Auriderm® San Francisco | Dark Circles Under Eyes Treatment

Auriderm® for Dark Circles Under The Eyes

Dark Circles: Causes and Treatments

The cause of dark circles is multifactorial and as such, there is no single answer to solving this common problem. The most common easily treatable causes are 1) bulging of the fat pads under the eye (pseudofat herniation) or commonly “eye bags” which cast a shadow underneath in ambient light, these can easily be treated with a 30 minute operation without an external scar known as transconjunctival blepharoplasty and 2) a curilinear depression under the eye bag commonly known as the tear trough depression which can be easily filled with an HA filler like Resylane, Juvederm or Belotero in the office.

Also common, but more challenging causes of dark circles are pigment changes that are either vascular, skin pigment (melanin) or both. Small groups of capillaries (tiny blood vessels are common under the eye and as our skin ages and becomes thinner these vessels become more dense and apparent forming a shade of darkness. Larger veins that tend to have a bluish hue can also be vascular contributing causes of pigment. Both of these vascular causes can be treated with certain types of lasers like the Nd:YAG and broad band light (IPL).

Auriderm® at the Maas Clinic^TM

IPL also treats the skin pigment changes caused by sun damage – deposition of melanin – macules, “freckles or sun spots”. These spots often become confluent with the loose and wrinkling skin under the eye that worsens the appearance.

Finally, there are theories that a blood byproduct, hemosiderin can cause a brownish hue under the eyes as it contains small amounts of iron from its nascent molecule hemoglobin “leaking” from the small capillaries under the eyes – the result of slow circulation.

There is little or no scientific evidence to prove that this is a cause but this theory is often touted with creams and lotions marketed to improve dark circles. I am very skeptical about these products.

Usually significant improvement can be achieved with a plan that includes one or all of the above mentioned causes and treatments. In any case, no one needs to live with dark circles!