Feedback about Dark Circles and Eye Bags

If you have eye bags, please help others by sharing your experience with side effects or share your solutions. What do you want to tell people about eye bags? Please remember that we do not give medical advice. That is for your local health care provider, who is familiar with your medical history.

Dark circles under eyes
Date: 3/8/2010
I am a 22 yr old male. I have dark circles under my eyes that just appeared about six or seven months ago. I’ve never had dark circles under my eyes and it doesnt run in my family. I had a bad sinus infection and it just cleared up. I also sneeze alot and my recent job i was working around toxic black mold and suffered from severe headaches and flu like symptoms. What can be the cause and how can it be treated without make up. Could it be something serious and should I be worried?

Keith
AskDocWeb: You say you had a bad sinus infection? That is one of the most common causes of dark circles under the eyes. Nasal congestion dilates and darkens the veins that drain from the area under your eyes to your nose. This can result in dark circles under the eyes. Most of the time this isn’t something to worry about unless it gets worse over time or if discoloration and swelling appears just under one eye. In that case you should check with your doctor.

Medical condition?
Date: 5/8/2010
Hi, i’m early forties, hv been getting eye bags in recent years and I’m also suffering from diabetes and sinus. Is the eye bag caused by the medical condition? How do I reduce the bags?

Jen

AskDocWeb: You can read about the causes of eye bags here. It also includes some things you can try at home for self-care.

Contact lenses
Date: 5/30/2010
i have a really dark eye bags, before about 3 years i had a normal eyes and then the eye bags started to show up after i used a contact lenses. I stopped using it many years ago but the eye bags remain as bad as it was. i am only 19 years old.

Vicky

Circles under eye
Date: 6/28/2010
Can Retin A be used for the circles that form under the eye? It is the impression that forms, where my skin is thin and wrinkled. Only the beginning of the circle is near the eye. I imagine when they say not to use it near the eyes it is so that you don’t get it in your eyes. I only used it once and it seemed to make the wrinkles worse. Is it bad to use on areas where the skin is thin?

Sharon

AskDocWeb: One of the problems of using it near the eyes is that if you use too much and get an overdose, it may cause liver problems which can result in dark circles under the eyes. This is also true for using too much vitamin A. It’s sometimes referred to as “excessive” vascularization when the body develops new blood vessels, especially in tissues where circulation has been impaired, such as under the eyes.

Eye bags after surgery
Date: 10/11/2010
I have had 2 strabismus surgeries in the past yr due probably to Hashimotos disease. After the 1st surgery I got a big bag under the other eye. Then after the other eye surgery – I got a big bag under the first eye. Both bags have become permanent. My Dr.’s are purplexed. Any Ideas?

Jeanette

AskDocWeb: The only possibilities we see are some kind of infection or an allergic reaction. This type of complication, if it is one, is so rare that it isn’t even listed in the literature. Strabismus surgery is surgery on the extraocular muscles to correct the misalignment of the eyes. This is the third most common eye surgery in the United States with about 1.2 million procedures each year.

Can’t focus
Date: 11/1/2010
My sister-in-law developed a serious sinus infection several weeks ago. Within days, her vision began to cause her to not be able to focus on the computer, tv or any reading material. She simply can’t seem to bring her eyes together to see anything at all close. Her doctor and opthomologist thought she’d had a stroke, but an MRI has ruled that out. They don’t seem to know what’s going on with her eyes and have no solution to fix it. Meanwhile, she can’t read, write, use the computer, even watching tv is very difficult. Everyone – except the doctors – hopes this is due to the sinus infection, but no one has any solution for her. Can you help?

Penni

AskDocWeb: When it comes to the physiology and diseases of the eye, an ophthalmologist is the specialist. Bad sinus infections do sometimes have that affect.

