Dark circles

Dark circles, commonly known as “panda eyes”, is referred to as “two dark eyes” and “black moles on face” in Traditional Chinese Medicine, while “periorbital hyperpigmentation” in Western Medicine. It is a kind of dermatosis featuring dark skins around the eyes which resembles panda’s eyes. Dark circles are caused by frequently staying up late, emotional instability, fatigue and aging of the eyes, overly slow flow of blood in veins, inadequate oxygen supply of red blood cells to the skin around the eyes, excessive accumulation of carbon dioxide and metabolic waste in veins, resulting in chronic hypoxia, dark blood and sluggish flow of blood, eventually leading to pigmentation around the eyes. According to modern medicine, dark circles may be caused by inheritance, lack of sleep or overfatigue, varicose veins, injuries, pigmentation, penetration of cosmetics pigments, pregnancy and menstruation, nutritional imbalance, drinking coffee, smoking, alcohol drinking, chronic rhinitis, allergic rhinitis, asthma, eczema, drugs, emotions as well as dehydrated or dry skin. Dark circles serve as signals for various diseases, including liver disease (especially for patients with abnormal liver functions for long periods and hepatomegaly), menstrual disease (dysmenorrhea or menstrual disorders, functional uterine bleeding), nose disease (chronic rhinitis, allergic rhinitis, asthma), stomach disease (impaired digestive and absorptive functions for long periods, repeated occurrence of gastritis), and kidney disease (unhealthy lifestyle for over long periods of time, excessive sexual life). It is important not to neglect dark circles.