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8 Myths Surrounding Dark Circles

Whether they appear after a late night or simply from the stress of everyday life, dark eye circles are something most of us are familiar with.

Despite their familiarity, dark eye circles come with a lot of myths. In this article, we’ll debunk 8 common myths surrounding dark eye circles and share effective treatments that can effectively minimise their appearance and help you achieve a fresh, bright-eyed and rejuvenated look.

ark Circles Are Caused Solely by Lack of Sleep

Although dark eye circles can be caused by lack of sleep, it isn’t the only possible cause. There are several factors that contribute to dark circles under your eyes, such as:

Genetic predisposition — Sometimes, dark eye circles simply run in the family. Individuals may be genetically predisposed to having dark eye circles, even if well-rested.
Skin tone and thickness — Individuals with fairer or thinner skin tones may have more prominent blood vessels or pigmentation around the eyes. This creates the appearance of dark eye circles.
Allergic reactions — Some allergic reactions can cause inflammation or puffiness around the eyes, causing dark eye circles. When you experience an allergic reaction, blood flow increases around the eye area, causing a bluish discolouration. Rubbing the eyes from the allergic itch can also worsen the dark hue.
Ageing — As we grow older, the skin starts to thin, making blood vessels and pigmentation more noticeable, causing the appearance of dark eye circles.
Dehydration — When not sufficiently hydrated, the skin under the eyes loses its plumpness. Dehydrated skin also tends to be duller, making the under-eye area look darker and more prominent.
Lifestyle — Lifestyle factors, such as smoking and excess alcohol, can lead to the appearance of dark eye circles under the eyes.

You Can Completely Eliminate Dark Circles

Unfortunately, dark eye circles can’t completely be eliminated. While various treatments can significantly reduce their appearance, achieving total elimination is often unrealistic.

Dark circles can result from multiple factors, including genetics, ageing, allergies, lack of sleep, and lifestyle choices, all of which affect skin pigmentation and vascular health. The treatments shared below tackles these different factors but they need to be done consistently for reliable results.

Cucumbers and Tea Bags Can Remove Dark Circles

Cucumbers and tea bags may hold water content and contain antioxidants that reduce swelling, discolouration and provide relief. However, the effects are temporary and will not last.

For a longer-term solution, it’s best to get proper treatment to reduce the appearance of your dark eye circles.

All Eye Creams Are the Same

Not all eye creams are the same. They can be formulated to treat specific concerns, such as dark eye circles or fine lines. It’s important to find the right eye cream that fits your needs. Here are some features to look out for:

Brightening — Brightening eye creams help brighten and even out the skin tone to reduce dark eye circles. They generally have skin brightening ingredients like vitamin C and niacinamide.
Hydrating and plumping — Hydrating and plumping eye creams can help reduce puffiness and produce a soft and dewy glow, with deeply hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid.
Firming and anti-ageing — Firming and anti-ageing eye creams can have ingredients like retinol or peptides to help smooth fine lines and wrinkles for a firmer, younger appearance.
Depuffing — Depuffing eye creams help you look more awake by reducing swelling and puffiness. They often contain caffeine, which constrict the blood vessels and reduce swelling.
Sensitive skin — Eye creams for sensitive skin have gentle ingredients, like aloe vera, which help reduce irritation and redness around the eyes.

Sunscreen Isn’t Necessary for the Under-Eye Area

Contrary to popular belief, sunscreen is necessary for our skin, including the under-eye area. In fact, the skin under our eyes is thinner and more delicate, making them more prone to sun damage, and hence, pigmentation.

Use a gentle, under-eye-friendly sunscreen with at least SPF 30 to ensure you’re fully protected from the sun’s harmful UV rays. It’s also important to remember to reapply this every 2 hours, if possible. If your job requires you to be in front of the screen for most of the day, consider a blue light sunscreen instead.

Drinking More Water Will Cure Dark Circles

While it’s true that when we aren’t sufficiently hydrated, the skin under the eyes loses its plumpness and starts to look darker, drinking more water cannot completely cure dark eye circles.

Dark circles can also be caused by other reasons — such as genetic predisposition, thinning skin or pigmentation — which drinking water alone cannot treat. Thankfully, there are a variety of professional treatments available that can help significantly reduce dark eye circles.

Dark Circles Are Always Due to Fatigue

Fatigue is a common cause of dark eye circles, however, it is not the only reason. When we’re tired, blood circulation can slow down, which causes blood to pool at the vessels under the eyes, creating a darker look around the under-eye area.

As mentioned earlier, dark eye circles can also be other factors, such as genetics and skin thickness.

Dark Circles Are Only a Cosmetic Issue

Dark eye circles may not be just a cosmetic issue, but a symptom of a more serious underlying problem, such as:

Allergies — When we experience allergies, our bodies release histamines to fight off the irritants. This may cause inflammation, making blood vessels under the eyes more visible, which, in turn, lead to the appearance of dark under-eyes.

