Do you have bags or dark circles under your Eyes? That can be quite annoying. Some men suffer from very deep and dark pits under the Eyes which can make them look ten years older. Additionally, you might suffer from swollen bags under your Eyes. Also not a pleasant Face in the mirror. Fortunately, there are plenty of measures you can take. We will, of course, share them with you!
What are bags and dark circles and what is the difference?
The skin under your Eyes is thinner than in other areas of your Face. This makes you see signs of stress, aging, and damage earlier. In fact, bags in men are mild swelling under your Eyes. Not nice, right in the middle of your Face.
Dark circles are nothing more than a change in the pigment of the skin under your Eyes. So while bags are a kind of cute cushions, dark circles are simply just dark circles. Two different things that are often confused. But both are equally annoying. Time to tackle them.
Causes of bags and dark circles
Fortunately, there are a number of things you can do to reduce or maybe even completely eliminate both problems. For that, it is useful to know what the causes can be of those teabags under your Eyes.
How do dark circles under the Eyes arise?
The causes of dark circles under Eyes in men are diverse but all have to do with the thickness of the skin around your Eyes. The skin around your Eyes is significantly thinner. Your skin is on average 2 to 3 mm thick over your entire Body. Under your Eyes, it is only 0.5 mm(!) The dark Colour can be genetically determined but often comes from a lack of moisture. The skin then becomes even thinner and you can see the colors of the blue blood vessels and gray periosteum of your skull through the skin. This is how a dark circle is formed. We can't make it prettier than it is. Below are a few triggering factors that can make your dark circles worse or appear:
Fatigue
When you sleep too little, the substance collagen breaks down. This substance keeps the skin firm. If you remove this substance by sleeping too little, dark circles will form.
Stress
When you are stressed, your Body produces more cortisol. This is a stress hormone that can severely disrupt the moisture balance of the skin. A lack of moisture and thinner skin under the Eyes are the result.
You drink too little
When you drink too little water, the skin under your Eyes becomes drier and thinner. It is the biggest cause for people with dark circles under their Eyes.
Aging
Your skin becomes thinner as you get older. The older you get, the more you can see dark circles. As you age, your Body produces less and less collagen (which we just talked about). So your skin becomes less firm as you age.
Alcohol
Do you drink a lot of alcohol? We've got some bad news for you. That is not exactly good for the skin around your Eyes. Alcohol is dehydrating, causing the skin under the Eyes to become thinner. The skin becomes drier and thinner and will therefore also become darker.
Caffeine
The substance caffeine constricts the blood vessels and also works dehydrating. When you drink a lot of coffee, you can certainly suffer from dark circles.
Rubbing your Eyes
Rubbing hard on your Eyes for a moment. Oh man, what a wonderful feeling sometimes. But it can also damage the blood vessels under the Eyes when you do this often. As a result, they become more visible and you get a darker Colour.
Sitting behind the computer a lot
When you look at a screen all day, the blood vessels around the Eyes experience a lot of stress. They work harder without getting rest. Your blood vessels enlarge due to cortisol released to cope with the tension. But the dark circles get much worse this way. Do you have an office job? Take a break every hour with your Eyes away from the screen. Also a nice excuse to tell your boss.
Other causes of dark circles
When the skin under your Eyes is darker, this can also have another cause for some people. It could be that you suffer from hyperpigmentation. The dark circles are then slightly browner in Colour. This is because more melanin is produced in the skin under your Eyes. This can have various causes such as allergies, medications, a lot of sun, and hormonal changes. If you suspect you suffer from this, ask your doctor for advice.
What to do against dark circles?
Now you might wonder 'what helps against dark circles?' Well, now that we know the main causes, we can do the following to keep the skin under your Eyes as healthy as possible:
- Drink enough (at least 1.5 liters per day)
- Get enough sleep, about 8 hours per night
- Moderate alcohol, caffeine, and smoking
- Don’t stare too much at a screen
- Improve your blood circulation by moving
- Relax enough
What is the best remedy against bags and dark circles?
Adjusting your lifestyle is of course the most important, but fortunately, there are also remedies on the market to remedy your bags and dark circles! We have listed our favorites for you.
Baxter of California - Under Eye Complex
The winner of the Men's Health Grooming Award Winner 2016. This Eye Cream from Baxter of California is specifically aimed at restoring the skin under the Eyes. The product nourishes the skin with caffeine, seaweed, and vitamin E. Although it is not good to drink, caffeine is very good to apply on your skin. It shrinks the blood vessels and gives your skin a boost, making dark circles disappear. Free from parabens.
