Sunken eyes and dark circles can be due to various reasons, including external factors like environment and lifestyle and internal factors like genetics and habits. The skin under the eyes is very thin and delicate, and these conditions can make blood vessels more visible or create a hollow appearance, respectively.

Table of Contents

1 What are Sunken or Hollow Eyes?
2 What are the Causes of Sunken Eyes?
3 What are the Symptoms of Sunken Eyes?
4 When to see a doctor for sunken eyes?
5 How to Prevent and Treat Sunken Eyes?
- 5.1 At-home Remedies and Lifestyle Changes
- 5.2 Cosmetic Procedures for Sunken Eyes
6 Can sunken eyes cause other conditions?
7 Bottom line

What are Sunken or Hollow Eyes?

Sunken eyes, hollow eyes, or medically called enophthalmos refers to the appearance of dark circles under the eyes. It may appear temporarily or can remain for the rest of one’s life. However, with proper treatment, care, and a healthy diet, you can overcome this condition.

What are the Causes of Sunken Eyes?

The causes of sunken eyes are numerous. Sometimes, it can appear due to lack of sleep or dehydration. In other cases, genetics and inherited aptitudes from parents can play a vital role in the appearance of dark circles. Whatever the case may be, it is evident that there is no one particular cause of sunken eyes. Rather, there are multifarious reasons that can contribute to sunken or hollow eyes, including:

Aging
Dehydration
Lack of sleep
Stress
Malnutrition
Weight loss
Underlying medical conditions
Genetics
Eye Injury
Poor Diet
Smoking

What are the Symptoms of Sunken Eyes?

Overall, there are a variety of changes that you can notice in your face and comprehend that you are getting sunken eyes. Some of the prominent symptoms include:

Deep-set eyes
Dark circles
Fine lines or wrinkles
Changes in the upper eyelids
Changes in the lower eyelids
Changes in the appearance of the cheekbones: The cheeks may also appear hollow or sunken, enhancing the perception of sunken eyes
The feeling of dryness or irritation in the eyes

When to see a doctor for sunken eyes?

If you maintain a restful sleep schedule, stay adequately hydrated, eat a balanced diet, and exercise regularly, yet your eyes continue to appear increasingly sunken over time, it’s time to consult a healthcare professional.

How to Prevent and Treat Sunken Eyes?

Several at-home remedies and some lifestyle changes can help you to prevent sunken eyes.

At-home Remedies and Lifestyle Changes

Almond Oil

Research suggests that applying almond oil can improve skin tone.

Tea Bags

Tea is rich in antioxidants and flavonoids. Pacing warm saturated tea bags under the eyes can help improve blood circulation in that area.

Cucumber

Take chilled slices of cucumber and place them on your eyes for 20 minutes. Cucumber can moisture the skin and lower irritation.

Cold Compress

Applying a cold compress to your eyes can help reduce puffiness and improve the appearance of sunken eyes.

Face Massage

Gently massaging your face, especially around the eyes, can help improve blood circulation, potentially reducing the appearance of sunken eyes.

Keep hydrated

Make sure you’re drinking enough water each day (usually 2 liters, but it may vary from person to person).

Restful sleep

Ensuring you get adequate and good-quality sleep is important. 7-8 hours of restful sleep can help you get rid of dark circles.

Healthy diet

A healthy diet can improve overall health and the appearance of your skin. Foods rich in vitamins A, C, E, and K, as well as those high in antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids, can contribute to healthier-looking skin.

Quit smoking and limit alcohol

Both smoking and excessive alcohol consumption can prematurely age your skin, leading to a more hollow or sunken appearance around the eyes.

Sun protection

Prolonged sun exposure can lead to premature aging of the skin. Wear sunglasses and use good sunscreen to protect your skin, especially around the delicate eye area.

Cosmetic Procedures for Sunken Eyes

Cosmetic procedures have provided a shortcut to restore volume to the surrounding areas of the eye and ensure that the patient experiences minimal pain during the procedure. The medical treatments include:

Dermal Fillers for Sunken Eyes

In this treatment, hyaluronic acid fillers are injected in the under-eye area in order to restore the lost volume, fade away the dark circles, and improve the sunken eyes. Dermal fillers can also help to tighten loose skin around the eyes.

Platelet-rich Plasma for Hollow Eyes

PRP injection is another option to help stimulate collagen production in the under-eye area and remove fine lines and wrinkles in the mentioned region. However, you need to keep in mind that both dermal fillers and PRP injections are not a permanent solution for sunken eyes and that you will need to get the procedure again once their effects wash away.

Anti-wrinkle Injections for Sunken Eyes

Sometimes, reducing wrinkles around the eye areas (crow’s feet) can result in the eradication of dark circles. However, anti-wrinkle injections should be used in conjunction with hyaluronic fillers because using only anti-wrinkle injections will not work for sunken eyes. The reason is that anti-wrinkle injections are neurotoxic proteins and their function is to alter muscle function.

Ultrasound Treatment for Dark Circles

Ultherapy is a non-invasive treatment that uses micro-focused ultrasound with visualization (MFU-V) technology. The technology sends ultrasound energy toward the areas of the skin where dark circles are present, typically sunken areas under the eyes. This energy is accurately targeted to specific depths under the skin, ensuring that it doesn’t damage the surface or surrounding tissue.

The ultrasound energy waves create heat (the thermal effect) in the targeted layers of skin. This heat helps to stimulate the body’s natural healing process, which, in turn, encourages the production of collagen and elastin. Collagen and elastin are two essential proteins that keep our skin looking youthful. The procedure helps reduce the appearance of dark circles and gives the skin a healthier, more youthful look.

Dark Circle Laser Treatment

Laser treatments can also help in stimulating collagen production. Collagen is a protein found in our skin that provides structure and elasticity. As we age, collagen production decreases, which can lead to thinning skin and volume loss, contributing to the appearance of dark circles and sunken eyes.

The sophisticated micro-ablative laser system removes small bits of skin with extreme precision. This process can stimulate the skin to produce more collagen, effectively tightening it and improving its texture. This method also helps to add volume back to sunken areas under the eyes and combat any discoloration (dark circles).

The results from these treatments are noticeable after the first session but will become more apparent over time, particularly between 3 to 6 months. This is because it takes time for the body to generate new collagen after the treatment.

Can sunken eyes cause other conditions?

No, sunken eyes do not directly cause other conditions. However, they could be a symptom of certain health conditions like aging, dehydration, or the result of an unhealthy lifestyle.

Bottom line

It is important to note that many remedies and home practices claiming to cure sunken eyes lack scientific proof. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you consult a healthcare professional to accurately identify the root cause of your dark circles.

At Euromed Clinic, our highly-experienced doctors specialize in creating customized treatments, keeping individual requirements in mind. If you wish to address the issue of sunken eyes, please do not hesitate to contact us at +971 4 394 5422.