Ever sleep poorly and wake up with dark circles and bags under your eyes? Us too. Whether undereye circles are an occasional annoyance for you or are a more chronic issue you're dealing with, thankfully, there are many ways to minimize their appearance and avoid aggravating them.
Lifestyle changes, adequate skincare, and facial manipulation are all accessible options that can help your undereye circles. If you're looking for something more drastic, licensed skincare professionals offer a slew of more involved treatment options -- such as lasers, fillers, and even surgery.
The skin under our eyes is delicate, thin, and sensitive, and it can visibly worsen as we age, leading to changes in appearance that many people don't love, says Matthew Jarvie-Thomas, MA, BM, BC, a cosmetic doctor at The Cosmetic Skin Clinic.
"The lymphatic drainage of the undereye is delicate, making it an area prone to puffiness and fluid retention," says Dr. Jarvie-Thomas. "The undereye and upper cheek are some of the earliest areas we tend to lose volume from the deep structural fat; this can lead to a hollow, sunken appearance."
Dr. Jarvie-Thomas also says there are more visible blue and purple veins in the undereye and that this area is more prone to sun damage than other parts of the face, which can cause an uneven skin tone. He says the undereye area also becomes more susceptible to crepey skin and fine lines as we age. Beyond aging, undereye circles are also caused by genetics and lifestyle factors.
We spoke to three cosmetic dermatologists to learn how to deal with those pesky undereye circles, and why we get them in the first place. Here's what you need to know to take care of them once and for all.
It's no secret that the choices we make in our daily lives impact our overall health and our appearance. This also very much applies to undereye circles.
"Getting consistent, high-quality sleep is perhaps the most important of these lifestyle changes," says Dr. Jarvie-Thomas. "During sleep, the collagen-producing cells within the dermis go into overdrive and repair and regenerate the skin and connective tissues."
He also notes that you should drink enough water. "Dehydration can make undereye hollowness worse and make the underlying contours and darkness of the orbital bones and vessels more visible."
Dr. Jarvie-Thomas says that lack of sleep, caffeine, alcohol, smoking, dehydration, and screen time can all contribute to dark, tired eyes. To minimize the appearance of your undereye circles, avoid habits that don't make you feel your best overall, such as alcohol. Drinking may be a culprit in worsening dark circles, in part because it causes dehydration and impacts the quality of your sleep.
"Avoiding or giving up alcohol can help with undereye bags and dark circles," says Kenneth Mark, MD, a skin cancer and cosmetology expert. "I had a client and close friend who owns a winery. He gave up alcohol for Lent one year, and his dark circles went away completely!"
Meanwhile, Dr. Jarvie-Thomas explains that smoking negatively impacts the process by which our skin builds new collagen, making it an especially unhelpful habit in terms of skin health specifically, as well as the health issues it can cause more generally.
While giving yourself a facial massage may not improve the skin tone in your undereye area, it can help with puffiness, AKA "eye bags." Dr. Jarvie-Thomas recommends trying a lymphatic drainage massage first thing in the morning if you're prone to puffiness.
"Even a few minutes of massaging with a moisturizer or facial oil can help; just apply firm pressure and massage from the innermost corner of the eye outward toward the hairline," he says. "Repeat several times, going both above and below the eye." If you're unsure exactly how to self-massage under your eyes, there are tons of great tutorials on YouTube to get you started.
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You can reap the undereye benefits of cold therapy by simply soaking a clean washcloth in cold water, using spoons left in the fridge overnight, or placing chilled cucumber slices over your eyes. Whichever method you choose, apply it and let it rest for a few minutes to help constrict the blood vessels and reduce inflammation.
"Cold compression or ice packs in the morning can also help clear puffiness and can be done alongside massage," says Dr. Jarvie-Thomas.
There is no miracle cream for diminishing undereye circles, but certain topical, over-the-counter products can help reduce their appearance and promote healthier skin. To achieve maximum hydration, Dr. Jarvie-Thomas suggests looking for eye cream products that contain hyaluronic acid for a real boost to undereye hydration and to soften fine lines and crepey skin.
