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EXTREME dark circles under eyes

24K views 25 replies 22 participants last post by  PurpleSocrates 
#1 ·
Ok, ever since like i was 11 or something, i've had bad circles under my eyes - its only gotten pretty bad right about now (im 17 now). Pretty much all the skin around my eye is discoloured on both, and the skin under the eye is very weird.. its like textured like chicken skin - you know like little circles going along the dark circle. Anyone know anything that can help? or should i go see a doctor/dermatologyst?

I've included a picture of my eye, with the bad skin circled. (the lighting was weird in this picture btw, so its not showing what it truely looks like, but you can see the weird skin..

ALSO - the 15post thing is annoying.. i wanted to post a picture but had to cut the url up so i could get some advice.. just put that into the browser and it will link to the picture

img233.imageshack.us/img233/4541/picture003by0.jpg
 
#3 ·
The dark circles are caused by the very thin skin underneath the eyes. More often than not its genetic rather than something you caused, regardless its there and you want to take care of it, so as I recommended in another thread, you should look for Vitamin K at your local pharmacy. They have a cream and a gel; its the gel that you should look for since it applies almost invisibly and you can wear it during the day.
 
#7 ·
Orange, give the gel/cream some time to work. Usually 6 to 8 weeks. If you don't see any improvement after that, look for an eye contour gel that has peptides (Eyeliss?) and something that helps to remove the hemoglobin and waste products that are in the sensitive skin of the eye (Halyoxl?). The vitamin K cream/gel will be your least expensive choice though. So be patient.
 
#10 ·
Remember, as you age, the skin around your eyes will thin out in thickness. This area is already one of the most thinnest in epidermal layers already. Any damage in this area will begin to show after continous damage from sun, smog, tobacco, alcohol, aging by thinning the skin even further and allowing the veinous blood vessels to show through. So what to do to reverse the damage...slow process and one that has been worked on for tens of years now.

Choose natural or clinical. Choose and stick with something for at least 8-12 weeks unless you are having a skin reaction that is not worth expected. If you do not see the results you want, switch to something else. Everyone's skin is different and responds differently to different products. It's like fine wine. I could reccomend you the finest wine from Napa costing $100's of dollars a bottle that you had to wait for years on a waiting list just to get a single bottle. You open it and it tastes just like something you bought at Wal-Mart in a box for $8.00. However, both are right...just for different people.

I believe in prodcuts that contain hyaluronic acid, seaweed extracts, soy proteins, proven to provide exceptional anti-oxident protection and skin Hydration. They also provide UV protection. Remember, what works for one does not mean it will work for another. Try, give it time, if it doesn't work, switch to something else until you find the right product(s).

In the meantime....take care of your skin and tell your children to start now.
 
#11 ·
Hi Orange, I am suffering from the same problem as you...chicken like skin under my eyes.....Did you ever discover what was causing this and if there are any treatments to get rid of them. I think mine are getting worse over time and really making my under eye skin look terrible. Any help would be much appreciated! Thanks.
 
#14 ·
Orange - sometimes the "chicken skin" under the eyes is caused by using an eye cream that is too heavy -- try something that has ingredients that won't clog your pores. I use Eminence Wild Plum eye cream -- it's very light and has all sorts of yummy ingredients including vitamins K, C, A & E--it doesn't feel thick or gummy. Clinque has a green tea and aloe gel cream that a friend finds works for her. Cucumbers and tea bags work too as does pads soaked with witch hazel. The area under the eye is very delicate -- try not to pull or irritate the skin there. Your condition could also be caused by allergies or asthma. Using any eye product I always try a little in one spot for a couple of days to make sure I don't have a reaction. You don't want to end up with an eye infection as well. Good luck.
 
#15 ·
how does a vitamen k gel make things better? if that skin is already thin, someone please advise because ive used vit k, well just for a few weeks, and no results, does it thicken the skin? I am just getting tired of spending tons of money on stuff that doesnt work on my bags....i have 2 out of 5 daughters who have inherited this also.
 
