Why do we get dark circles and bags under our eyes?

By: Jose Sepulveda

For ages men and women have been worried about the appearance of bags or dark circles under their eyes.

So much so that the industry for under eye cream has grown exponentially over the years. There is such a demand that some under eye creams cost hundreds of dollars for an ounce of relief from puffiness.

But why do we even get under-eye bags in the first place?

Periorbital hyperpigmentation (POH) is the clinical term for puffy eyes. Turns out that because the skin under our eyes is especially thin our blood vessels appear more prominently.

As we age we start to lose subcutaneous fat in our face which in turn makes us look like we have a hollow space in our tear trough.

There has been very little research conducted on this phenomena as most doctors and dermatologists consider it a cosmetic or aesthetic concern. However, many people consider bags and/or puffy eyes a significant impairment on their quality of life.

Until more research is gathered we might have to settle for the tried and true cure of just getting more sleep.

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