may be hereditary, but in my case, they appear whenever I’m stressed or have below 4 hours of sleep in a day.  But wait, let me explain further.  My Dermatologist clarified that dark circles being the result of hard partying, working late, being tired or allergies is a myth.  They actually are not that far off from the contributors to dark circles, but they’re not the actual physical cause.  Maybe people think so because dark circles appear when one lacks sleep as it makes the skin pale, therefore allowing the blood underneath the skin to become more visible and appear bluer or darker.

According to Dr. Robert Shmerling of the Harvard Health Publications, there are several reasons why dark, puffy eyes develop:

• Aging — The skin around the eyes is normally thinner and looser than skin elsewhere in the body.  As we age, it becomes even looser and thinner.  This allows fluid to collect, causing a puffy appearance.  Veins under the skin can create the dark appearance of the skin.
• Sleep Position — Lying horizontally can encourage fluid to collect beneath the eyes.  It also promotes dilation of the veins under the eyes, which darkens the appearance of the skin even more.  These veins drain into the nose.  Nasal congestion or seasonal allergies also cause the veins under the eyes to dilate.  Dark circles are so common with allergies, they’re sometimes called “allergic shiners”.
• Fluid Retention — Anything that causes fluid retention, such as pre-menstrual bloating can increase puffiness around the eyes.
• A Medical Problem — Puffy eyes may be the first sign of fluid retention due to medical problem such as kidney or liver disease.  Puffy eyes can also be a side effect of medication you are taking.  If you develop new, significant swelling around the eyes that does not improve, contact your doctor especially if you notice fluid retention elsewhere in the body.

Mine was just a minor case of dark circles, but I didn’t want to walk around looking like a zombie so I looked for remedies.  I’ve tried eye creams, reasonably-priced and expensive alike, but none of them worked even with 2 years of continuous use.  I then decided to get to the root of it, and I was happy with the results.  Here are some natural ways to prevent dark circles from forming:

1. Don’t take too much Vitamin A.  Excess vitamin A or an overdose of Retin-A is very likely to cause liver problems, which can cause dark circles under eyes.  Knowing how to control vitamin A levels and how to heal the liver naturally will allow you to have healthier body and radiant facial skin without dark circles.
2. Avoid food high in sugar.  Sugar is the enemy for people suffering severe dark circles. Research about the action of insulin shows that sugar can lead not only to weight problems, but also skin problems through inflammatory responses as well as their effect on protein which can age the skin and the body prematurely through a process called Glycation. Inflammation leads to eye puffiness and dark circles.
3. Cut down on your daily intake of salt.  Salt produces fluid retention, and this increases the pressure in the small capillaries in your eye area aggravating dark circles.  It is very important to know what an acceptable level of sodium is and how much you should cut from your diet in order to see improvements in your dark circles.

There’s a book called Dark Circles Miracle that promises freedom from dark circles in just 2 weeks.  They say that their process can easily be integrated into one’s daily routine… I visited their website and found the testimonials to be very interesting.  You can read about it or purchase your copy in their website.