Many people have dark circles under their eyes, but some are heavier and others are lighter. Most people believe that having dark circles under their eyes means they haven’t slept well. But in fact, not sleeping well is just one reason for dark circles under the eyes. If black circles under the eyes persist for a long time, it may be caused by physical diseases.What is black circles under the eyesPeriorbital pigmentation, also known as “periorbital melanosis”, is commonly known as “black circles”. The formation of dark circles is due to the insufficient oxygen supply of red blood cells in the eye skin, the excessive accumulation of carbon dioxide and metabolic waste in the venous vessels, which forms chronic hypoxia, dark blood, retention and pigmentation of the eye.

The dark circles under the eyes can usually be divided into two colors: one is cyan black circles under the eyes, which is due to the retention of venous blood in microvessels. From the appearance, the skin appears dark blue. Commonly seen in infants, young children, and adolescents, it is particularly difficult to avoid people with abnormal daily routines. One type is dark brown circles under the eyes, which are caused by incomplete production and metabolism of melanin. The cause of tea black eye circles is related to age, and long-term exposure to sunlight can cause pigment deposition around the eyes, which cannot be removed.

Common black circles under the eyes

In addition to excluding the causes of diseases, the formation of black circles under the eyes can be divided into five specific types:

Congenital

Some people are born with thin skin around the eye socket, such as less subcutaneous tissue. When blood flows through the large veins here, it is easy to experience blue black dizziness near the surface of the skin.

Did not sleep well

There are many microvessels around the eyes. Staying up late can prevent the eyelids from resting, causing continuous tension and contraction of blood vessels, which can cause congestion and edema in the subcutaneous tissue of the eye socket, leaving behind dark shadows.

Older

The older a person gets, the thinner the subcutaneous fat around their eyes, so black circles under the eyes become more noticeable.

Pigmentation

If you often draw eyeliner and apply eye black without removing the makeup on your face, some dark cosmetics may penetrate into your eyelids, causing dark circles.

Other reasons

For example, eye fatigue, excessive mental stress, emotional fluctuations, and excessive dryness of the skin can also cause the formation of dark circles under the eyes.

Changing habits can usually improve dark circles under the eyes caused by the above reasons.

Pathological black circles under the eyes

In addition to the common reasons for the formation of black circles under the eyes mentioned above, their prolonged appearance may be related to many diseases.

Black circles under the eyes of young children

Many children have black lower eyelids, which is caused by allergies and poor local blood circulation. For example, eczema, allergic rhinitis, allergic cough, or asthma. If a child is found to have this condition, it is recommended that parents check their child for allergens.

Women’s black circles under the eyes

Women’s black circles under their eyes are mostly brownish brown or light gray black crescent shaped strips that form a 45 degree angle downwards from the inner corner of the eyes. They are not obvious when young, but begin to move outward and upwards in the middle and old age, all the way to the outer corner of the eyes, forming a complete semi circular shape and measuring about a few millimeters in length. Women have dark circles under their eyes, often caused by dysmenorrhea or irregular menstruation. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that irregular menstruation and dysmenorrhea are caused by qi stagnation and blood stasis, as well as abnormal qi and blood circulation caused by cold coagulation and blood stasis. Black circles under the eyes are the manifestation of abnormal qi and blood circulation on the face. In addition, women with excessive menstrual blood, ovarian disease, or functional uterine bleeding are also prone to black circles under the eyes. If there are long-term related problems that require menstrual adjustment, it is recommended to undergo adjustment and treatment under the guidance of a doctor.

Black circles under the eyes of young and elderly people

Chronic liver disease. The natural color of the liver is cyan, which is responsible for cold symptoms and congestion. When emotions are affected by stress factors, it is easy to experience liver qi stagnation, poor breath, and subsequently lead to poor blood circulation. So melanin accumulates between the upper and lower eyelids, forming dark circles under the eyes. Especially for those with long-term abnormal liver function and liver enlargement, dark circles under the eyes often exist for a long time. About 20% of liver disease patients have pigmentation on the face and around the eyes, presenting as “black circles”.

Chronic stomach disease. Patients with chronic gastritis may experience long-term digestive dysfunction, recurrent gastritis, and worsening of dark circles under the eyes. People with neurasthenia and visceral diseases, especially chronic gastrointestinal diseases, can also develop dark circles under the eyes.

Kidney disease. Black circles under the eyes that persist for a long time may also be a sign of kidney qi deficiency. If there is a deficiency in kidney essence, the eyes will lack the nourishment of essence, and the black color of the kidneys will float higher, resulting in a lack of energy in the eyes and dark circles around the eyes.

Heart disease. If there are black circles under the eyes and there is occasional tingling in the heart area or difficulty breathing, do not be complacent. Go to the hospital for cardiovascular examination and testing in a timely manner to observe if there is any phenomenon of myocardial hypertrophy and prevent it as soon as possible.

Eye diseases. If there is seborrheic dermatitis, melanosis, upper eyelid neurodermatitis, dermatomyositis, or severe blepharitis on the skin of the eyelid, varying degrees of pigmentation may also form.

The first recovery from a serious illness. During a major illness, pathological changes in the body can be reflected in the capillaries around the eyes. If arteriosclerosis, even after recovery, there is still congestion or congestion around the eyes, which takes some time to slowly recover.

In short, the long-term appearance of dark circles under the eyes may be due to the body reminding us to pay attention to certain diseases. We need to understand the causes of dark circles under the eyes in order to better eliminate them and ensure physical health.