Dark Circles Around The Eyes: Why ? (For Professionals)

Peri-orbital dark circles (DUEC) are a cosmetic concern worldwide and numerous causes and risk factors have been advocated as playing a role:

• allergy
• atopic dermatitis
• blood stasis
• structural shadowing effects
• a thinner epidermis/dermis under the eye.

• Questionnaires were given to 495 Brazilian women and the severity of DUEC was evaluated by a dermatologist. Hyperspectral image analysis was used to determine the relative contribution of melanin, blood volume, degree of tissue oxygen saturation, and dermal scattering.
• Spectral Imaging showed that melanin was the main component correlated with with DUEC severity.
• Study Findings:

1. Average age of onset: 24 years
2. Severity higher when younger onset
3. Asthma is highly significantly associated with DUEC score
4. Allergy, sleep deprivation do NOT play a role in the severity of the condition
5. Melanin is the main determining factor in the severity of DUEC whereas oxygen is less so.

Contributors:

Dr Christophe HSU – dermatologist. Geneva, Switzerland

Source of Information: MS Matsui,1 G Vanderover,1 C Ennis,1 C Fthenakis,1 P Bombarda,3 J Bueno,3 B Viscomi,3 M Bombarda3 and S Schalka2,3 1R&D BSR, The Estee Lauder Co’s., Melville, NY, 2Dermatology, Univ. Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil and 3Dermatology, Medcin Clinic, Osasco, Brazil. Peri-orbital dark circles in Brazilian women: Risk factors and hyperspectral image analysis. International Investigative Dermatology (IID) 2013 – Edinburgh, United Kingdom