Help for Dark Circles Under Your Eyes
A very common complaint we hear is the appearance of dark circles under the eyes. Patients often ask us for help with these dark circles, but first we must find the cause for each patient because and we need to address them and treat them differently.
Too Much Eyelid Fat
The space behind the eye, known as the orbit, contains a significant amount of fatty tissue. Orbital fat helps to cushion the eye from impact, however, as we get older, the support structures which keep the fat behind the eye weaken, and the fat moves forward into the eyelids. This results in fullness to the lower eyelids which most people find aesthetically unpleasing. This fullness, commonly referred to as “bags under the eyes,” makes people look older and tired. The best treatment for this type of problem is usually removal of excess fat with a lower eyelid blepharoplasty procedure. Excess skin can be trimmed and tightened at the same time.
Lower Eyelid Hollowness
Dark circles under the eyes can also be caused by a depression or hollowness in the lower eyelids. Patients who have this problem can usually feel the underlying bone when the area of hollowness is touched. Today, we are able to treat the hollowness with injectable volumizing gel fillers whose qualities make them appropriate for the delicate eye area. These non surgical treatments typically last 6-12 months. If the results are not completely satisfactory sometimes it becomes necessary to perform fat grafting or repositioning of fat to reduce hollows under the eyes as well as performing a lid tightening procedure known as canthoplasty to improve the lower eyelid contour.
Hyperpigmentation of Eyelid Skin
Sometimes dark circles under the eyes can be caused by too much pigmentation of the skin, although this is the least common cause. Patients often think that they have hyperpigmentation but what they are seeing is shadows from excess eyelid fat or hollowness at the orbital rim. If after examination and consultation patients do in fact have too much pigmentation of the eyelids we can use prescription bleaching creams that might be helpful.
If you or someone you know would like help for dark circles under their eyes, please call D’Ambrosio Eye Care at 800-325-3937, visit D’Ambrosio Eye Care, Google+ or facebook.com/dambrosioeyecare so that we can help.
D'Ambrosio Eye Care provides eye care for patients throughout greater Boston, central and western Massachusetts with office locations at 479 Old Union Turnpike, Lancaster, Massachusetts 01523, 100 Powder Mill Road, Acton, Massachusetts 01720, 413 Main Street, Athol, Massachusetts 01331 and 74 Main Street, Gardner, Massachusetts 01440.