Sinus issues — Sinus congestion can create pressure and block blood flow around the eyes, which can cause blood to pool in the area. This creates a shadowy and puffy look.

Nutritional deficiencies — Vitamin and iron deficiencies can lead to dark eye circles. This is because less oxygen is transported throughout the body, creating a darker tint under our eyes.

Dehydration — Being dehydrated can cause dark under eye circles because our skin tends to look duller and saggier.

Ageing — As we age, our skin tends to become thinner due to loss of collagen and elastin, making blood vessels underneath the skin more visible. This creates the appearance of darker shadows under the eyes, in addition to hollowness caused by skin thinning.

Habits to improve dark circles

Although our dark eye circles can be influenced by everything from fatigue to skin structure, there are a variety of habits we can adopt that can go a long way in reducing their appearance, like:

Get enough quality sleep — Get at least 7 to 9 hours of quality sleep to give your body time to rest and repair. This helps reduce puffiness and dark circles under the eyes.

Adopt a nutritious diet — A nutrient-rich diet filled with vitamins beneficial for your skin can improve skin health and blood circulation.

Limit salt and alcohol — Excessive salt and alcohol can cause dehydration, causing puffiness and creating a darker appearance under the eyes.

Use sun protection daily — Remember to apply a gentle sunscreen with at least SPF 30 or higher to prevent pigmentation from sun exposure, which can make dark circles appear even darker.
Get professional treatment — Professional treatments, like chemical peels, laser therapy, or even dermal fillers can improve skin thickness and reduce pigmentation, offering noticeable results specially designed to treat dark eye circles.

Dark eye circle treatments by SkinLab

SkinLab offers an extensive selection of dark eye circle treatments in Singapore, each designed to address various underlying causes and skin types.

Brightening Peel Eye

This 50-minute treatment utilises a medical peel specially developed by in-house doctors to gently brighten dark circles, reduce pigmentation and prevent eye milia seeds. It uses a combination of AHAs/BHAs to gently remove the superficial layer of the skin to reveal brighter skin underneath.

Trilift Eye Treatment (60 minutes)

As its name suggests, the Trilift Eye treatment utilises the UP CELLRO 3 in 1 machine, which combines 3 well-loved medical aesthetic technologies — Radiofrequency thermal therapy, High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) and Local dynamic micro-massage (LDM). Not only does this reduce dark circles and eyebags, it also tightens and lifts the eyes and smoothes fine lines and wrinkles for an overall rejuvenated, bright-eyed appearance.

Oxyfirming Eye (50 minutes)

The Oxyfirming Eye treatment utilises 3rd Generation Radiofrequency technology to boost skin renewal and reduce fine lines and wrinkles. It also involves OxyGeneo technology to deliver skin nourishment and oxygenation to reduce dark eye circles by deeply hydrating the eyes and restoring skin volume.

Pumpkin Glow Eye (50 minutes)

This treatment utilises professional gua sha techniques with a special pumpkin cream to boost cell regeneration, stimulate collagen and elastin production, and nourish the skin with vitamins and minerals. This helps improve eye bags, smoothes under-eye fine lines, lightens dark eye circles and reduces eye fatigue.

Local Dynamic Micro-Massage (LDM) Eye (50 minutes)

The LDM Eye treatment involves dual-frequency ultrasound technology to effectively boost collagen and hyaluronic acid regeneration, rejuvenating the skin and minimising the appearance of dark eye circles.

CSP RF Eye (50 minutes)

The CSP Radiofrequency Eye treatment provides instant results using targeted radiofrequency technology to improve blood circulation, firm the skin under the eyes and reduce dark eye circles. This is an ideal option if you have an important event on the same day.

Gemstone Detox Eye (50 minutes)

The Gemstone Detox Eye treatment involves the use of basalt stones to massage and stimulate the circulatory system under the eyes to relieve stress and tension in the area. This detoxifies and relieves fatigue, while minimising dark circles and eye bags.

Paraffin Detox Eye (50 minutes)

The Paraffin Detox Eye treatment utilises hot beeswax professionally applied to the eyes to boost skin cell metabolism and improve blood circulation to relieve eye fatigue, minimise puffiness and reduce dark eye circles.

Dark eye circle treatments in Singapore

SkinLab is a medical spa dedicated to providing science-backed treatments and advanced aesthetic technology to help address all types of skin concerns and needs. These treatments are non-invasive, non-surgical with virtually no downtime, which means you can return to your daily activities right after your session.

Whether you’re seeking visible improvements for your dark eye circles or want to achieve overall skin rejuvenation, we offer tailored treatments specific to your skin type and needs to deliver effective, lasting results. Book a consultation with us for a comprehensive skin analysis and personalised treatment plan.