Overview:
Dark circles under the eyes have always been considered a sign of late nights and lack of sleep. The cause of these dark circles is often blamed on stress, too much sun, too little sleep, menstrual disorders, kidney dysfunction and even too many fried, frozen and canned foods, although it is often a hereditary trait. Circles under the eyes can worsen in people who smoke or suffer from allergies.
In western medicine, the kidneys are connected to the adrenal glands and with stress levels in life being so high, these glands are very often exhausted. When these glands are weakened, allergies are prevalent. Dark circles under the eyes are known to be a classic symptom of an allergy, together with a host of other signs including edema and fatigue. It may help to meet with a nutritionist/allergist to rule out foods and allergens that may be contributing to this condition.
According to Chinese Medicine, dark circles under the eyes relate to our kidneys, (referred to as "Kidney Qi Deficiency") which are seen as the foundation of our vitality. Sufficient sleep is one of the simplest home remedies recommended.
In natural eye care healing properties of flowers and plants are used to treat minor problems such as itchy eyes, redness of the eyes and infected (overly irritated) eyes. Different types of advanced eye care are sold by pharmacies and health food shops.
Purple-Gold Formula
Purple-Gold Formula is a Chinese formulation for reducing the black under eyes. It is a combination of 4 Chinese herbs including Lithospermum, Coiix, Licorice, Dong Gui and Vitamin E.
"After years of searching for the perfect eye cream, I have finally found it. Purple Gold doesn't burn my eyes like everything else I've tried, and since using it the skin around my eyes has become soft and supple just like when I was in my 20s - no puffiness, lines or dark circles. I couldn't be happier."
- Robyn M., FL, (11/1/06)
"I just recently purchased Purple Gold for the dark circles under my eyes due to allergies, stress, fatigue, you name it... and it works WONDERFULLY! It made my dark circles disappear overnight! What an amazing product. Thank you very much!"
-- C. Dormer (4/29/08)
Home Remedies
There are several natural (home) remedies available to keep eyes healthy and to deal with (and treat) minor eye problems such as redness and puffy eyes.
Cucumber or Cucumber Water
Containing Calcium, Vitamins A and C and Magnesium, cucumber is known for its soothing properties and will help relax eyes and reduce redness of the eyes. Cucumber water or thin slices can also be applied to the skin around the eyes especially if this skin is looking dry. Leaving the slices on the skin for at least fifteen minutes while relaxing will make your eyes look like new!
Agrimony Leaves or Flowers
Dried leaves and flowers of this plant are added to boiled water, after which the infusion is strained and used to bathe the eyes, to reduce swelling and itchy eyes. People who spend a lot of time working behind a computer, experiencing itchy or burning eyes, will also benefit from this remedy.
Marigold Flowers
A weak tea is made, cooled down and cotton wool pads are soaked in the tea, after which the pads are placed on the eyes or the eyes for ten minutes are washed with this liquid.
See our article on
dark circles under the eyes - which contains more details.