Under eye bags
Date: 12/6/2010
Hi, I am 20 years old now, I have had under eye bags since 15 years old, and I have been taking allergy & hay-fever Cetirizine hydrochloride tablets for 10 years continuously one per day and I was also using the Hay-fever Relief Nasal Spray Steroids from years to 10 to 17 years. So please email me any ways of getting rid of the eye bags or is my medication effecting my under eye bags. Thank You I look forward for your replay.

Ali

AskDocWeb: We sometimes get several hundred emails a day and just don’t have the time for individual replies so answers are posted so that everyone has access to them. The hay-fever medication is likely to have an effect but in a positive way as this reduces congestion around the eyes. We are still adding to the list so if readers have any suggestions, do share.

Surgery?
Date: 1/7/2011
Similar to the person who said she has had eyebags since she was 10 and is now 23, I seem to have eye bags run in my family but I absolutely can’t handle having them anymore, especially at just 23 years old. They are always there and can come and go with intensity, but they are ALWAYS there. I sleep well, I would think its safe to say I eat a balanced diet, I am getting to the point where I’m wondering as well: Is surgery my only option too?

Casi

AskDocWeb: Cosmetic eye bag surgery is by no means cheap. It is likely to set you back at least several thousand, sometimes even more than ten thousand dollars. And since it’s cosmetic insurance probably will not cover a dime of that. But even if the costs are not a concern, you need to consider the risks. A competent surgeon will be able to identify the cause or causes of your eye bags before surgery and discuss your options ahead of time. Fortunately this type of surgery is known for delivering great results.

Anything serious about bags?
Date: 1/22/2011
I have had dark bags under my eyes since I was a child and I do admit I prefer breathing through my mouth then my nose, but that is because I feel like I get more air from my mouth rather then my nose even though breathing through my nose is fine too. I have very dark bags under my eyes that circle around my eyes and stop at my eyebrows… I wear makeup constantly to hide them or else people start commenting on my bags…and I’m beginning to feel that even the makeup is failing to covering them completely because I still receive remarks about them. Please tell me, is there anything serious about bags all the way around the entire eye area? Sincerely.

Lisa

AskDocWeb: If your eye bags are accompanied with any pain, swelling, or blurred vision then see a physician immediately since that may indicate a serious problem.

Will the cucumber trick work?
Date: 2/1/2011
I have noticed that I have dark discoloration under my eyes. Presently I am wearing makeup, which I rather not, cause it was such a sudden change in my look. Will the cucumber trick work and for how long will I need to do it?

T.rene

AskDocWeb: Placing cold cucumber slices, one on each eye for 15 minutes, and washing the affected areas with cold water afterward does work for some people. However, it may have more to do with the temperature change than the cucumber.

Eye bags caused by drug use
Date: 6/17/2011
I have eye bags caused by drug use (meth). I have stopped but my eye bags wont go away. What can I do?

AVEC

AskDocWeb: Some eye bags are the result of living a stressful lifestyle while others are the result of genetics. If you are not genetically predisposed to them the eye bags caused by stress may or may not be permanent. If they were caused by stress, changing those circumstances and getting away from the drugs could help to reverse the eye bags. Have you tried the home remedies?

Dark eye bags on baby boy
Date: 11/10/2011
My 7 months baby boy have a dark eye bags, and he have a cough, what should i do?

Zara

AskDocWeb: The most common cause of dark eye bags in infants is the nasal congestion that results from allergies, colds or sinus infections. When your baby’s nasal passages swell, this causes the veins that run from their eyes to the nose to dilate and darken, which results in the appearance of dark circles. While these dark circles may cause alarm it is rarely a sign of a serious condition. Once your baby’s allergies or illness has subsided, his dark circles should go away. However, if your infant has a dark circle under only one eye or if the discoloration seems to be getting worse over time, talk to your child’s pediatrician. He or she can determine if there is an underlying condition and discuss treatment options with you.

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If you find this page useful share it with others. You can help others by sharing your experience with side effects. What would you tell someone with circles under their eyes? Please remember that we do not give medical advice. That is for your local health care provider, who is familiar with your medical history. Use the form below to add your comments or feedback.