Nothing says “I’m tired,” quite like dark, hollow, undereye circles.  “I’m fine,” you insist.  “I got a full night of sleep!”  Your friend looks at your with sympathetic eyes.  “Mmm, hmmm, riiiiight.  Poor thing…” she coos. 

 

The truth is, sleep (or lack there of) is only one factor contributing to the appearance of hollows under the eyes.  Genetics, allergies, broken blood vessels, and volume loss all play a role.  Although this is a difficult area to treat, there are things that help.

 

Hollows in the “tear trough” area (the area between the eye and upper cheek) can be improved by replacing volume with filler.  Hyaluronic acid fillers, such as Restylane and Juvederm work well in this area because they are softer fillers.  They are injected deep to restore volume from bone and fat loss.  Deep injections prevent lumps from being seen.  These filler last about 9 months to a year.  Although they improve the hollow, filler won’t do much for the dark color. 

 

Eye creams help to hydrate the undereye area and temporarily plump the area.  Hyaluronic acid creams fill in fine lines.  Creams with caffeine, like Clark's Botanicals Anti-puff Eye Cream, help to constrict the area, reducing puffiness.  This is one of my favorite eye creams, and we carry it at Premier Dermatology, MD.  It has jasmine absolute, a soothing anti-inflammatory botanical, and vitamin K, to help lighten dark circles.  Creams can be kept in the refrigerator and then applied; the cold helps to further constrict blood vessels.

 

If seasonal allergies are an issue, taking a daily non-drowsy antihistamine can help.  Sleeping propped up on two pillows helps decrease fluid accumulation beneath the eyes.  Compresses with chamomile tea can be soothing.