What causes bags or dark circles under the eyes? Could it be because of several medical conditions causing dark circles? There are natural remedies for dark circles, but you must first understand why it happens in the first place. Aside from an unhealthy lifestyle, stress, and lack of sleep, dark undereye circles can also be because of underlying medical conditions.
You may not be aware of it, but here are some common medical conditions that may cause dark circles under the eyes.
- Allergies
- Liver Dysfunction
- Poor Kidney Function
- Sinus Infections
- Anemic Persons
- Dehydration
- Iron Deficiency
- Low Thyroid Condition
Dark circles under the eyes may look like a minor issue, but you have to circle back to its possible cause. If you want to treat it properly, you need to identify why it is happening in the first place. In this article, we aim not to scare you. On the contrary, we want to inform you of the possible causes of dark circles under the eyes. In the end, you always have to consult a doctor. Take examinations to determine what is happening in your body.
What Are The Medical Conditions Causing Dark Circles Under The Eyes?
The under-eye skin is one of the most delicate areas of skin in the human body. The finely textured dermis or epidermis has no oil glands and is ultra susceptible to dark circles, rings, or shadows. It happens due to many causes like aging, mental or physical stress, hormonal changes, and lack of sleep. Worst of all, dark circles under the eyes may occur due to underlying medical conditions.
Medical Conditions Causing Dark Circles #1 – Allergies
Dry eyes and allergic reactions can cause dark circles. When you have an allergic reaction, the body releases histamine as a response to harmful bacteria. Histamines, rather than causing painful symptoms – including swelling, redness, and puffy eyes – can often dilate and clear the blood vessels under the skin. Allergies will also make you want to rub itchy skin around your eyes and scratch it. These actions can make symptoms worse and cause inflammation, swelling, and broken blood vessels. This situation could lead to dark shadows under your eyes.
Medical Conditions Causing Dark Circles #2 – Liver Dysfunction
It’s one of the most common reasons people think when they see dark circles under your eyes. Liver disease can be due to overworked liver, fatty liver, or inflammation of the liver. Sometimes liver disease doesn’t cause liver damage, but sometimes it overworks the liver due to too much intestinal toxicity. Gut toxins flow into the intestinal lining, or what they call the leaky intestine. It will then move to the liver that induces liver dysfunction. People with irritable bowel syndrome or food sensitivities are more likely to fall into this scenario. It is essential to improve your overall health of the immune system to help reduce the toxic load.
Medical Conditions Causing Dark Circles #3 – Poor Kidney Function
The region under your eyes will also get darker if your kidneys are not functioning well. It may be due to urinary tract infection (UTI), urine acid, or if you have severe kidney stones. Many kidney safety supplements are used to promote healthy kidneys. However, always meet with a doctor and work with your dermatologists to decide the correct step.
Medical Conditions Causing Dark Circles #4 – Sinus Infections
Do you know that sinusitis can also cause discomfort and swelling around your eyes? Yes, that’s right. So, the third Medical Conditions Causing Dark Circles is sinus infection. A headache and a post-nasal drip often follow this condition. Many symptoms may also be a chronic sinus infection. So, eating some raw vegetables every day can help and avoid all dairy products. When the situation gets worse, you will contact your doctor immediately.
Medical Conditions Causing Dark Circles #5 – Anemic
Anemic people are those that have an iron deficiency. It’s another common source of baggy and dark circles around your eyes. Fortunately, you can treat this condition by making minor changes to your diet. When you have a low amount of iron, it contributes to poor oxygenation in your body tissues because there is not enough oxygen to supply your blood. A healthy diet rich in leafy vegetables, dairy products, and more fruit consumption would also sustain the iron levels.
Even if you’re not a true believer in the influence of a balanced diet, there’s a fair chance that you’ll get dark circles and even puffiness under your eyes if you’re not eating nutrient-rich foods. Mineral deficiencies, such as iron, can cause the discoloration you feel.
The veins around your eye region become more visible when your body lacks fuel. One research showed that anemia was the underlying health cause of around 50% of the study participants’ dark under-eye circles. Vegetarians would be especially at risk for anemia because the primary dietary source of iron is animal food.
Medical Conditions Causing Dark Circles #6 – Dehydration
Reduce drinking the tea, but drink eight glasses of water every day. Dehydration is a common cause of dark circles around the eyes. Since the skin under our eyes is thin, it is close to the bone underneath. This symptom is most evident when your body doesn’t have the right amount of water it needs. Besides drinking eight glasses of water, including fresh fruit, every day – no matter what it is. Eventually, limit the consumption of caffeine beverages, such as tea, coffee, and alcohol, which may increase dehydration.
Medical Conditions Causing Dark Circles #7 – Low Thyroid Condition
It can cause some people to have darkened circles under their eyes. The thyroid is the body’s master gland. Without it, none of the other hormones are functioning well. Blood flow can be impaired, and hypothyroidism can cause anemia. The immune system, liver, and energy output in the body can all be influenced by food distribution and removal of toxins from the body. Such stressful body conditions can appear in the darkened under-eye skin.
Should You Consider Lasers And Fillers For Under-Eye Dark Circles Removal?
Natural and non-invasive methods are the best place to start treatment with dark circles. The steps we outlined are low risk, low cost, and will not harm the skin. Invasive approaches often run the risk of skin injury and always come with an incredibly high price tag. As well, even though you first get visual improvement, the dark under-eye circles will only return over time if you haven’t fixed their primary underlying causes. Melanin rich forms of the skin can be tempted to seek skin peels that appear to lighten the pigmentation.
Peels are typically done with acids or other harmful chemicals that strip a layer of skin cells. The theory is that the skin should then be replaced with new, and unpigmented cells. Unfortunately, the trauma of the skin itself can lead to even worse risk of hyperpigmentation as the skin heals. Lasers can cause similar skin damage, and we’ve seen individuals who have laser processes and now regret that choice because pigmentation has worsened. The use of mild depigmentation of herbs and vitamins is a much less dangerous and costly way of coping with dark pigmentation in the eye region.
There is no replacement for motivating the body to remain in a state of true health, which a bright eye region always expresses. By treating the root causes of dark eye circles, you will reap far more benefits than just healthy-looking skin. You’re just going to be healthier all over your body, and that’s a luxury that no peel, filler, or laser method can give.
Conclusion
Dark under-eye circles are becoming more prominent as the lower eyelid skin is one of the thinnest parts of the body’s surface and causes the under-eye to be accentuated. For little to no subcutaneous tissue, the skin is not protected and complete like the rest of the facial skin. It results in aging changes that are more pronounced relative to the rest of the facial skin. Another concern is that aging and environmental changes around the face cause loss of elasticity and tone due to collagen and elastin loss.
Dark under-eye circles may not be that dangerous. However, they may indicate health problems in the rest of the body or may result in the appearance of fatigue or advanced age. Psychological and emotional reasons are mainly why dark under-eye circles are so displeasing to people. When you feel that you have dark circles because of other underlying medical conditions, never hesitate to consult to a doctor.