#17 ·
As Mari mentioned, you should rule out allergies. My daughter had dark circles for years and I always thought she was tired. I was sending her to bed early, even though she was telling me that she really wasn't tired. While at a routine physical appt, the doctor said it looked like she had "allergic shiners" and suggested allergy testing. She didn't have any symptoms other than the dark circles. We found out she is allergic to feathers, so having her go to bed early (to sleep on a feather pillow) was not the solution! Anyway, to get to the point, all the feathers are gone from our house and so are the dark circles. It's worth checking, mainly because if it is allergies, no beauty cream in the world is going to fix the problem.
 
#19 ·
Hi Orange!

Found this article that might explain your "chicken skin". Text below:

Q. I often get small, hard white bumps around my eyes, but they are somehow unpoppable. What are these and do I need to be concerned?

A. They are likely something called milia—little calcifications that look like whiteheads but have gotten hard. You cannot squeeze these so typically they need to be lanced by a professional. This condition frequently occurs from using too heavy an eye cream or sunscreen around that area, where it’s easier for these things to surface because the skin is very thin. However, it could also be syringoma, a condition in which enlarged glands grow under the skin. These are treated with a number of different removal methods, from acid to lasers.
 
#21 ·
One product I found is: CSI Revovery Eye Cream with Vitamin K and Arnica. It can be purchased online through vitacost.com. But, as I have read in earlier posts, what works for one person may not work for another. Also, drinking plenty of clean pure water (without Chlorine and fluoride) is always helpful. And as Wild Alaska pointed out it can be allergies, including and especially, food allergies. Dairy, wheat, corn, soy and sugar are just a few food items that to which a person could be allergic.
 
#23 ·
Many who have gone on the Dr Perrycone diet have had dramatic results when it comes to the dark circles. I really believe diet can help a lot, and since you are girl Vitamin K both in your daily multivitamin and a cream would not harm. Neither would an eye cream with hyaluronic acid and hesperidin. Green tea extract is good too, and for puffiness try caffeine.

Good luck :)
 
#24 ·
Hello I'm new to this post.

I have terrible dark circles all around my eyes on the upper and lower lids and have seen dermatologists on a few occasions who have said it is just my skin type and they are hereditary. My mother doesn't have them and my dad only had very fair ones. Its making me so miserable, i'm so desperate and literally can't leave the house without make-up as people make really nasty remarks and almost look scared of me.

Does anybody know of any more drastic treatments, surgery etc?

Thanks so much

Sarah
 
#25 ·
A newbie here.. so hi everyone.. I've been reading a lot and found some really interesting things I didn't know !

Anyway... about those dark circles.. unfortunately, they sound genetic. I have them terribly bad. So bad i cannot go without makeup, which is aggravating since my skin otherwise would be okay without makeup.

People without them, which seems like the majority of the population to me , lol, have NO IDEA how much it sucks... I've tried everything there is, went to the dermatologist, and there's basicallyl not much to be done about it except find the best concealer you can.

I keep thinnking it looks like someone would figure out how to stop the blood capillary leakage, which is the main issue, with something ya know? ;-)

But I also have very deepset eyes.. and even with makeup I have literally groove/troughs below my eyes that are permanent. I've considered fillers, but am afraid it wouldn't settle right and then I'd look even weirder. I have been teased about this forever. I'm just kinda like whatever at this point. Clearly the gene pool wasn't kind to me lol. My parents didn't have them, my siblings all except one dont have them really noticably , just me and then my brother who has them probably about half as bad as mine.

I have been called racoon more times than I care to remember. Or you need to get some sleep or you look tired or rundown. Well no.... actually I sleep plenty and excercise ... take good care of myself, drink plenty of good water, eat healthy.

Sorry, this turned into a rant.. but you are not alone. I know it seems like it when you go out and see everyone looking "normal" but it's just something we have to try do the best we can by keeping the area moisturized and hydrated. I always say the serenity prayer when I get really down about it .. ;-)

IF I ever find something that helps I'll post it on here. Hang in there.........
 
#26 ·
I have genetic dark circles under my eyes and when younger always used undereye lightner, until I discovered Vitamin K products. This is my personal opinion: tried Roc and think it did very little, at a pharmacy store I got "Vita-K Solution" a gel and it works really well, tried Vita-K Solution Professional that I got on line, pump gel and it works really well. More info:


search vitaksolution on-line for more information about these products.

Hope this helps. I only put it on at night. Within a matter of say three weeks I saw results. I use it regularly now, not every night, like 3x a week and I do not have the dark circles - as long as I get enough sleep
 
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