Does dark circles around the eyes run in the family?

Question

I don't have dark circles (yet : /) but my mom has them (barely) her mom has it... and come to think of it all of my mom's sister's have it too...

Answer 1

Dark circles in particular are believed to frequently be hereditary. This doesn’t mean that you can’t do anything about the conditions, but you should be prepared for minimal success actually trying to get rid of them:

Identify allergens. Allergies may be the most common cause of skin discoloration and puffiness under the eyes. If allergies are the root of your problem, you simply need to treat them or remove the allergen (i.e., the thing to which you are allergic). Seasonal allergy problems such as hay fever can frequently be effectively treated with over-the-counter and prescription medications. For other allergies the best course of action is usually avoidance. If your dark circles or puffiness are constant, you may have an undetected food allergy or an allergy to a chemical in your home or workplace. Talk to a dermatologist for help determining what you may be allergic to.

Get plenty of sleep nightly. It’s not entirely clear why inadequate sleep results in dark circles under the eyes, but we’ve all seen it happen either to ourselves or someone we know. For one thing, lack of sleep tends to cause the skin to become paler (thus increasing the appearance of darkness under the eyes), and it reduces circulation. It’s also believed that too little time lying down is a cause in itself. Determine how much sleep you need (it’s usually 7-9 hours per night) and try to get that amount regularly for a couple of weeks to see if that helps. Remember that alcohol and drugs can adversely affect the quality of your sleep; abstain from these products or use only in moderation for best results.

Treat your skin while you sleep. There are overnight facial masques available that may help reduce the appearance of puffiness or discoloration, but you can also make your own. Just before you go to bed, take a washcloth and wet it just a bit with cold water. Then squeeze out any excess water and place it over your eyes as you sleep.

Apply cool tea bags, an ice cube wrapped in soft cloth, or cucumber slices to your eyes daily. The tannin in tea bags has been shown to reduce swelling and discoloration, and cucumber slices have long been used to reduce puffiness and refresh the appearance of skin around the eyes. Lie down, preferably in the morning, and leave fresh cucumber slices or cool, damp caffeinated tea bags (you can refrigerate them overnight so they’ll be ready) over your eyes for about 10-15 minutes. Keep your eyes closed.

6. Wash your face with cool to somewhat cold water in the morning or when puffiness occurs. The cold water will cause blood vessels to constrict, and thus reduces swelling.
7. Try to relax the space. You can do this by wetting a cotton swab and then freezing it for a little while. Then you should gently wipe under your eyes in the areas where the circles are occurring. When wiping, close your eyes and try not to flinch.
8. Apply an eye cream containing vitamin K and retinol. Dark circles may be caused by a deficiency of vitamin K. Regardless of the cause, however, recent research has shown that skin creams containing these two ingredients reduce puffiness and discoloration significantly in many patients. Long-term daily use seems to have the greatest effect.
9. Avoid rubbing your eyes. Usually rubbing of the eyes is brought on by allergies, but not always. Regardless of the reason, stop doing it. The rubbing irritates the skin and can break tiny capillaries beneath the skin, causing both puffiness and discoloration.
10. Eat a healthy, balanced diet and drink plenty of water. A whole host of cosmetic problems can be attributed to vitamin deficiencies. Dark circles and puffiness are often attributed to lack of vitamin K or inadequate antioxidants. Be sure to get plenty of fruits and vegetables—especially cabbage, spinach, and other leafy green vegetables—and take a daily vitamin supplement if necessary. Get adequate fluids to improve circulation.
11. Reduce salt intake. Excess salt causes the body to retain water in unusual places, and this can result in puffiness under the eyes. Too much salt can also impair your circulation, and cause the blood vessels under the skin to appear bluer.
12. Quit smoking. Smoking causes vascular (blood vessel) problems that can not only threaten your life, but also make your blood vessels appear more prominent and bluer beneath the skin.
13. Cover the problem up with cosmetics. If all else fails, use a yellow or flesh-toned color which will camouflage the problem.
14. To do away with the unsightly swelling, use a little Preparation H or hemorrhoid cream. Just be careful not to put it too close to your eyes. It will shrink the skin if it is swollen, but won't make the dark circles go away.
15. Cutting onions will help you cry out some of the moisture under and around your eyes , however it isn't recommended you carry out this procedure daily .This will reduce the darkness under the eyes somehow . Using tea bags under your eyes straight afterwards also helps . Puffiness may not reduce immediately but will shortly afterwards
16. Put 2 tablespoons in the freezer for few minutes and apply on the eyes for few seconds, until they are warm. Re-apply if necessary.

Tips:

* Food allergies and sensitivities play a major part in under-eye circles. Processed foods with artificial colors and preservatives as well as milk allergies can cause this problem.
* The Internet abounds with home remedies. While the most common are cucumbers and tea bags, there are a number of others. Feel free to test them out, as some may work for some people, but use common sense.

My personal favorite home remedy:

To lighten dark circles under your eyes, wrap a grated raw potato in cheesecloth and apply to eyelids for 15-20 minutes.
Wipe off the residue and apply an eye cream.

Hope I helped!!!

Answer 2

There are many causes of dark circles, from age, heredity, allergies, cold or sinus infection, bone structure and glasses which are not so commonly known.
http://www.mydarkcirclesblog.com/2006/11/27/causes-of-dark-circles/


If you would like to apply home remedies to reduce dark circles, here are some of my suggestions:
Buy a box of regular, old fashioned unflavored gelatin (e.g. Knox) from grocery store. Take a small cup or bowl and put in 1 teaspoon of the gelatin mix. Add one tablespoon of boiling water & stir for a minute. Test it on your wrist to make sure it is not too hot. Then, using a cotton ball, pat it under your eyes as you would an eye cream or gel. Go lie down and listen to some music, or take a bath & let it stay on for at least 30 minutes. Then just rinse it off.Gelatin is very high in Vitamin K & Biotin. It will not remove your dark circles on the first application (but you will notice a difference), but if you do it daily for a week, and then 2-3 times a week for maintenance, you should notice a drastic reduction in dark circles.
http://www.mydarkcirclesblog.com/2007/01/01/special-spa-home-remedy-to-reduce-dark-circles/

To hide dark circles, you can use YSL concealer or salmon concealer..
http://www.mydarkcirclesblog.com .. tips on how to reduce dark circles, the causes of dark circles, home remedies, eye creams reviews, make up tips, and natural healer.


http://www.cleansecolonblog.com Cleanse Colon Blog writes about colon cleanse home remedies and review colon cleanse products.

Answer 3

Yes they do. It's not that big of deal though, just cover them up with a light foundation/ concealer.

Answer 4

apply vitamine E cream

Answer 5

Yes, it is hereditary but you may escape them.