Dark circles under the eyes can make even the most young and beautiful look old and tired. They can add years to your face, and are one of the most common beauty problems.

What causes them? Dark circles under the eye are the result of blood that pools in the vessels that lie close to the skins surface, which is why they can be almost impossible to hide. They can also arise when fat bulges out: light cannot be reflected properly, casting a shadow under the eye. Also, sun exposure can aggravate under eye darkness by boosting melanin production, as can allergies since they cause the veins to become congested and enlarged. A lack of sleep, as well as dehydration, can emphasize dark under eye circles.

How to prevent them? Some under eye darkness is genetic and related to inherently thin skin. The thinner the skin is under the eye the, more pigmentation shows through. Loading up on Vitamin K, both internally and with topical products, is a good option since it strengthens and clots blood vessels to stop the pooling that causes the darkness.

There are four ways to deal with the dark circles: a topical solution, an injectable solution, a laser solution, and a surgical solution.

The product solution: Hydroquinone based skin care products can help, but take some time to work and do not completely fade the circles. They will however lighten them. Murad Age Spot and Pigmentation Lightening Gel is a good product for this purpose.

The injectable solution: A way to counteract dark circles if they are the result of excess fat is with hyaluronic acid fillers. When injected into the shadows under the bag, they can camouflage the darkness by plumping up the area.

The laser solution: The most effective way to remove under eye circles caused by thin skin due to age or heredity is with a CO2 laser. The laser treats the whole face, plumping the skin, including the skin under the eyes. It also results in more under eye collagen production, ensuring lasting results.

The surgical solution: For the most dramatic difference in under eye circles due to bagginess is lower eyelid surgery. Once the protruding fat bag is removed, there is no puffy area to create a shadow.