One is infraorbital hyperpigmentation, darkness concentrated on this area of skin, which is a genetic trait. To find out if that is your problem, gently pull the skin away from the hollow under the eye, making the area flat, which physically eliminates any shadow effect. If the darkness is still there, it is pigmented skin.
Or two, you may have thin skin (due to either heredity or decreased collagen from aging) resting on dark muscle and blood vessels, which creates that dark semicircle under the eyes.
Three, sometimes the circles are due to tiny blood vessels under the surface of the skin, another genetic feature.
Four, you may have deeply inset bone structure, which produces a shadow from your brow bone to darken the area under the eye.
Five, as we age the cheek and orbital bones dissolve, creating more of a shadow.
And six, bruises after plastic surgery such as rhinoplasty (nose job) or blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) can leave a rust-colored stain under the eyes called hemosiderin.

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Simple Skin Beauty: Every Woman's Guide to a Lifetime of Healthy, Gorgeous Skin
- Aging. The older we get, the looser the skin around the eyes tends to be. It becomes easier to see veins through the skin. Veins have a blue tinge to them. They may dilate when lying down or if you have nasal congestion or seasonal allergies. This causes the area around the eyes to appear darker than other skin.
- Heredity. You are more likely to have dark circles around the eyes if your close relatives have them.
- Fluid retention. Puffiness around the eyes may be more prominent after heavy salt intake, from pre-menstrual bloating or other causes of fluid retention, such as kidney or liver disease. Puffiness can contribute to loose skin that makes dark veins more noticeable, as noted above.
- Getting regular checkups and treatment for any condition that contributes to fluid retention
- Getting treatment for sinus congestion or allergies if you have these problems
- Limiting salt intake

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Harvard Medical School Skin Care and Repair
Watch as internal medicine specialist Dr. Keri Peterson explains what may be causing your dark under-eye circles.
Typically, the origin of such unwanted comments is the non-verbal messages the lower eyelid region sends out as we age. This area can be affected by many different factors that contribute to dark circles under the eyes -- the first is the convexity or concavity of the lower eyelid fat. If the lower eyelid fat protrudes into the lower lid region, it often catches overhead shadows.
Because most light is above us in our world (consider sunlight outside and room lights inside), this light is likely to cast a shadow over the protruding fat that becomes visible on the skin under this fat in the lower eyelid. The result of the shadowing is unattractive dark circles, sending a message of fatigue or illness.
A converse problem relating to lower eyelid fat is rare but can occur occasionally and involves the lack of fat in the lower eyelid region, causing a sunken-in appearance that similarly catches and displays shadows in the lower eyelid skin.
The second factor contributing to the appearance of dark circles under the eyes is dark pigment, which can deposit in the skin in the lower eyelid region. This is usually the result of sun exposure over a lifetime.
A third factor patients experience is the underlying vessels transmitting through the thin skin in the lower eyelid region.
Finally, the fourth factor, which can play a role in the appearance of dark circles under the eyes, is the presence of lower eyelid and cheek swelling, known as lower eyelid and cheek festoons.
While these four common causes of dark eye circles can result in less than optimal nonverbal messages, there are options available to treat them that can rejuvenate the appearance and clean-up facial messages to restore effective nonverbal communication.
In addition to being caused by lack of sleep, dark rings can be brought on by allergies or asthma. These conditions can cause more blood to pool in the tissues under the eye and can add puffiness to the area.
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Skin Care
Blueberries, dark chocolate and sunscreen are three things you need to keep skin beautiful, supple and smooth. Antioxidant-rich foods such as berries, dark chocolate, cantaloupe, citrus fruits and leafy greens provide the vitamins ...
Important: This content reflects information from various individuals and organizations and may offer alternative or opposing points of view. It should not be used for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. As always, you should consult with your healthcare provider about your specific health needs.