Recipe for men - Under Eye Hair Gel
Minimize dark circles and bags under your Eyes with this 100% Eye Gel from Recipe for men The Hair Gel is made with carefully selected herbs, minerals, and peptides. These hydrate, firm, and soften the skin, reduce dry lines, and increase the skin's elasticity. This gives the eye contour area a rested and refreshed appearance.
What causes bags under the Eyes in men?
There can be multiple causes for bags under your Eyes. Some are simply unlucky with their genes, while others can change a lot by adjusting a part of their lifestyle.
Genes and aging
The swollen bags under Eyes are actually an accumulation of fluid and fat. That combination of fluid and fat is there to protect your Eyes. It serves as a sort of cushion. With a bag, there is a bulge outward. In some people, the eye socket is smaller, making it actually too small for the cushion. The fat under your eye is normally held together by connective tissue. As you age, this connective tissue weakens, and the accumulation sags downward, causing you to see a bag. In people with a smaller eye socket, you see this sooner. This is genetically determined.
Too little or too much sleep
Sleeping too long can also cause terrible bags under Eyes in men. When you lie in bed for too long, you don't have enough blood circulation, leading to more fluid accumulation under your Eyes. Too little sleep causes your Body to retain too much fluid. Thus, you never get rid of those bumps.
Always lying on your side or stomach
When you sleep on your stomach or side, a lot of fluid can sink to the accumulation under your Eyes. Add to that the gravity that can pull extra on the bags, and over time, you create thick cushions under your Eyes.
Eating too much salt
When you eat a lot of salt, your Body retains extra fluid. You will quickly see this under your Eyes. There is an increasing fluid accumulation, leading to thick bags.
Alcohol and smoking
You probably could have guessed this one. Alcohol and smoking disrupt the fluid balance in your Body. You will first see this under your Eyes.
Allergies
Often suffer from colds, sensitive skin, or watery Eyes? Then you might have an allergy. Your Eyes quickly swell with these kinds of complaints. After repeatedly swelling, the skin around your Eyes becomes looser, making it easier for fat and fluid to sink under your Eyes.
What do bags say about your health?
In principle, it doesn't have to mean that you are unhealthy if you have bags. It might just be that you inherited slightly less favorable genes concerning bags. However, you always know best how your bags arise. Is it after a 'men's weekend' with little sleep and a lot of alcohol? Is it after your children have been keeping you awake for months? Is it after deciding to indulge for a month and munching on too many salty shawarma rolls? Then you know which aspect of your health might be causing your bags. So if you're a new father, try to take more naps, if you've been indulging in fast food, then take out a healthy cookbook from your drawer. Most bags tell you something about your health, so look carefully for the pattern of your bags.
How do you get rid of bags under your Eyes without make-up?
Time for a short course on "concealing bags under the eyes for men." Some men are very handy with a bit of makeup, others don't want to start with it. Both are fine. Fortunately, there are more options to conceal your bags under the eyes than just make-up. There isn't one specific approach, but there are several aspects you can try to work on concealing bags. Bags under the Eyes of men could be a thing of the past in no time.
Reduce the swelling under your Eyes
You can reduce the swelling under your Eyes by cooling and taking care of it. You can, for example:
- Place cucumber slices on your Eyes: this has a cooling effect.
- Place cold wet (green) tea bags on your Eyes: green tea contains EGCG which might have a beneficial effect on the swelling under your Eyes. This has never been proven but is recommended by many specialists.
- Cool your Eyes with a cold compress: place something cold on the swelling every morning to reduce it.
- Use the Recipe For Men – Under Eye Hair Gel for better skin health around the Eyes and reduction of swelling.
Change unhealthy habits
- Eat less salt
- Sleep on your back: Try to sleep on your back as much as possible. This way, fluid has no chance to settle under the Eyes.
- Averaging 7-8 hours of sleep
- Drink and smoke in moderation
- Exercise sufficiently
Can you massage away bags under the eyes?
Yes, you can! If you've ever heard of lymphatic drainage, then you know how this works. Use both ring fingers to apply pressure under your Eyes. Start by applying light pressure from your inner eye corners and gently work towards the outer eye corners. This way, you follow your natural lymph flow. Repeat this about 10 to 20 times and ultimately sweep the waste via your temples towards the sides of your neck downwards.
We've gone through the causes, tips, and our favorites. But if you still have questions, which is always possible, know that we are happy to help! You know where to find us, let us know. If you order your 'under-eye tea bag remover' before 9 PM, you'll find it on your doormat the next day.
Good luck!
Your friends, The Alpha Men