In Brief
Five things to know before deciding- Three clues: a brown colour, a bluish to purplish colour or a change in contour; the pigmented, vascular and structural components can occur together.
- Dark circle or bag: a dark area and swelling are not the same observation. Some bags consist of bulging fat.
- Before choosing: the skin, volume and blood vessels under the eye are considered separately during the medical assessment. A colour or a photo is not enough to choose a treatment.
- At home: an improvement in colour and puffiness with a combined cosmetic formula does not mean it can be credited with correcting a hollow or a bag caused by fat.
- Seek care right away: after an injection, unusual pain or a change in vision requires immediate care. Yellowing of the skin or the whites of the eyes calls for urgent medical advice.
Depending on What You Notice
Do you mainly notice a dark colour or a hollow? Treatment for dark circles starts by distinguishing the pigmented, vascular and structural components. If swelling is what bothers you, treatment for under-eye bags starts with identifying the type of swelling: some bags consist of bulging fat. Colour and swelling can be present together; both are then taken into account during the assessment.
Dark Circles or Bags Under the Eyes: Is It Colour, a Hollow or Swelling?
To describe what bothers you, first separate colour from shape: do you see brown, blue or purple, a hollow, or an area that bulges? Also note whether the appearance changes between morning and evening.
These components can occur together: the same dark circle can have pigment, a vascular component and a structural component, with a bag in the same place. A colour or a photo is therefore not enough to choose a treatment. Describing what you see is a starting point for the assessment, not a diagnosis.
- What you see
-
A dark area under the eyes, swelling, or both
- What only the doctor can tell on examination
-
- Pigment
- Blood vessels
- Tissue structure
- Bulging fat
A brown colour
It suggests the pigmented component, which is related to pigment.
A bluish to purplish colour
It suggests the vascular component, which is related to blood vessels.
A hollow or a bulge
It is one of the features considered when assessing the shape of the area, known as the structural component.
Swelling
Some under-eye bags consist of bulging fat. Not all swelling can be classified this way based on its appearance.
Why Dark Circles and Bags Occur Together
Colour and shape are two aspects of the same area, but they need to be considered separately. Pigment, blood vessels and tissue structure can together contribute to the dark appearance. A bag can be present as well; in some people, it consists of bulging fat.
When looking at the causes of under-eye bags, one of the key questions is what the bulge consists of. Swelling that looks different to you in the morning and evening and a bulge that you always see are observations to describe separately. Their pattern over the day is not enough to identify their cause.
These questions help in understanding your situation; they are not a list of causes assumed to explain your dark circles or bags.
What Can You Do at Home, and What Are the Limitations?
One specific formula
With a cosmetic formula combining several ingredients, women aged 35 to 60 noticed an improvement in the appearance of their dark circles and puffiness after twelve weeks of use.
This applies to one specific formula, not to all eye creams. The improvement cannot be attributed to vitamin C or caffeine individually, nor presented as correcting a hollow or a bag caused by fat.
How well they are tolerated near the eyes
Choosing creams and home remedies for dark circles also means taking into account how well they are tolerated near the eyes: with this formula, two women stopped using it because of a mild skin reaction.
An improvement in appearance therefore does not guarantee that a product will work for you or that you will tolerate it.
Skin care or treatments you have already tried
If you are already using a cream, a cool compress or another remedy, bring the name of the product and describe how you use it, what you notice and any reactions.
You can then ask what is appropriate for use near the eyes and what change to expect in the colour or swelling that bothers you.
Which Options Should You Discuss Depending on the Cause?
Choosing a treatment starts with distinguishing pigment, blood vessels and tissue structure. When several components are present, you need to clarify which one each recommended approach targets, rather than choosing a procedure based on colour alone.
If under-eye hollows are your concern, ask whether filler would be appropriate for your situation and what the alternatives would be.
A visible hollow is not enough to establish that an under-eye injection is appropriate for you.
Medical procedure
Filler is a medical procedure, performed by a physician, or a nurse injector supervised by a physician.
Before deciding, discuss the injection areas and the risks specific to each one.
Filler in general
For filler in general, the result depends on tissue structure, volume and the type of product; how long the effect lasts depends on the product and the area injected.
- Swelling
- Bruising
- Nodules
Swelling, bruising and nodules are possible. Nodules may require additional treatment.
Accidental injection into a blood vessel
Accidental injection into a blood vessel can cause
- tissue death, known as necrosis,
- damage to vision that can be severe enough to cause blindness,
- or a stroke.
These complications can be permanent.
Whether CO2 laser, pulsed light and focused ultrasound are indicated under the eye has yet to be confirmed by CARE MD's physician.
The doctor must determine whether any of these approaches is appropriate for your situation. For any recommended approach, ask what change is expected, what timeline and maintenance to expect, and what limitations or risks apply to your situation.
Seek Care Right Away
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 use a form.
Yellowing of the skin or the whites of the eyes calls for urgent medical advice: it can be a sign of liver disease, among other conditions.
The link between dark circles and the liver cannot be inferred from the colour under the eyes; yellowing is a separate sign that needs to be assessed.
Legs that swell at the same time as the face or abdomen also call for urgent medical advice, as does severe, painful or very sudden swelling in the legs.
