Dark Circles: Types and Treatments
When you look at the area under your eyes, it appears dark: sometimes it has been that way since childhood, and sometimes it has become darker with age. To choose a treatment for dark circles under the eyes, you first need to know what is darkening this area: discolouration of the skin, blood vessels visible through it, or the shadow of a hollow. These causes can occur together in the same person. A treatment that changes the colour does not fill a hollow, and a treatment that adds volume does not, on its own, change pigment.
The area under the eye also calls for caution: the skin there is thin, and choosing a treatment takes into account both the cause of the dark circle and the colour of your skin. To prepare for a Global Aesthetic consultation at CARE MD in Sainte-Thérèse, ask what is related to colour, to a hollow or to both.
- Colour is a clue, not a diagnosis
- Global Aesthetic consultation
- Sainte-Thérèse
In Brief
Five things to know before deciding- Three causes: a brown tint can suggest pigment, and a bluish or purplish tint can suggest blood vessels visible beneath thin skin; a hollow can also cast a shadow. Colour is a clue, not a diagnosis, and these causes sometimes occur together.
- Dark circle or bag: a bag is swelling, not a colour, but it casts a shadow that looks like a dark circle; distinguishing dark circles from bags under the eyes is the first step.
- Which treatment: sun protection, sleep and cosmetics have their limits; filler targets a hollow, and laser treatment targets the surface of the skin. No single approach is appropriate for every type of dark circle, and combining several does not guarantee a better result.
- Black or dark skin, and caution under the eye: the skin there is thin, and on brown or Black skin the risk of a lasting colour change after laser treatment is higher.
- At CARE MD: in Sainte-Thérèse, you can request a Global Aesthetic consultation to discuss what is causing the colour or hollowing of your dark circles, the options and their limitations.
Types of Dark Circles: Pigmented, Vascular (Blue) and Hollow
A dark circle falls into one of four categories: pigmented, vascular, hollow (known as a structural component) or mixed. Colour alone does not tell you which one applies to you.
Pigmented, brown. The skin itself is darker, because pigment builds up in it. Sun exposure worsens pigmentation under the eye; skin inflammation, an allergy or repeated rubbing can also contribute. A brown tint does not tell you which of these causes is involved.
Vascular, blue or purplish. Under thin skin, blood vessels close to the surface show through and give a bluish or purplish tint. This colour does not prove poor circulation, and it does not point to one laser rather than another.
Hollow. With age, the skin becomes thinner, the fat beneath the skin decreases and the cheek sags: the contour of the eye socket becomes hollow, and this hollow casts a shadow that looks like a dark circle. Nearby swelling can cast the same shadow.
Mixed. Pigment, visible blood vessels and a hollow can occur together; this is called a mixed dark circle, and several treatments may be considered.
Everyday words describe what you see, not what causes it. A brown tint can suggest a pigmented component, and a blue or mauve tint, visible blood vessels; several causes can occur together. A “full” or puffy dark circle can be a bag, that is, swelling under the eyes, which is different from a colour. For a red dark circle or redness, colour alone is not enough to identify a cause either: ask whether irritation could be involved and whether medical advice is needed, rather than choosing a treatment based on the tint.
- What you see
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A dark area under the eyes
- What only the doctor can tell on examination
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- Pigment
- Visible blood vessels
- The shadow of a hollow
- A bag
Why Dark Circles Are Present From Childhood or Become More Noticeable With Age
- Contour of the eye socket
- Cheek
In some families, pigmentation under the eyes appears in childhood and becomes more pronounced with age. Dark circles you have always had may therefore have a family component, although not all dark circles in childhood are hereditary.
Over the years, two further changes occur: the skin becomes thinner, and the fat beneath the skin decreases while the cheek sags, which hollows the contour of the eye socket. A dark circle that becomes more pronounced with age can therefore be caused by changes in contour as much as by colour.
Lifestyle affects some of these factors. A short night's sleep does not usually cause dark circles, but a lack of sleep makes the dark circles and shadows you already have more visible. Sun exposure worsens pigmentation. Stress, alcohol and smoking are often mentioned; their role has not been demonstrated. Getting more sleep or protecting yourself from the sun therefore improves what lifestyle makes worse, not what is hereditary or structural.
Dark Circles on Black or Dark Skin
On brown or Black skin, melasma and hyperpigmentation that follows inflammation are more common, and they can contribute to the colour under the eyes. Dark circles that appear black on Black or dark skin can therefore include a pigment component, although pigment does not explain everything: visible blood vessels and a hollow can also be present.
The risk is also different. After resurfacing, the risk of a lasting colour change is higher on brown or Black skin, and the skin can become lighter or darker. Brown spots on your face may also concern you; ask whether they have the same cause as the colour under your eyes before considering the same treatment. No device is safe by default solely because it targets pigment. Ask the person assessing you what experience they have in choosing lasers and their settings for a range of skin colours and what alternatives there are, and mention how your skin reacts to the sun.
