They are the dreaded giveaway of older age: dark, greying bags under your eyes.
As we age, the skin becomes loose and thin, making it easier to see the dark blood vessels underneath.
A lack of sleep, dehydration and genetics can also cause the circles to appear more obvious.
But now, a top New York-based dermatologist has revealed that you shouldn’t use any old skincare product to tackle them.
In a recent video posted to TikTok, which has had more than 120,000 views, dermatologist Dr Charles Puza says dark circles can be split into four different kinds – and the type you have determines which products you should choose.
The first type, most associated with aging, is circles with wrinkles or crepey skin, says Harvard-educated Dr Puza, who has 20 million followers on TikTok.
‘Look for the hero ingredient of retinoid to help rebuild that collagen,’ he advises.
Collagen the most abundant in the body, which is reponsible for giving skin it’s elasticity.
Next is ‘volume loss’, he says, which causses a ‘hollowing’ of the skin. If this is you, look for ingredients that increase hydration in the skin such as squalane, peptides and hyaluronic acid.
Vascular dark circles are another type, according to Dr Puza. This appears as a bluish or purple color, and is caused by blood vessels sitting too closely to the skin or becoming dilated.
Dark circles are very common as we get older – but there are products that can make them appear less visible, dermatologists say
‘You’re gonna look for caffeine to help constrict those blood vessels,’ he says, using a bottle of Youth To The People’s Peptides and Energy Eye Concentrate as an example.
Finally, hyperpigmentation can cause a darkened skin tone in the under-eye area. This can be caused by a number of factors including certain medications, pregnancy and excessive sun exposure.
If this is the type you have, look for ingredients that brighten skin, he says.
‘Vitamin C, Alpha hydroxy acid and tranexamic acid.’
Meanwhile, other experts have advised alternative tips – which don’t involve spending any money on skincare products.
Gently massaging the area can ‘move gathered fluid and reduce the appearence of dark circles,’ Mary Stevenson, MD, associate professor of dermatology at NYU Langone Health, told USA Today.
And eye doctor Inna Lazar, OD, suggested using a cold compress on the eye area for 10-15 minutes, to constrict the blood vessels.
