We’ve all been there. You get a solid eight hours of sleep, wake up feeling refreshed, and head to the mirror only to be greeted by the same tired-looking shadows under your eyes. You drink more water, you go to bed even earlier, but the dark circles remain.

For decades, the prevailing wisdom has been simple: dark circles are a tell-tale sign of a late night. And while it’s true that fatigue can make them look worse, it's rarely the root cause. If you feel like you’re doing everything right and still can't banish those under-eye shadows, it's because you're fighting the wrong battle.

The truth is, chronic dark circles are less about your bedtime and more about your biology. Let's debunk this persistent myth and uncover the real culprits.

How Lack of Sleep Plays a Role 

First, let's give the myth its due. A poor night's sleep can absolutely worsen the appearance of dark circles. When you're fatigued, two things happen:

1. Your skin becomes paler. Lack of sleep can decrease circulation, making your skin look more wan and washed-out. This pale canvas makes the darker blood vessels beneath your eyes stand out in stark contrast.

2. Fluid retention increases. Your body may retain more fluid when it's tired, leading to puffiness. This puffiness, particularly under the eyes, can cast shadows that create the illusion of even darker circles.

So yes, sleep is a factor—but it’s an amplifier, not the source. If you get plenty of rest and still have dark circles, the primary drivers are much more rooted in your anatomy and genetics.

The Real Causes of Dark Under-Eye Circles

The true reasons for those persistent shadows are typically genetic and structural. Here are the four main factors at play.

1. Genetics: It's in Your DNA

This is the most common reason for chronic dark circles, especially in younger people. You can simply thank your parents. A predisposition to dark circles is often inherited in two ways:

• Thinner Skin: The skin around our eyes (the periorbital area) is already the thinnest on our body. Genetics can make this skin even more delicate and translucent, revealing the underlying network of bluish and purplish blood vessels.

• Prominent Blood Vessels: Some people are simply genetically predisposed to have more capillaries or more prominent vascular structures just below the surface of their under-eye skin.

2. Hyperpigmentation: A Matter of Melanin

If your dark circles appear more brownish in tone, you may be dealing with periorbital hyperpigmentation. This is a condition where the body produces extra melanin (the pigment that gives skin its colour) in the skin around the eyes. This can be triggered by sun exposure, inflammation, or even chronic rubbing due to allergies (often called "allergic shiners").

3. Volume Loss: The Shadow Effect

As we age, we naturally lose fat and collagen all over our faces, and the under-eye area is one of the first places it shows. This loss of volume creates a hollow or groove that runs from the inner corner of the eye down the cheek. This is known as the "tear trough."

What you perceive as a dark circle is often just a shadow cast by this depression. The light hits the prominent area below the hollow, emphasising the indentation and making it appear dark.

4. Thinning Skin with Age

Just as genetics can give you naturally thin skin, the ageing process also causes the skin to lose its thickness and elasticity. As the skin under the eyes becomes thinner and more translucent over time, the deep blue and purple hues of the blood vessels and the underlying orbicularis oculi muscle become much more visible.

So, What Can You Do?

Understanding the root cause of your dark circles is the key to treating them effectively.

• For Hyperpigmentation: Look for eye creams with ingredients like Vitamin C, niacinamide, or retinol to brighten the skin. Most importantly, use a daily SPF to prevent sun exposure from making pigmentation worse.

• For Thinning Skin and Volume Loss: While topical treatments with retinol and peptides can help boost collagen over time, in-office treatments are often more effective. Procedures like dermal fillers can replace lost volume in the tear trough, while certain laser treatments can help thicken the skin.

• For Visible Blood Vessels: A good concealer with a peach or orange undertone can work wonders to colour-correct the blue and purple hues.

And of course, continue to prioritise a healthy lifestyle. While getting enough sleep won't cure genetically determined dark circles, it will ensure you're always putting your best face forward.

So, the next time you see those shadows in the mirror, give yourself some grace. It’s likely more about your unique anatomy than your bedtime.