Dark Circles Under Eyes/Tear Troughs
What are Dark Circles Under Eyes/Tear Troughs?
Dark circles are areas of pigmentation or shadow under the eyes, often caused by factors like thinning skin, blood vessel visibility, or genetics. They can give a tired or aged appearance and are a common cosmetic concern.
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The tear trough is the area between the lower eyelid and the upper cheek. When this area appears hollow or sunken, it can create a shadow under the eyes, making dark circles look more pronounced. Tear troughs are usually a result of natural volume loss due to aging, genetics, or other factors.
Causes of Dark Circles Under Eyes and Tear Troughs:
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Aging: As we age, the skin around the eyes becomes thinner and loses elasticity, which can make blood vessels more visible and lead to shadowing or darkening under the eyes.
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Genetics: Dark circles and tear troughs are often hereditary and can be more pronounced in certain skin types or ethnic backgrounds.
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Volume Loss: The loss of fat and collagen under the eyes over time leads to hollows and shadowing, which are the characteristic of tear troughs.
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Lifestyle Factors: Poor sleep, stress, dehydration, and dietary deficiencies can all exacerbate dark circles.
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Allergies and Sinus Issues: Allergies and sinus congestion can cause blood vessels under the eyes to dilate, making dark circles more visible.
Symptoms of Dark Circles and Tear Troughs:
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Darkened Skin: Dark circles appear as a darkening of the skin under the eyes, which can range in colour from blue or purple to brown, depending on the underlying cause and skin type.
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Hollow or Sunken Appearance: Tear troughs can create a noticeable depression or hollow under the eyes, often resulting in a tired or aged look.
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Shadowing Effect: Tear troughs and dark circles can create a shadowing effect, which can give the appearance of puffiness, even if there's no actual swelling.
Types of Dark Circles and How to Differentiate them:
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Pigmented Dark Circles: Caused by excess melanin (pigment) in the skin, they are usually brownish and can be related to genetics, sun exposure, or skin inflammation. Pigmented circles do not change significantly with lighting or movement.
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Vascular Dark Circles: These appear bluish or purple due to visible blood vessels under the thin skin. They often look worse with lack of sleep or when blood flow is restricted, like due to sinus congestion. Use your finger to tap on it, the colour will become lighter.
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Structural Dark Circles: These are due to hollowness or depressions of tear troughs that create shadows. They may appear more prominent in certain lighting and can be a result of volume loss.
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Mixed type: Some people have a combination of pigmented, vascular, and structural dark circles.
2 Types of tear troughs (True tear troughs/tear troughs with bags under eyes)
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True tear trough (right image): Hollow and sunken appearance under the eyes without eye bags.
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Tear trough with bags under eyes (left image): Similar appearance as true tear trough with eye bags.
Entirely different treatment method!!!
Tear Troughs Treatment Options:
Option 1:​ Teosyal Redensity 2 is a dermal filler specifically formulated to treat the delicate under-eye area, especially tear troughs for volume restoration. It contain hyaluronic acid (a hydrating substance naturally found in the skin), amino acids, antioxidants and other nutrients that help improve skin quality. Its nature in hydration helps retain moisture in the skin, improving its texture and elasticity, which makes dark circles less visible. Its safe and long-lasting results (9-12 months) targets both dark circles and tear troughs.
Option 2:​ If your tear troughs are formed by volume loss of fat pads on the cheeks, Teosyal RHA 4 dermal filler for adding volume to your cheeks would be a good ooption. This can also greatly help with eye bags.
Tear Troughs with Bags Treatment Options:
Option 1:​ Nucleofill Eyes Polydeoxyribonucleotide (PDRN) is known for its skin-rejuvenating and regenerative properties. It can be particularly helpful for treating eye bags, dark eye circles and tear troughs. The benefits include:
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Increased Elasticity and Firmness: By boosting collagen and elastin, PDRN helps to firm the skin under the eyes, reducing sagging and hollowing that contribute to tear troughs.
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Skin Regeneration: PDRN stimulates skin repair and collagen production, which can improve skin thickness, making underlying blood vessels less visible and reducing dark circles.
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Anti-Inflammatory and Healing Effects: PDRN has anti-inflammatory properties, which can help with puffiness or discoloration associated with dark circles and promote a brighter, more even-toned under-eye area.
Option 2: Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) with microneedling can be a beneficial treatment for tear troughs with eye bags due to its regenerative properties and ability to stimulate collagen and elastin production for this delicate area. It helps with:
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Collagen and Elastin Stimulation: PRP is rich in growth factors that promote the production of collagen and elastin, which are crucial for skin firmness and elasticity. By improving skin structure, PRP can reduce the appearance of tear troughs and help support the tissue around eye bags, making them less noticeable.
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Improvement in Skin Thickness: PRP strengthens and thickens the thin skin under the eyes. This reduces the transparency that often makes dark circles and blood vessels more visible, thereby minimizing dark shadows and contributing to a brighter under-eye appearance.
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Skin Tone and Texture Enhancement: PRP improves overall skin quality, leading to a smoother, firmer texture under the eyes. This can soften the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, giving a rejuvenated and rested look.
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Reduction in Hollowness and Shadowing: PRP helps with volume loss by promoting new tissue growth, which can naturally fill in hollow areas and minimize shadows associated with tear troughs and eye bags.
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Reduced Inflammation and Puffiness: The anti-inflammatory properties of PRP can help reduce swelling and puffiness, which can enhance the appearance of eye bags and make the area look refreshed.
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Results typically appear gradually, as collagen regenerates and skin texture improves over weeks to months. Regular treatments (spaced a month apart) can further enhance the results, giving a longer-lasting and natural approach to treating tear troughs and eye bags.
