Dark circles can happen due to fatigue or aging. You can try reducing their appearance with cold compresses, tea bags, and other home remedies, or get treatment from a dermatologist.

Dark circles under the eyes occur when areas or patches of skin under the eyes are darker than the surrounding skin. This is clinically called periorbital hyperpigmentation.

Although dark circles are not usually a serious health problem, many people feel that they make them look tired, older, or unhealthy.

Keep reading to learn more about natural and medical methods for removing or lessening the appearance of dark circles under your eyes.

Several natural and at-home remedies may help you reduce the appearance of dark circles under your eyes. It’s important to note that everybody is different, so some of these remedies might not work for you.

As with any treatment, consider speaking with a doctor before testing natural remedies out on yourself.

Sleep

Fatigue and a lack of sleep are commonly reported causes of dark circles under the eyes. Lack of sleep may cause your skin to become paler, which can make the blood vessels beneath your eyes appear more prominent.

Getting enough high quality sleep could help you manage dark circles under the eyes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that adults get at least 7 hours of sleep each night.

Elevation

When you sleep, try placing extra pillows under your head to help lessen the puffiness of fluid pooling in your lower eyelids.

Cold compress

Sometimes, dilated blood vessels can darken the area under your eyes. Applying a cold compress may help reduce inflammation and cause the blood vessels to constrict, which may result in a lessening of the dark circles.

Sun

Some research suggests that long-term exposure to direct sunlight may cause hyperpigmentation to exposed parts of your skin. This most commonly affects the face and neck.

To help manage dark circles, try limiting sun exposure to your face and wearing sunscreen.

Moisturizers

Several over-the-counter (OTC) moisturizers are marketed to help you manage dark circles under your eyes. Many of them contain:

It’s important to note, however, that limited research supports their purported benefits. You may need to try several types of moisturizers before finding one that might work.

Cucumber

Applying cold cucumber slices may temporarily help relieve dark circles under the eyes by:

  • relieving puffiness
  • boosting vasoconstriction
  • hydrating the area
  • soothing the area

Try chilling thick cucumber slices and then placing them on the dark circles for about 10 minutes. Then rinse the area with water. Repeat this treatment twice a day.

Almond oil and vitamin E

Natural healing advocates suggest mixing equal amounts of almond oil and vitamin E and gently massaging the mixture into the dark circles just prior to bedtime. In the morning, wash the area with cold water.

Limited research has examined the use of almond oil for periorbital hyperpigmentation, but some research suggests it may benefit the skin.

Repeat the process nightly until the dark circles disappear.

Vitamin K

A 2015 study showed that placing a pad containing a mixture of caffeine and vitamin K under the eye reduced wrinkle depth and dark circles.

Tea bags

Applying soaked tea bags to your eyes may help get rid of dark circles under the eyes by relieving inflammation and soothing the area. However, very limited research supports these purported benefits.

Try soaking two teabags, preferably caffeinated tea, in warm water and then chilling the bags in the refrigerator for a few minutes. Place a bag on each eye. After 5 minutes, remove the teabags and rinse the area with cold water.

A healthcare professional may recommend medical treatment to help get rid of dark circles under your eyes. The type of treatment will depend on the underlying cause of the circles.

Skin-lightening cream

To lighten under-eye hyperpigmentation, a dermatologist might prescribe a skin-lightening cream with azelaic acid, kojic acid, glycolic acid, or hydroquinone. This may include tretinoin (Retin-A).

Some of these creams, in formulas with lower percentages of the active ingredient, are available OTC.

Laser therapy

Laser treatments use heat energy to vaporize damaged cells. The darker pigment under the eyes can be targeted. Along with lightening darker skin tones, laser therapy may induce new collagen formation.

Chemical peels

A dermatologist might suggest a light chemical peel to lighten dark pigmentation under the eyes. Commonly, these will include glycolic acid, retinoic acid, or hydroquinone.

A dermatologist might also suggest a Jessner peel, which includes a combination of salicylic acid, lactic acid, and resorcinol.

Blepharoplasty

Fat can be surgically removed in a lower lid blepharoplasty by a plastic surgeon, oculoplastic surgeon, or dermatologic surgeon. The procedure can decrease the shadow cast by your eyelid, which can decrease the appearance of dark circles.

Fillers

A hyaluronic acid-based dermal filler, such as Restylane or Juvederm, can be injected into the tissue under the eye. This may be done by an ophthalmologist, dermatologist, plastic surgeon, or specially trained healthcare provider.

Fillers may help with volume loss under the eye, which can cause dark circles.

If swelling and discoloration appear under only one eye, speak with a doctor about it, especially if it appears to get worse over time.

For many people, dark circles will come and go throughout their lifetime. Some natural and at-home remedies can help you manage dark circles. If an underlying health condition causes them, a doctor may recommend medical treatments to help remove them permanently.

Under-eye circles can have many causes, but research suggests low iron or vitamin B-12 might play a role.

Although having dark circles under your eyes typically isn’t a health concern, you might want them to disappear for cosmetic reasons.

There are several home remedies and medical treatments for removing or reducing the appearance of dark circles. You should check with a doctor to see which one is best for you.