These instructions apply to swelling in the legs in this context, not to an isolated bag under the eye. No diagnosis can be made online.
Ask Us Your Questions
Do you have a question about what you see under your eyes or about preparing for an assessment? Write to us at CARE MD. Describe what bothers you and any skin care or treatments you have already tried to help us understand your concern.
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 this form.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can you tell a dark circle from an under-eye bag?
A dark circle is a dark area; a bag is swelling under the eye. A brown tint suggests the pigmented component, and a bluish to purplish tint the vascular component. During the assessment, the doctor also examines the shape of the area: a hollow or a bulge. Some bags consist of bulging fat, but their appearance alone is not enough to determine this. Several components can be present together.
Sources1 reference
Can you have dark circles and bags under your eyes at the same time?
Yes. The pigmented, vascular and structural components can together contribute to the dark appearance, and a bag can be present in the same place. This is why a colour or a photo is not enough to choose a treatment: the aim of the assessment is to distinguish what contributes to the appearance that bothers you.
Sources1 reference
Are dark circles and bags treated the same way?
Not necessarily. Distinguishing pigment, blood vessels and tissue structure helps in choosing an approach. Ask which component each recommended approach targets. For filler in general, the result depends on tissue structure, volume and the type of product, and how long the effect lasts depends on the product and the area injected. These points are not enough to confirm that an under-eye injection is appropriate for you.
Sources2 references
Can you remove or get rid of dark circles and bags at home?
An improvement in appearance does not guarantee that they will disappear. With a cosmetic formula combining several ingredients, women aged 35 to 60 noticed an improvement in their dark circles and puffiness after twelve weeks. This result does not apply to all creams; the effect cannot be attributed to vitamin C or caffeine alone, nor can it be described as correcting a hollow or a bag caused by fat. Two participants stopped using the formula because of a mild skin reaction. If you are already using a product or remedy, describe how you use it and any reactions during the assessment.
Sources1 reference
What does the doctor check during the assessment, and how should you prepare for it?
At CARE MD, the medical assessment includes checking the skin, volume and blood vessels under the eye; it is not an examination of your vision or of the eye itself. Write down how long you have had the dark circles or bags, whether one side or both are affected, what changes between morning and evening, your allergies and any skin care or treatments you have already tried. Say whether the colour, the hollow or the swelling bothers you most. Ask what each recommended approach targets, the alternatives, the expected change and the risks.
Sources1 reference
Which signs require 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. Yellowing of the skin or the whites of the eyes calls for urgent medical advice. Legs that swell at the same time as the face or abdomen also call for urgent medical advice; this instruction applies to that context, not to an isolated bag under the eye. Do not use a form to get immediate care.
Sources3 references
What approach should I take if several things bother me?
If you notice a dark colour, a hollow and swelling, describe them separately during the medical assessment: the components can occur together. Choosing an approach starts with distinguishing them. CARE MD assesses the skin, volume and blood vessels under the eye.
Sources1 reference
How can I contact CARE MD with a question or for an assessment?
You can write to CARE MD using the contact form, describing what bothers you under your eyes and any skin care or treatments you have already tried, or request a Global Aesthetic consultation in Sainte-Thérèse. A message is not a substitute for a medical consultation and cannot be used to make a diagnosis online. Signs that require immediate care after an injection must not be reported through the form.
Sources1 reference
Sources5 references+
- Huang et al. — Clinical analysis and classification of dark eye circle (PubMed abstract) (opens in a new tab)
- Dermal Fillers (Soft Tissue Fillers) — U.S. Food and Drug Administration (opens in a new tab)
- Jaundice — NHS (opens in a new tab)
- Swollen ankles, feet and legs (oedema) — NHS (opens in a new tab)
- Rajabi-Estarabadi et al. — Effectiveness and tolerance of multicorrective topical treatment for infraorbital dark circles and puffiness (PubMed abstract) (opens in a new tab)
Dark Circles or Bags: Limitations and Precautions
A medical assessment helps distinguish between the skin, volume and blood vessels under the eye before choosing an approach. This information is not a substitute for a medical consultation.
Limitations and precautions
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, without using a form.
Yellowing of the skin or the whites of the eyes calls for urgent medical advice, as do legs that swell at the same time as the face or abdomen.
Filler can cause swelling, bruising and nodules. Accidental injection into a blood vessel can cause serious, sometimes permanent, damage to the skin or vision, or a stroke.
With the combined cosmetic formula that was evaluated, two women stopped using it because of a mild skin reaction; how well it was tolerated cannot be generalized to all creams.
Several components can occur together; a colour or a photo is not enough to choose a treatment.
The result of filler depends on tissue structure, volume and the type of product; how long the effect lasts depends on the product and the area injected. These general points do not confirm that an under-eye injection is appropriate for you.
Whether CO2 laser, pulsed light and focused ultrasound are indicated under the eye has yet to be confirmed.
An improvement in appearance with a combined cosmetic formula does not mean it can be credited with correcting a hollow or a bag caused by fat, nor that its effect can be attributed to a single ingredient.
Find Out What You Have
To find out whether you have dark circles, bags or both, you can request a Global Aesthetic consultation at CARE MD in Sainte-Thérèse.