Generality
The passage of time and a lifestyle that is not always correct leads to the progress of the phenomenon of skin aging, which is manifested by dehydration, thinning of the epidermis due to reduced cell proliferation, degradation of the collagen and elastin fibers present in the dermis, reduction of sebaceous secretion and muscle tone.
In the dermis of the peri-ocular district there are in fact lower quantities of collagen and elastic fibers than the other parts of the body, the adipose tissue is poorly represented and the area is subjected to various types of stress, all reasons why some conditions such as congestion, hyperemia or other circulatory changes, are easily and visibly reflected on the skin surface.
Risk Factors and Symptoms
The genetic predisposition and the aging on the one hand, the external factors, like the continuous exposures to the sun or to the solar lamps, the bad alimentary habits, the scarce night rest, the smoke and the stress from the other, can favor the process of thinning of tissues and slowing of blood flow, causing palpebral swelling and playing an important role in the manifestation of dark circles and bags under the eyes.
- Dark circles appear as bluish-gray halos and can compromise the beauty of the gaze, giving those who suffer from them a tired, sad or sick appearance. Often the disorder is accentuated with advancing age and with stress, due to pedisponent situations such as illness or lack of sleep, cases in which the appearance of dark circles takes place even in subjects not predisposed, such as children, manifesting themselves however as a transitory phenomenon. In some cases, on the other hand, dark circles can become chronic due to the accumulation in the more superficial dermis of pigments, such as melanin, which remain deposited for a long time before being eliminated.
- The formation of bags under the eyes, on the other hand, is caused not only by familiarity and external factors, by water retention in the periocular area and by the weakening of the tissues that surround the eyes and the muscles that support the eyelids.
The lack of data regarding the incidence of dark circles is probably due to their transitory nature and to the fact that they are considered nothing more than mere blemishes to be treated with an appropriate cosmetic or to be minimized with a more "healthy" lifestyle. As a result, despite the widespread use of the phenomenon, to date, few studies have been published concerning the pathogens and the treatment of peri-ocular hyperchromia.
Causes
In physiological terms, the cause of dark circles is attributed to a process of dermal melanization and / or post-inflammatory hemodynamic congestion. It is therefore to be classified as a peripheral microcirculation disorder to which is added the problem of water retention with consequent deposit of toxins and liquids in the peri-ocular area, and an accumulation of pigments: all factors responsible for the appearance of the typical bluish color and swelling . In particular, the coloration and pigmentation typical of dark circles is given by the pigments melanin and hemoglobin, main chromophores present in the skin of man.
In clear phototypes or in anemic subjects, the phenomenon is, for obvious reasons, more evident.
From a physiological point of view, it is ascertained that the mechanism of formation of dark circles provides for the release, by keratinocytes (main representatives of epidermal cells), of inflammation mediators, which modify the vascular permeability and trigger a local inflammatory process which involves the alteration of the haemodynamic balance, capillary integrity and lymphatic drainage1. Following the transfer of blood into the tissues, the enzymatic conversion of hemoglobin takes place with the production of pigments, such as hemosiderin, meta-hemoglobin, haematin, responsible for the characteristic bluish-gray color of the dark circles.
However, if histological features of biopsies carried out around the eyes have revealed a poor correlation between improvement of dark circles and reduction of peri-ocular hyperpigmentation 2, 3, scientific evidence suggests that the most important mechanism involved in the mechanism of the formation of imperfection is the alteration of the blood flow4.
Antiocchiaie - Cosmetics against Bags and Dark Circles »
1 Tedgui A, Mallat Z. Anti-inflammatory mechanisms in the vascular wall. Circ Res 2001; 88: 877–87
2Watanabe S, Nakai K, Ohnishi T. Condition known as '' dark rings under the eyes '' in the Japanese population is a kind of dermal melanocytosis which can be successfully treated by Q-switched ruby laser. Dermatol Surg 2006; 32: 785–9.
3West TB, Alster TS. Improvement of infraorbital hyperpigmentation following carbon dioxide laser resurfacing. Dermatol Surg 1998; 24: 615–6.
4Freitag FM, Cestari TF. What causes dark circles under the eyes? J Cosmet Dermatol 2007; 6: 211–5.
