Dark Circles & Under-Eye Hollows

Understanding Your Concern

About Dark Circles & Under-Eye Hollows

Dark circles are one of the most frustrating cosmetic complaints we see, because patients often assume one treatment will fix them—but the truth is more nuanced. Dark circles aren't just about sleep. The under-eye area can look dark for fundamentally different reasons. Some circles are pigmentary (melanin deposits or post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation). Others are vascular (you're seeing dark blood vessels through thin skin). Still others are structural (hollowing from fat loss or volume loss). And many patients have a combination. Here's how we evaluate: We look at your genetics, assess skin thickness, check for hollowing, and evaluate whether pigment or vascularity dominates. Microneedling and gentle chemical peels work well for pigmentary and vascular circles. Tear trough filler is an option for structural hollowing, but candidacy depends on anatomy—not everyone benefits. Realistic improvement develops over 4–6 weeks with consistent treatment.