Dark circles and tired-looking eyes

What causes dark circles under the eyes?

Dark circles have three main causes: extra pigment in the skin, blood vessels showing through thin skin, and a shadow cast by the hollow under the eye. Pigmented circles are genuine extra melanin under the eyes, common in darker skin tones and often familial, sometimes left over from rubbing or eczema. Vascular circles are blue or purple and are the blood vessels showing through thin skin, which is why they look worse when you are tired or dehydrated. Structural circles are a shadow, cast by the hollow between the lower lid and the cheek, which deepens with age as fat and bone change. A 2016 review of under-eye pigmentation lists all of these, from inherited pigment and marks left by allergic reactions to visible vessels and shadowing from lax skin and the tear trough. Many people have a combination. A simple test: stretch the skin gently sideways. Pigment stays, vascular fades, and a shadow disappears when you change the light.

What makes dark circles worse?

Poor sleep, salt, allergies, sun, smoking and age all make dark circles look worse. Poor sleep and salt cause fluid shifts and puffiness. Allergies and hay fever, which the NHS notes brings itchy, red or watery eyes, congest the area and lead to rubbing, and rubbing adds pigment. Sun exposure darkens pigment. Smoking and dehydration add to it. Age thins the skin and deepens the hollow.

Can eye creams and skincare help dark circles?

Skincare can help pigmented circles and briefly lessen vascular ones, but no cream reaches a shadow. For the pigmented type, daily sunscreen and the same actives used for uneven tone elsewhere: vitamin C, niacinamide, azelaic acid, and a gentle retinoid introduced carefully, since eyelid skin is thin. For the vascular type, caffeine constricts vessels temporarily and can reduce the look for a few hours; a 2024 review of eye cream ingredients found caffeine promising but noted how few trials have tested eye creams themselves. For the structural type, no cream reaches the problem, and a good concealer is the honest answer. Treating allergies stops the rubbing that makes all three worse. If you would rather not guess, a MyAgenix read builds a routine around the skin in your photos.

What can a pharmacist or doctor do about dark circles?

A pharmacist can suggest antihistamines when allergies are behind dark circles, and a qualified practitioner can use filler for a hollow. For hay fever, a pharmacist can advise on antihistamine tablets, drops or sprays, including non-drowsy ones. For structural hollowing, aesthetic practitioners use dermal filler in the tear trough, which is effective in the right hands and carries real risks in the wrong ones: trials of under-eye filler record bruising and swelling, and the NHS warns that non-surgical procedures such as fillers can lead to serious complications if they are not done correctly. Choose a qualified medical practitioner, ask what they would do if something went wrong, and be wary of low prices. Lasers are an option for stubborn pigment.

When are dark circles a reason to see a GP?

See a GP about dark circles that come with sudden swelling, a change on one side only, or other symptoms such as tiredness and breathlessness. Tiredness and shortness of breath are symptoms of iron deficiency anaemia, and extreme tiredness is a common symptom of an underactive thyroid, so anaemia and thyroid problems are worth ruling out.

General information about skin, not medical advice. MyAgenix offers cosmetic guidance to help you choose products. It does not diagnose or treat any condition. For anything on this page that needs treating, see a pharmacist, your GP or a dermatologist.