Dark Circles Vs Eye Bags

We’ve all been told about the pinch test. The gentle lifting of the skin between two of your fingers. If the under eye darkness fades away, it’s under eye bags. If it doesn’t, you have dark circles.

Dark circles and under eye bags are a common symptom of the natural aging process. They can start to appear in your 30s and even as early as your 20s depending on several factors such as lifestyle and genetics.

No matter how ordinary and common they are, that doesn’t change the perception people have of them. They are not typically wanted by those who have them. But how are you supposed to treat them if you don’t know whether they are dark circles or bags? This is the first step into seeing the results you are looking for, as each physical feature requires different treatments.

What are Dark Circles?

Dark circles are usually a darkness that forms under or around the eye area as we age. It’s typically known as a blue or purple color which is created in the natural aging cycle.

As we get older, the skin around our eyes gets thinner. This is one of the most common areas of the skin to see the aging signs the earliest. The translucent color comes from the underlying veins that become more visible due to thinner skin.

• Causes of Dark Circles

The most common causes of dark circles around the eyes are due to genetics and skin tone. If your family line has more prominent “tear troughs,” or a nasojugal groove, this can create further shadowing and dark circles to become apparent.

A major lifestyle habit or circumstance that can attribute to dark circles and accelerate their formation is lack of sleep. Getting a proper amount of sleep each night has always been ingrained into our brains in order to promote a healthy lifestyle. Responsibilities such as family, chores, work, and so on can make this difficult at times.

Although, maintaining a healthy sleep cycle may be detrimental to avoiding dark circles. When you lack proper rest, fluid builds up around the eyes which creates pooled blood in the superficial blood vessels, contributing to the dark shadows.

• Treatment

Thankfully, in today’s age of skincare treatments, there are several remedies to help prevent, care for, and potentially dissipate the effects of dark circles around the eyes.

Multiple creams and serums that contain hylauronic acid, ceramides, and peptides have been shown to be effective at treating these shadows. These ingredients in particular help to hydrate the skin and stimulate collagen and elastin production, which decreases as we age and are exposed to free radicals.

While not able to fully treat or get rid of dark circles, topical retinoids may be able to help lighten the appearance of them. Retinoids are often used due to their ability to work faster than other treatments, especially when it comes to reducing aging fine lines and wrinkles. If you’re searching for faster results, retinoids may be a great resource to try.

Fillers may be beneficial for dark circles, but these are not as widely available for everyone, as they can get expensive. They are typically priced per syringe, ranging anywhere from $1,000-$4,000 each. While a bit on the more expensive side, the effects last for one and a half to five years, so if you have the savings, it could be worth it to not worry for a few years about hindering the appearance of your dark circles.

Laser procedures are an alternative to fillers, and are potentially cheaper as well. These range $300-$500 per treatment, but keep in mind, they may require at least two to three sessions before seeing desired results. They often do require annual maintenance, so depending on personal preference, these could rise up in cost, limiting the ability to stretch your wallet further for other treatment options.

It’s important to keep in mind that, depending on the individual’s skin, laser procedures may cause hyperpigmentation. Everyone can react differently to theses treatments, so it’s beneficial to consult with a medical professional before seeking out laser sessions.

What are Eye Bags?

Eye bags that form are also a normal sign of the aging cycle. These often look like swelling or puffiness on or around the eye trough, similar to people who have severe allergic reactions. These forms of darkness around the eyes can also be a source of genetic consistencies.

• Causes

When there is too much fluid retention being held up in the eye socket, under eye bags are more likely to form. The orbital fat, which is the padding behind our eyeballs, starts to droop down and mimic a sagging skin appearance.

Weaker collagen as we age as well as gravitational force also contribute to this droopy effect, bringin the orbital fat below the eyes. The fat then gets targeted by the fluid build-up, which ultimately swells the area.

• Treatment

Eye bags aren’t necessarily able to be fully forgotten, but there are options out there for you to alleviate symptoms of aging when it comes to the area around your eyes. This area is often overlooked and requires some of the most care since the skin is the thinnest in this area. It’s typically the first area to have noticeable signs of aging.

Fillers, like dark circles, are able to be used as treatment for eye bags. When applied, they can elevate the skin surrounding the eye and further smooth out texture.

Radiofrequency treatments have been found to calm the effects of eye bags. This procedure heats the skin which helps to produce more collagen and elastin, thus tightening and smoothing out the skin around the eye area.

If procedures aren’t your personal preference, at-home eye patches provide the comfort of not leaving your home and can be worn while you are doing other activities such as watching TV or reading. Eye patches help to smooth out the skin as well while plumping the surface of the skin momentarily.

For longer results you can perform at-home, collagen-stimulating serums are an effective, affordable treatment that can maintain the appearance of eye bags.

Prevention for dark circles and eye bags

There are many steps you can take in order to lessen the physical effects of dark circles and under eye bags. Some may work better than others and every remedy is going to be less or more effective depending on the individual. You may need to experiment a bit to determine what works best for you in your routine to conceal those shadows.

• Antihistamines to reduce puffiness (often used for allergies)
• Sleeping on your back to reduce fluid pooling in eyes
• Replace pillowcases regularly as dust mites can burrow in your pillow
• Sleeping well and manintaing a full rest cycle
• Reduce salt intake to avoid excess swelling
• Increase Vitamin C intake or utilization in routine to even skin tone & lighten circles under the eyes
• Exercise and/or meditate regularly to moderate stress
• Avoid excess amounts of alcohol and smoking
• Stay hydrated and drink plenty of water throughout the day

For more information on how Depology's Under-eye patches can help prevent and reduce eye bags and dark circles in your skincare routine or everyday life regimen.

Read here : "The Ultimate Guide To Depuffing Your Eyes"

Read here : "How To Use Under-Eye Patches"

conclusion : difference between eye bags and dark circles

Dark circles are characterized by the darkening of the under-eye skin, while eye bags pertain to the swelling around the eyes. Dark circles are caused by factors such as lack of sleep, fatigue and pale skin tone, while eye bags can be brought on by a number of different causes including allergies, inflammation and allergies.

As common as they are, that doesn’t mean we have to give into eye bags and dark circles that appear. A typical sign of the aging process, the color of these shadows can leave people feeling insecure about some of their facial features.

There are numerous remedies and treatments that can be found and utilized today in order to help us regain our confidence when walking out the door. Skincare should never be looked over, particularly when it comes to the delicate areas around our eyes. Since this area is normally the first to show aging signs, it’s best to get a jumpstart on treating and hydrating this area as early as possible.