3 things to know about dark undereye circles
A recent article from The New York Times, dated 6/12/08, shed some light on a dark subject: undereye circles. A bane for those who have them--whether chronically or temporarily, dark circles tend to take a back seat in many instances to the more popular and no-one-escapes-without-'em fine lines and wrinkles.
Here though, some excerpted items from the NYT article:
From a study done by Clinique...Roughly 53% of the 13,000 Clinique users surveyed by the company in 2006 cited under-eye circles and puffiness as their No. 1 beauty concern.
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Sephora now sells more than 50 products designed to specifically treat under-eye circles
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Most people think dark circles are a telltale sign of tiredness, or the unsightly evidence of a binge involving one too many margaritas. That is true to a certain extent, as fatigue makes skin dull, and drinking alcohol dehydrates and thins the skin.
But the most likely culprit causing chronic dark circles, dermatologists say, is excess pigmentation in the skin. Dark circles are prevalent on all skin colors and types, but they especially trouble African-Americans, Southeast Asians and Southern Italians. Beach bunnies should note: sun exposure exacerbates dark circles.
Dilated blood vessels that sit close to the thin under-eye skin are another cause, doctors said. And airborne allergens, which cause blood to pool in the vessels under the skin, can worsen their appearance, said Dr. John A. Persing, a professor and the chief of plastic surgery at the Yale University School of Medicine. (Treatment for these sufferers may be as simple as an antihistamine pill.)
Aging, which causes skin to thin, can darken the eye area, as can certain medications such as birth control pills, which can dilate blood vessels. The problem is that few, if any, of the creams on the market are formulated for people with excess pigmentation or dilated veins.
"Multiple creams are available, however it is unclear how effective they are," Dr. Persing said.
For people who aren't sure why they have dark circles, he recommends topical products that contain a plumping agent or alphahydroxy acids, which can thicken the skin, or vitamins C and K, which can inflame skin and add volume.
But considering the glut of products on the market with a variety of active ingredients, Dr. Persing said, "If there are that many of them available, that usually means they're not terribly successful."
One to try: Hylexin. Have you tried Hylexin for dark undereye circles? WiWi: Was it Worth it?
posted by skintoxicated
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