What do doctors think about claims of commercial eye masks being able to treat dark eye circles? (photo)

Dark circles trouble so many people, even in their youth. What most do not realise is that dark circles can be a result of many different underlying causes or even multiple causes in an individual. Hence, the treatment requirements (to target the underlying issues) or response to certain skincare would understandably vary.

For example, the picture seems to show mostly pigmentary dark circles with some rough, dry skin on the upper and lower eyelids. For some, this could be genetic, and many others it could be related to allergies that they have had for a while or in recurrent bouts (e.g. nose allergies causing vascular congestion, eyelid eczema, or mild chronic irritation from cosmetics or lash products).

Rubbing, which could be habitual, itching from allergies and skin dryness, or wearing and removing makeup for others, will definitely not help. The same applies for UV exposure, lack of sleep, and other lifestyle indiscretions.

Commonly, tear troughs (a structural undereye hollowness) add to the undereye dark shadow in many patients with pigmentary dark circles as well. Prominent tear troughs would require professional treatments like hyaluronic acid natural fillers microinjection to correct.

Any avoidable or correctable contributing causes (e.g. avoiding eye rubbing or control of eczema) should ideally be dealt with as much as possible, for eye masks or other treatment efforts to pay off.

Back to your question. Yes, I believe in skincare :) Establishing a daily skincare regime would be a great way to start and to carry on in the long term, in order to maintain proper skin hydration for a healthier skin barrier against allergies or irritations one might be prone to, and even premature aging. Consider daily sun protection (e.g. with sunglasses and a suitable product with SPF) as well, to protect your eyes from more new pigment production.

If tolerable, regular use of an over-the-counter eye mask with additional anti-pigment/ lightening properties might help to reduce the pigmentation, while intensively hydrating and improving the appearance of dry, dull, rough skin.

From past experience, home skincare alone is usually insufficient to significantly lighten prominent pigmentation around the eyes, although it is a great first step. You might want to consider seeking help from your doctor to properly assess and to learn more about professional treatments while initiating your eye masks and eye creams in the meantime.

There are several causes of dark eye circles. Common causes include:

• Excessive dermal pigmentation
• Hollowing of the infra-orbital region
• Prominent veins under the eye
• Constitutional i.e. part of the skin color due to ethnic race.

Depending on the primary cause, treatment may or may not be effective, either partially or completely.

For example, dark eye rings due to:

• Excessive dermal pigmentation may be improved by the use of pigment lasers
• Infraorbital hollowing may be improved by the judicious placement of fillers
• Prominent veins may be improved by the use of the long-pulsed 1064nm vascular laser.

The majority of dark eye rings due to constitutional cause remain challenging to treat and may show some lightening with the use of lightening creams.

A proper face-to-face assessment by your preferred Aesthetic doctor is the first step you can take to help improve your problem of dark eye rings.

Commercial eye masks act primarily as skin hydrators and may help a little to reduce the appearance of dark eye rings in a small group of patients where skin hydration is lacking.