Credits: Social Media
Allergies could be to blame for those dark circles under your eyes, doctor reveals
Pediatric allergist Dr Rubin recently took to TikTok to explain the role allergies can play in the formation of dark circles under the eyes.
He was responding to another TikToker who was surprised to be told by her doctor that the purple-brown patches of skin coloration shed assumed were down to a lack of sleep could be allergic shiners. The good news? Depending on the allergies, we can get rid of them.
Those dark circles under your eyes could have nothing to do with lack of sleep
If youve been losing sleep over the dark circles under your eyes, and over the notion that the sleep youve been losing over them could be causing the circles to darken, etc., then this is for you.
Dr Rubin MD is a board-certified allergist, and he says the dark patches under your eyes, also called raccoon eyes, may indeed be allergic shiners rather than indicators of bad sleep. The proper name is periorbital hyperpigmentation.
However, there are many reasons dark circles can occur, so we would be amiss to assume that all dark circles are the result of allergies.
Nasal congestion can lead to the pooling of blood just under the eyelids, and that may be due to allergies, he admits. But it could also be a result of:
- Rhinitis. Sometimes caused by viruses and bacteria, rhinitis is when a reaction to an irritant causes inflammation in the nose.
- Nasal polyps. These are noncancerous growths in the nose or sinuses. Theyre usually painless, soft, and pear-shaped.
- Enlarged adenoids. These are the tiny pieces of tissue that hang above your tonsils. They help fight infections and are most useful before the age of 5.
- Sleep apnea. This is related to sleep deprivation but not synonymous with it. Sleep apnea is a disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep.
- Aging can cause changes in skin texture and coloration.
- Trauma or injury.
- Surgery.
- Genes: Dr Rubin says that some people just have a predilection to have a little bit more pigment there.
- Facial structure, which is also genetic.
- Iron deficiency, according to one naturopathic doctor.
Possible treatments for raccoon eyes
Hay fever causes nasal congestion, which can lead to what Dr Rubin calls a pooling of blood underneath your eyes. This may or may not cause dark patches of skin discoloration.
As your immune system responds to allergies, writes Cleveland Clinic, you may develop swelling in the moist inner lining of your nose. This swelling slows blood flow in the veins around the nose, which in turn makes the area look darker and puffy.
Hay fever reportedly affects between 15% and 25% of people in the US. Not all hay fever sufferers get allergic shiners, but many can. Hay fever allergens include pollen, pet dander, dust mites, and mold.
However, as Dr Rubin pointed out, allergies along with lack of sleep could have nothing to do with your raccoon eyes.
The best way to treat the dark circles under your eyes is to treat the underlying cause, he emphasizes, so you should see your doctor in order to get evaluated for proper treatment.
Otherwise you might find yourself on a wild goose chase, or trying to fit a square peg into a round hole, medicating one thing with the medication for another.
Dr. Zachary Rubin is a pediatrician specializing in allergy treatment and immunology. He trained at Case Western Reserve University, the University of Illinois, and Washington University.
