Dark eye circles · Singapore
Pigmentation, thin skin, hollow tear troughs and loose skin each darken the under-eye area differently. Our doctors find yours first, then treat it non-invasively.
Dark circles are a symptom, so we treat the cause.
Dark eye circles treatment starts by finding the cause, because dark circles are a symptom, not a single condition. Pigmentation, thin skin that shows blood vessels, hollowing that casts a shadow and loose skin can each darken the under-eye area, and each responds to a different non-invasive treatment.
Dark eye circles make your eyes look tired and aged, causing you to appear older and less radiant, and others may mistake you as fatigued or unmotivated. While dark eye circles don't pose a threat to your overall health, their appearance can affect one's self-confidence.
It is a common misconception that lack of sleep is the main cause of dark eye circles. In reality, there are many more contributing factors, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach to reducing them. Determining the contributing cause of your dark eye circles is key to treating the root cause of the problem.
Causes
There are many different contributing factors. Pigmentation adds brown tones; thin skin lets blood vessels and bone structure show through; ageing thins the skin and hollows the under-eye; and eye bags, lack of sleep, sun exposure, genetics and allergies can all deepen the darkness. Most people have more than one cause.
Pigmentation
Skin pigmentation is a common cause of dark eye circles. Excessive UV exposure can damage melanocytes and cause an overproduction of melanin under the eyes, made worse by Singapore's year-round sun. People with darker skin tones produce more melanin and have higher chances of pigmented dark circles, and ageing increases pigmentation too.
Thin skin and visible blood vessels
The area under the eyes is the thinnest and most delicate skin on the face, so capillaries beneath it show through. Lack of sleep dilates blood vessels and increases the retention of blood and fluid; in an allergic reaction, fluid leaks from capillaries. When red blood cells leak out of capillaries, they can stain the skin a dark blue-black colour. Some people have genetically thinner skin.
Hollowing, tear troughs and eye bags
With age, loss of fat under the eyes makes them look sunken, so capillaries sit closer to the surface and tear troughs cast a shadow rather than adding colour. Thin skin also exposes the bone structure. Eye bags push capillaries closer to the surface and can cast a shadow over the under-eye area.
Loose skin under the eyes
Dark circles are worsened by the loosening of the skin in the under-eye area. As collagen is lost, the skin around the eyes and cheeks sags, and a sagging cheek deepens the hollow below the eye. Ageing also reduces collagen production, thinning the skin further.
Matched to the cause
It depends on what is darkening the skin. Our doctors look at the colour, shadow and skin under your eyes, then match a non-invasive treatment to each cause, often combining two when more than one is present.
Swelling, itching or redness with your dark circles? It may be allergic: mention it.
Polynucleotides injected around the eyes are used to improve texture, fine lines and hydration, and to reduce the look of dark eye circles.
A pure collagen gel can restore lost collagen in the dermis and fill in lost volume, improving the appearance of dark circles and sunken tear troughs.
An under-eye filler fills the hollow space between the eyes and cheeks. Volumising the area reduces dark circles caused by indented shadows from tear troughs.
Ultra-short laser pulses target the melanin that darkens the skin, breaking it into smaller particles the body clears, while stimulating new collagen under the eyes.
Radiofrequency and ultrasound heat the deeper layers to tighten loose skin under the eyes and over the cheeks, which can soften the hollows below the eyes.
Your treatment journey
Tell the doctor how long you have had dark circles, whether they change with sleep or allergies, and about eczema, sun exposure, family history and previous under-eye treatments.
The doctor looks at the colour and shadow under your eyes in different light and positions, to separate pigment, visible vessels, hollowing and loose skin, as the cause decides the treatment.
Together you choose from PN or collagen injectables, under-eye filler, PICO Laser or RF & Ultrasound Treatment, often two when more than one cause is present.
Slight bruising, swelling or redness usually clears within a week. The doctor reviews your progress and advises when to repeat treatment to maintain the result.
From our doctors
In this short video, our team explains that sleep is only one factor in dark circles. Pigmentation, thin skin that shows the blood vessels beneath, and hollowing that creates a shadow each need a different approach, which is why a proper assessment comes first.
Safety & expectations
There is no one-size-fits-all approach: finding the cause is key to treating dark circles.
You may experience slight bruising, swelling and redness around the treatment sites. These are temporary and usually clear within a week. Tell your doctor about allergies, eczema, previous under-eye fillers and any eye conditions.
Start with the cause. Enough sleep, sun protection and controlling allergies help, but persistent dark circles usually need treatment matched to their type: laser for brown pigmentation, PN or collagen injectables for thin skin, filler or collagen gel for hollow tear troughs, and RF and ultrasound for loose skin. A doctor's assessment tells you which apply, and many people need a combination.
They can be. Dark circles often run in families: people with darker skin tones produce more melanin under the eyes, and some people inherit thinner skin that shows the blood vessels beneath. Ageing, sun exposure, allergies, eczema, rubbing the eyes and eye bags can add to them, and lack of sleep makes existing circles more noticeable.
They are commonly confused and often occur together, but they are different. Dark eye circles are a darker colour or shadow under the eyes. Eye bags are swelling or puffiness, formed when the tissues supporting the lower lid weaken and fat bulges forward. According to Mayo Clinic, what looks like dark circles is sometimes a shadow cast by puffy eyelids or by hollows under the eyes that develop with age.
There are a few options for the treatment of dark eye circles, and the one you are suitable for depends on your condition and the root cause of your dark circles. We recommend consulting an experienced doctor for a proper diagnosis first; our doctors then recommend a course of treatment for your specific needs, often combining options.
Fillers help when dark circles are caused by indented shadows from tear troughs. An under-eye dermal filler fills the hollow space of the skin between the eyes and the cheeks; when that area is volumised, it reduces the appearance of the dark circle. Fillers do not change brown pigmentation, which needs a different treatment.
It depends on the cause and your condition. Under-eye (tear trough) filler is usually a single treatment, with results that can last up to 10 months, depending on the filler used. For lasers, you may need up to 6 sessions to see results. For RF and ultrasound, a course of 4 sessions, 7–10 days apart, is usually recommended, and some people notice a change after the first. Consult your doctor for a diagnosis first.
Downtime is minimal: slight bruising, swelling and redness around the treatment sites usually clear within a week. Under-eye filler results can last up to 10 months, depending on the filler used. Laser results depend on your condition and expectations. RF and ultrasound results generally last 6 months to 1 year, and the treatment can be repeated every 6–8 months to maintain them.
Laser can help when dark circles are caused by pigmentation. PicoSure uses ultra-short pulses to target the melanin that darkens the skin and break it into smaller particles, which the body then eliminates, and it can tighten the skin and generate new collagen under the eyes. It does not fill hollows or shadows from eye bags, which need other treatments.
Doctor-led care
Appointments
Book a consultation and our doctors will assess your under-eye area and plan a dark eye circles treatment around the cause.
