Under Eye Pigmentation

A restless night of sleep and the skin under your eyes becomes a cause for concern the next morning. So much for beauty sleep! You may have followed your night time skin care routine to a tee but the lack of adequate sleep has left your skin whining for attention. Instead of waking up looking rested, rejuvenated, and ready to take on a new day, you now have pesky dark circles to deal with.

While we most often notice pigmentation under the eye after a night of little to no sleep, that is not its only cause. Our bodies require attention and dedication, and various aspects, internal as well as external, affect the way our skin looks. Under eye pigmentation has various causes. Fret not, for there are remedies you can undertake at home to manage the concern.

Causes of Under Eye Pigmentation

Usually, a variety of causes together contribute to under eye pigmentation. Pigmentation under the eye means the skin under your eyes appears darker than the rest of face. Depending on the skin colour, the shades of darkness may vary.

One cause, often the most commonly known cause as well, is that of fatigue. Lack of adequate rest affects us in a multitude of ways. Exhaustion and stress cause a strain on the muscles and blood vessels surrounding the eye, whose effect is seen through the dark circles. Dehydration, something we often underestimate, leads to the skin looking lifeless taut and dull.

Genetics are yet another leading cause, in that the structure of one’s face can give it a more ‘sunken’ appearance than others.

The natural process of aging, overexposure to the sun, intense rubbing of the eye, contact dermatitis, eczema, thyroid, and surprisingly, allergies, all also act as causes for under eye pigmentation.

Lifestyle factors into how our skin presents itself as well. Smoking and excessive consumption of alcohol greatly affect our skin, especially the skin under our eyes. When coupled with other factors, such as stress, the effect is prominent.

Remedies – DIY and Homecare

In the post-pandemic age, the focus has increasingly deferred to the upper parts of the face left visible after using a mask, and thus, many are looking to lighten their under eye pigmentation.

Often, we resort to using eye creams to contour the issue. While beneficial in tightening, brightening and easing puffiness in and around the eye, eye creams alone cannot effectively help with under eye pigmentation. When you shop for products to use for under eye pigmentation, keep in mind that they should help with brightening as well as lightening. Products enriched with vitamin C and retinol are often recommended, as are products that include niacinamide and hydroquinone.

It is important that you take care while shopping for products: using formula meant for your face on the skin under your eyes may cause more harm than good. Always remember to check for irritation and give a product some time to produce visible results. The skin under your eyes is delicate and not meant to be treated harshly. Thus, products specifically created to work on the under eye region are to be used.

Other home remedies include indulging in some good old fashioned self care. Give your skin the attention it deserves – pamper yourself with facials. Poor blood circulation can be easily countered by gently massaging the are under the eye to boost blood flow and reduce pigmentation. Using cucumbers into this self care routine will only add to the fun! Cucumber slices have high water content and are rich in vitamin C and antioxidants. Chilled slices of cucumber, when applied to the eye, help in reducing puffiness and sooths tired skin. Their hydrating effect also helps with irritation, if any, around the eye.

Cold compresses help to the same effect. Applying cold pressure to the skin under your eyes helps constrict the blood vessels and thus reduces under eye pigmentation. Commercially sold cold compresses are often too cold for use near the eye. As such, DIY cold compresses are useful. You can use a cloth dipped in cold water and lay it over your eyes for a few minutes. Ice cubes wrapped in cloth can also be rubbed across the region to the same effect.

Tea bags too can be used as cold compresses, and provide added benefits. To make a compress, steep tea bags in hot water and, once removed, squeeze out any excess liquid. Place them in your fridge or freezer for a few minutes to cool them down well. Once cooled, place them on your eyes and rest as such for fifteen to twenty minutes. The caffeine present in tea, especially black tea and green tea, helps reduce puffiness, swelling, pigmentation and improves elasticity as well. Green tea bags are often recommended since the antioxidants present in green tea may provide additional benefits.

The most important ‘remedy’ to try at home would be to gain adequate rest and sleep and provide the body with enough time to recharge itself effectively. However, in the current age of chaos and hustle, adequate rest becomes a pipe dream. While it may not always be possible, you can take steps to ensure your moments of rest are as fruitful as they can be. Avoid using electronics before bed – reduce your exposure to screens right before its time to sleep. Your bedroom should be a place of relaxation that is suited to you, personally, and adhere to your needs of comfort. Prop up your pillows for a good night’s rest. It is believed that propping your pillows help in reducing pigmentation and swelling around the eyes. Elevating your head will help in preventing fluid from building up around the eyes while you sleep.

As is with most concerns regarding our wellness and health, prevention is better than cure. Adjustments to one’s lifestyle can bring changes for the better. Thus, avoid smoking, consumption of tobacco and drinking of alcohol as far as possible, take appropriate measures against overexposure to the sun, work on getting adequate rest each night, and attempt to reduce stressors in your daily life. A beneficial change will definitely come to be.