Definition

• The Mayo Clinic defines dark under-eye circles as uniform areas of pigmentation underneath both eyes. The condition affects both men and women.
  
  

Lifestyle

• Life choices including smoking, consuming alcoholic beverages and caffeinated sodas can contribute to dark under-eye circles.
  
  

Nasal Congestion

• Nasal congestions caused by colds or allergies cause the veins that drain from your eyes to darken, causing circles.
  
  

Heredity

• Dark under-eye circles are often an inherited trait.
  
  

Aging

• As a person ages, the skin loses fat and collagen. This can result in the blue color of blood vessels under the eyes becoming more noticeable.
  
  

Treatment

• Treatments for under-eye circles vary depending upon the cause of the dark circles and range from under-eye concealer to laser treatments.