Dark circles can be caused be a variety of factors— from natural aging to hereditary reasons to a diet lacking essential nutrients. If you have eye bags that feel noticeable and you’re wondering if you’re drinking anything that might be making them worse, we spoke with dermatologists who pointed out one type of drink you might want to consume less for the sake of your dark circles.
Win $1,900 worth of luxury handbags!
Shutterstock
Alcoholic Beverages Related To Dark Eye Circles
Drinks with high amounts of alcohol can damage your body in numerous ways if consumed excessively, and your under-eye skin is no exception.
“Alcohol causes blood vessels to dilate,” explains board-certified dermatologist Dr. Kemunto Mokaya, M.D. “When the veins around the eye area dilate, they are more prominent, and they amplify the darkness of the skin around the eyes.”
Mokaya adds that due to alcohol interfering with sleep (hangovers, daytime sleepiness, etc.), it can “reduce the quality of your sleep” and “exacerbate the appearance of dark eye circles.”
Dermatologist Harland Adkins and founder of Fast Food Menu Prices, agrees. “Dark eye circles are a natural process of life for most of us, but there are definitely ways you can slow down or reduce them,” says Adkins, who also notes that “people over 50 who want to reduce dark eye circles should avoid drinking alcohol” due to “blood vessels under your eyes dilating when drinking alcohol, and it making the dark circles more prominent.”
Ultimately, the darkness of your under-eyes won’t be fixed by consuming alcoholic beverages, and could even be worsened by them. For people over 50, the skin under your eyes is very delicate and in need of vital nutrients like Vitamin K or Vitamin C.
For more information, speak to your dermatologist about products and foods that could help in the care for your under-eyes, and what others to avoid.