Which Treatment Is Appropriate for Each Type of Dark Circle?
Identifying the main cause of a dark circle and its contributing factors guides the choice, because the same approach does not address every cause.
Day to day. Broad-spectrum sun protection with an SPF of at least 30, even on cloudy days, protects against sun exposure worsening pigmentation, and getting enough sleep makes the dark circles you already have less visible. These measures are not enough to make hereditary dark circles or a hollow disappear. The word “lightening” on packaging guarantees neither a reduction in pigment nor the disappearance of the dark circle. Cosmetic vitamin C is not interchangeable with a treatment prescribed during a consultation. Before choosing creams and home remedies for dark circles, ask what the product can change in your case: appearance, pigment or neither.
For a gentle routine, a moisturizer or camouflage makeup, be clear about what you are looking for: making the colour less visible day to day is not the same goal as correcting a hollow. If you are considering caffeine or cosmetic retinol, ask whether the product is appropriate for use under the eye and what effect to expect. Also mention any home remedies you have already tried and any irritation you have experienced; this helps raise the question of rubbing and inflammation, which can contribute to pigmentation. This is not a reason to add a stronger product.
Filler, for a hollow. A hyaluronic acid gel is used to reshape volume around the eye, so it is intended for a hollow, not for colour. For under-eye hollows, the question is therefore about the volume to be corrected, not about a cream that lightens the skin. In some people who had dark circles, pigmentation appeared darker after the injection. Filler is a medical procedure: it is performed by a physician, or a nurse injector supervised by a physician.
You need to understand its possible effects before you decide. Swelling and bruising usually appear shortly after the filler injection and often go away within a few days or weeks, but some effects occur weeks, months or years later. Nodules, small lumps under the skin, may require treatment. Gel accidentally injected into a blood vessel can cause tissue death, vision problems up to and including blindness, or a stroke. A bluish tint that appears after the injection can come from gel placed too close to the surface: this is the Tyndall effect, which must be assessed. Also ask why placing the gel in the hollow or elsewhere on the face would be considered; do not assume that moving the injection site makes it risk-free.
Laser treatment, for the surface of the skin. The word “laser” covers different techniques. A CO2 laser is an ablative laser: it removes the outer layer of the skin and heats the layer beneath, which stimulates collagen and improves texture and firmness. “Fractional” means that the energy is delivered in microscopic columns of treated tissue, which can be done with either an ablative or a non-ablative method. This treatment works on the surface and texture of the skin, not on the volume of a hollow; whether it is appropriate for your dark circle depends on the cause of its colour. The eyes must be protected during treatment, the skin can become lighter or darker, and the device must be licensed by Health Canada for the technique being considered. Intense pulsed light is not a laser and must not be confused with CO2 resurfacing. If it is mentioned, ask whether the goal concerns pigment or visible blood vessels, how the light would act on that component and what limitations apply near the eye. For dark circles, the indications for CO2 laser and pulsed light under the eye must still be confirmed by CARE MD's physician before CARE MD offers them. Laser treatment for dark circles is therefore not chosen based on colour alone: you need to identify what is darkening the area and check the precautions that apply under the eye.
PRP, for your information. Platelet-rich plasma is prepared from your own blood. In 2019, Health Canada clarified that it is not a cell therapy, without having reviewed the data on its safety, effectiveness and quality for therapeutic use. There is no guarantee that it will have any effect on dark circles. PRP for dark circles must not be confused with filling a hollow with a gel.
Can Dark Circles Be Reduced Quickly or Over the Long Term?
It depends on what causes them. A good night's sleep makes the dark circles you already have less visible, without changing hereditary pigment or a hollow. No promise can be made that they will disappear quickly or permanently; the goal is to make them less noticeable.
- For filler
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How long the effect of filler lasts depends on the product and the area injected: no single duration applies to everyone. For filler, distinguish how long the added volume lasts from what to expect after the injection: bruising and swelling can last a few days or weeks, and a complication can appear later.
- For CO2 laser treatment
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For CO2 laser treatment, the question concerns skin whose outer layer has been removed: ask what care it would need, when you could resume your activities and how to watch for a change in colour. A timeline given for facial resurfacing does not automatically apply under the eye.
Before deciding, ask how many sessions are being considered and how the result would be judged, for the technique and area being proposed.
Combining several approaches does not guarantee a better result: if one targets colour and the other a hollow, they address two separate problems, and no approach can be presented as effective for all dark circles.
Seek Care Right Away
During or shortly after a filler injection, unusual pain, a change in vision, or white, grey or blue skin near the injection site requires immediate medical care; do not wait for a cosmetic consultation. These signs are not a simple change in skin colour: if you are at all unsure, seek immediate care instead of using a form.
A change that affects only one eye and gets worse over time should be shown to a healthcare professional.
If you are wondering about dark circles and the liver, colour alone is not enough to conclude that there is a disease; no diagnosis can be made online.
