Why do dark circles appear?

Dark circles correspond to the furrow formed under the eyes, extending from the jugopalpebral fold. This darker or lighter area indirectly alters the appearance of the eyes, giving them a hard, sad or tired look.

The skin around the eyelids and eyes is thin and not very thick, so that it can respond to constant mechanical stress, such as blinking.

This thinness means that the skin under the dark circles ages more quickly, losing tone and curvature: the underlying structures become transparent, giving rise to the different types of dark circles.

How to recognize the different types of dark circles?

Hollow circles are linked to a loss of volume under the eye, which can affect either the dermis (loss of hyaluronic acid) or the hypodermis (loss of fat).

This melting of the reliefs will reveal the underlying bony reliefs, and possibly the venous vessels: in the most advanced cases, we even speak of skeletonization of the gaze.

Hollow circles are favored by age (loss of hyaluronic acid), dieting or illness (melting of the face) or poor lifestyle habits (dull, dehydrated skin).

Dark circles are most often linked to the accumulation of melanin-type pigments, resulting in brown to black circles. This accumulation of melanin reflects photoaging of the skin under the effect of UV rays. It is often accompanied by sun spots or lentigos (brown spots) on the rest of the face or hands.

Colored circles can also have other causes, especially if combined with hollow circles with a transparent effect, revealing veins (blue-violet circles) or arterioles (reddish circles).

Dark circles are sometimes associated with under-eye bags, with many misdiagnoses as to their cause. Contrary to popular belief, bags under the eyes are not always linked to excess fatty tissue associated with sagging skin. In fact, the exact opposite can sometimes be the case, with a melting of fatty volume so that the palpebral skin is no longer under tension. This misjudgment of the volume of dark circles can lead to a failed blepharoplasty, if the surgical procedure only treats excess skin or fat.

How to remove dark circles with surgery and aesthetic medicine?

Dr. Hayot offers a range of simple methods for eliminating dark circles, based on a meticulous diagnosis that determines the choice of the right technical gesture, for a tailor-made procedure and a natural result.

• To eliminate hollow circles, the principle is to bring back lost volume, to fill in dark circles and refresh the eyes.

In aesthetic medicine, hollow circles can be filled by deep injection of hyaluronic acid, which is fairly fluid and not very volumizing. However, the aesthetic result depends very much on the quality of the skin, as a persistent transparency effect can create a Tyndall effect, giving the hyaluronic acid molecule a bluish appearance… which ultimately accentuates dark circles and a tired appearance.

The solution of choice is fat filling. This microlipofilling of hollow circles is virtually permanent, while having a trophic effect on the skin, enhancing radiance and luminosity.

• To eliminate pigmented dark circles, the principle is to regenerate the skin, so that it regains its radiance, pulposity and firmness.

Dr Hayot proposes an innovative and natural method, using stem cells contained in fatty tissue. This nano-lipofilling of pigmented dark circles will rejuvenate and refresh the eyes, restoring the youthfulness of the upper face.

• To remove dark circles and bags under the eyes, Dr. Hayot uses a laser and an operating microscope. This minimally invasive technique enables a precise incision, down to the millimeter, which perfectly respects the identity of the patient’s eyes. This is a scarless blepharoplasty, as the incision is made through the conjunctiva rather than the skin. This skin and fat resection is completed, if necessary, by microlipofilling, after analysis of the volume of the dark circles and eyelids: this guarantees a natural, long-lasting result, with dark circles gone and a younger, more toned look.