What treatment can eliminate my dark circles and tired-looking eyes at age 20? (Photos)

Hello! My name is Jessica, I am a physician assistant, and one of the providers at Aesthetic Skin - Winnetka & Chicago. This is a great question. At age 20, dark circles and a tired look around the eyes are usually caused by genetics, thin skin, lack of sleep, allergies, dehydration, or pigment buildup, rather than true aging or volume loss. The best treatment depends on what’s causing them. If the skin under your eyes is thin and bluish, improving skin quality with topical retinoids, vitamin C, caffeine serums, or gentle chemical peels can help thicken and brighten the area. If the darkness is due to pigmentation, laser or light-based treatments (like Pico or IPL) and brightening ingredients such as niacinamide or kojic acid can reduce discoloration. For hollowness or deep tear troughs, a small amount of hyaluronic acid filler can instantly smooth shadows, though this should be done conservatively at your age. I hope this helps!

What your signs suggest• Strong brightening with a flashlight points to a shadowing component from hollowness and brow overhang• Brown color and only slight change with skin stretch suggest a pigment component rather than pure vascular blue• Thin skin can amplify both shadow and subtle vascular show
What to check before treatment• Wood lamp or dermoscopy to define epidermal versus dermal pigment• Fitzpatrick skin type and any history of post inflammatory darkening• Allergies, nasal congestion or eye rubbing that can worsen pigmentation• Standardized photos in neutral head position and gentle smile to assess true tear trough depth
Stepwise plan• Baseline care• Daily mineral SPF around the eyes• Gentle brightening program tailored to skin type such as vitamin C, azelaic acid or kojic arbutin used carefully around the eye• Treat allergies and avoid rubbing• Shadow correction• Hyaluronic acid filler in micro amounts with cannula at the tear trough to soften the groove and reduce shadow• PRF or very light mesotherapy can improve tissue quality but do not replace volume support• Pigment control• Light chemical peels such as low strength glycolic or lactic in a series when skin type allows• Energy based options chosen to pigment depth and skin tone with conservative settings to limit PIH risk• Vascular tint• If a purple or blue cast is noted on exam, targeted vascular treatments may help, but your description is more brown than blue
What usually disappoints• Heavy oils that clog pores and increase milia or whiteheads• Overfilling the tear trough which can cause puffiness or a gray hue
Anesthesia and recovery• Tear trough filler and mesotherapy are typically done without anesthesia
The details here are not enough for a precise plan. Clear photos under good light and a brief history allow a tailored algorithm that balances pigment care with subtle volume support. If a more specific opinion is desired a short complimentary conversation with a coordinator can help gather these details before any medical evaluation.
Wishing you steady improvement and a brighter, rested look that matches how you feel.Güray Yeşiladalı, MD