Ask Us About Your Dark Circles
To get the most out of it, write down how long you have had the dark circles, the treatments you have already tried and your medications, and decide what bothers you most: the colour, the hollow or the swelling. Then ask which cause the recommended approach targets, what it leaves unchanged, its possible side effects and the aftercare. A promise of complete disappearance, of the same duration for everyone or of a risk-free result warrants more questions.
Do you have a question about your dark circles, the options to discuss or how to prepare for your consultation? Write to us at CARE MD. Prepare a list of the treatments you have already tried, your past procedures and your medications. Your message is not a substitute for medical care: after an injection, unusual pain, a change in vision, or white, grey or blue skin near the injection site requires immediate care, without using a form.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you get rid of dark circles quickly?
It depends on what causes them, and no promise can be made that they will disappear quickly or permanently. A good night's sleep makes the dark circles you already have less visible, without changing hereditary pigment or a hollow, and sun protection protects against sun exposure worsening pigmentation. For colour, a hollow or a combination of both, what an approach can make less noticeable, and with what risks, is clarified during the assessment; timing and duration vary from person to person.
Sources4 references
Can dark circles that have been present since childhood be treated?
In some families, pigmentation under the eyes appears in childhood and becomes more pronounced with age. No lifestyle habit guarantees that it will disappear. What should be discussed is making it less noticeable, which depends on what predominates (pigment, visible blood vessels or a hollow) and on the colour of your skin. For your consultation at CARE MD, ask which component predominates and what an approach might leave unchanged.
Sources3 references
Which treatment should you choose for each type of dark circle?
The choice depends on the cause: pigment, visible blood vessels and a hollow do not respond to the same approach. Hyaluronic acid filler targets volume, and therefore a hollow; CO2 laser resurfacing targets the surface and texture of the skin; sun protection protects against sun exposure worsening pigmentation. No approach is effective for all types of dark circles.
Sources4 references
Does combining several treatments give a better result?
Not necessarily. Each approach targets one component: if one targets colour and the other a hollow, they address two separate problems, and combining several techniques does not guarantee a better result. What matters is identifying each component present before choosing; it may also be determined during the assessment that no procedure is appropriate.
Sources3 references
Are dark circles on Black or dark skin treated the same way?
Not with the same precautions. On brown or Black skin, the risk of a lasting colour change after resurfacing is higher, and the skin can become lighter or darker. Ask what experience the person assessing you has with these skin types and what alternatives there are. No device is safe by default solely because it targets pigment.
Sources2 references
When does a dark circle call for medical advice?
A change that affects only one eye and gets worse over time should be shown to a healthcare professional. After a filler injection, unusual pain, a change in vision, or white, grey or blue skin near the injection site requires immediate medical care, without waiting for a cosmetic consultation. No diagnosis can be made online.
Sources2 references
Sources9 references+
- Clinical analysis and classification of dark eye circle — International Journal of Dermatology, 2014 (PubMed abstract) (opens in a new tab)
- Periorbital Hyperpigmentation: A Comprehensive Review — review published in 2016 (PubMed Central) (opens in a new tab)
- Dark circles under eyes — Causes and definition — Mayo Clinic (opens in a new tab)
- Bags under eyes — Symptoms and causes — Mayo Clinic (opens in a new tab)
- Dermal Fillers (Soft Tissue Fillers) — U.S. Food and Drug Administration (opens in a new tab)
- Management of Tyndall Effect — Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2016 (opens in a new tab)
- Laser resurfacing — Mayo Clinic (opens in a new tab)
- Cosmetic Laser Treatments — Health Canada (opens in a new tab)
- Health Canada clarifies position on Platelet Rich Plasma treatments — Health Canada, 2019 (opens in a new tab)
Dark Circles: Limitations and Precautions
Dark circles must be assessed in person: colour alone indicates neither the cause nor the treatment, and what is appropriate is decided during the assessment.
Limitations and precautions
Seek care right away: after a filler injection, unusual pain, a change in vision, or white, grey or blue skin near the injection site requires immediate medical care, without using a form.
Filler can cause swelling, bruising and nodules and, if it is accidentally injected into a blood vessel, serious damage to the skin or vision.
Under the eye, the skin is thin; on brown or Black skin, the risk of a lasting colour change after laser treatment is higher, and the eyes must be protected during any laser treatment.
A change under only one eye that gets worse over time should be shown to a healthcare professional.
Mention your medical history, your medications, any past cosmetic procedures and how your skin reacts to the sun.
The colour of a dark circle is not enough to determine its cause, and several causes can occur together.
No approach is effective for all types of dark circles, and combining treatments does not guarantee a better result.
No promise can be made that dark circles will disappear quickly or permanently; how long the effect of filler lasts depends on the product and the area.
The indications for CO2 laser and intense pulsed light under the eye have yet to be confirmed, and there is no guarantee that PRP will have any effect on dark circles.
Get a Clear Picture of Your Dark Circles
To find out what is causing the colour or hollowing of your dark circles, you can request a Global Aesthetic consultation at CARE MD in Sainte-Thérèse.