If you want to brighten the undereye area, consult a dermatologist who can prescribe you a suitable topical product, says Daniel Friedmann, MD, a dermatologist and phlebologist from Westlake Dermatology in Austin, Texas. "Dermatologist-prescribed retinol or vitamin C and antioxidant products can help reduce brown pigmentation, but are typically used in combination with an in-office product for maximum benefit."
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Avoiding direct sun exposure and consistently applying sunscreen helps maintain skin health and helps keep undereye circles from worsening. That's because the skin under your eyes is thinner than in other areas and, therefore more prone to sun damage.
"Sun exposure leads to skin damage from harmful UV, [causing] a worsening of hyperpigmentation and darkness," says Dr. Jarvie-Thomas. "Reducing sun exposure and taking other steps such as wearing a high-factor medical grade SPF, a wide-brimmed hat, and sunglasses can also help."
It may seem obvious, but applying an effective concealer to your undereye area remains one of the easiest and fastest ways to significantly reduce the appearance of dark circles -- although, of course, a downside to this method is that it's temporary.
"Concealer can help reduce the appearance of brown or red coloration in the undereye area," says Dr. Friedmann. "A green concealer is ideal for minimizing the appearance of red or purple since they are complementary colors on the color wheel."
Where possible, go for a concealer that contains skincare ingredients such as hyaluronic acid or squalane so you're also getting more long-term benefits from your makeup.
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While undereye circles can be somewhat minimized at home, those looking for more visible results may want to seek treatments available in medispas and dermatologists' offices.
"If the undereye circles are due to increased pigmentation, as may be seen in patients with naturally darker skin color, laser therapy, such as Fraxel Dual laser, or chemical peels may be helpful," says Dr. Friedmann. "These in-office procedures can help decrease brown pigmentation of the undereye area by noninvasively peeling away the superficial skin layers of skin where that pigment resides."
He also cites the VBeam laser as another option, while Dr. Jarvie-Thomas likes the MOXI laser or BBL pulsed light therapy for treating the area.
Beyond lasers and peels, ablative Tixel treatments are the gold standard for non-surgically tightening and re-texturizing the upper lid and undereye, says Dr. Jarvie-Thomas. Polynucleotide treatments can help target puffiness, darkness, volume loss, laxity, and fine lines under the eyes, making them a fantastic alternative to fillers, he says.
If you're intrigued by these treatments, make an appointment for a consultation with a skin health professional. They can advise you on the most suitable options for your specific concerns.
Filler is a fantastic option for improving the appearance of hollow, dark circles under the eyes -- whether injected into the cheekbones or the tear troughs, says Dr. Mark. "One of my tricks is to inject volume to lift the cheekbone. This has a beautiful effect on the lower outer eyelid to lift it and make it look more taught and less wrinkly and hollow. Injecting this filler into the cheekbone lifts and stretches the lower eyelid to reflect light better."
Meanwhile, Dr. Jarvie-Thomas is a proponent of tear-trough filler. "For those with significant volume loss in the under-eye, tear trough filler can be a great solution to smooth contours and reduce darkness from shadowing. The longevity of modern tear trough fillers is often years, and even a single session can be transformative for the eyes."
Dr. Friedmann notes that filler may be a particularly suitable treatment for younger patients whose circles have only recently worsened. Booking a professional consultation can help determine if this procedure is for you.
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Although Botox doesn't specifically address dark circles, injections around the eye can help give you the rejuvenated look you would get with a more targeted treatment for the undereye area.
"Anti-wrinkle injections of Botulinum Toxin Type A can soften lines and open the eye, giving a refreshed appearance," says Dr. Jarvie-Thomas. "When done well, the effect is natural and imperceptible even to a trained eye."
If you want to try Botox, research qualified practitioners in your area for the best results.
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If your undereye circles bother you a lot and they're not improving, eyelid surgery is a more invasive but longer-lasting solution worth considering. Dr. Friedmann's first line of treatment for undereye circles is typically filler, lasers, or other non-invasive tightening treatments. "Older patients with more severe loosening of skin and underlying tissue may be far better candidates for surgery," he says.
Also known as blepharoplasty, this procedure can work wonders on undereye "bags" and dark circles. Consult a trusted plastic surgeon to determine whether this is the right option.