Dark Circles

Do you ever look into the mirror and wonder why there are dark circles under your eyes as if you got into a fistfight with someone on the toilet paper aisle in the grocery store? Or do you feel a little uneasy at times when people mention the “shiners” under your child’s eyes? We all have moments in life when we have stayed up too many nights in a row or strained our eyes staring at a screen or maybe even both… by binge-watching streamed episodes of our latest favorite series. Thankfully, these dark circles that divulge our late-night escapades generally vanish within a day or so.

Now I’m not talking about those infrequent indulgences… I am talking about the bruise-like circles under the eyes that hang around for months and years, no matter if you are 6 years old or 40, and no matter how well you feel like you slept the night before. So, what causes them? More notably, can you get rid of them without investing in a boatload of cosmetic concealer or submitting them to some kind of surgery? Well, first, let’s start with the cause… Besides fatigue, allergies, and aging, they can be a result of underdeveloped facial structures, which include your upper and lower jaws. When the facial structures end up in a constricted formation they do not allow the natural flow of fluids to move freely. Particularly, in this case, I am talking about the flow of blood out of the veins in the under-eye area. Due to blockage of the standard flow of these veins, pooling of the blood occurs and creates dark circles[1]. This is what is known as “venous pooling”. So, now for the answer to the big question… is it treatable? The great news is, YES! It IS treatable, often without pain, surgery, or drugs! Dr. Azouz, in Citrus Heights, can help evaluate if your facial structure and jaws are underdeveloped. By using an oral appliance, he can help guide your jaws and ultimately many structures of your head into a well- formed position that facilitates proper blood flow. Give us a call today to set up a complimentary consultation at Airway, Sleep, and TMJ Solutions. Unfortunately, you will most likely look so vibrant after treatment that it will be hard to deny your late-night binges when the next streaming series comes around! But that is what concealer is for, right? [1] Liem E, ed. Sleep Disorders in Pediatric Dentistry: Clinical Guide On Diagnosis and Management. Cham, Switzerland: Springer Nature; 2019.