Periorbital Eye Aging
What is Periorbital Eye Aging?
The periorbital region refers to the delicate skin surrounding the eyes. Because this area contains thinner skin, fewer oil glands, and is constantly involved in facial expression, it is often one of the first areas to show visible signs of aging. Common concerns include dark eye circles and fine lines.
Types of Dark Eye Circles
Types of Dark Eye Circles
Pigmentary dark circles develop when excess melanin accumulates within the skin beneath the eyes. They typically appear brown or grey-brown and may become more noticeable following sun exposure, chronic eye rubbing, skin inflammation, or genetic predisposition.
Vascular Dark Circles
Vascular dark circles occur when blood vessels beneath the thin eyelid skin become more visible. They often appear blue, purple, pink, or reddish, particularly in individuals with fair or thin skin.
Poor circulation, genetics, allergies, fatigue, and natural skin thinning with age can all make these blood vessels more noticeable. Unlike pigmentary dark circles, vascular dark circles are caused by changes beneath the skin rather than excess pigmentation.
Sunken Dark Circles
Not every dark circle is caused by skin colour. In some individuals, age-related volume loss beneath the eyes creates hollowness that casts natural shadows, giving the appearance of darker under-eye circles. This is commonly seen as the cheeks gradually lose volume and the tear trough becomes more pronounced with age.
Periorbital Fine Lines
The skin surrounding the eyes is among the thinnest and most delicate on the body. It contains fewer oil glands, less collagen, and less elastin than other areas of the face, making it particularly vulnerable to the effects of ageing.
Over time, natural collagen loss, repeated facial expressions, sun exposure, and reduced skin hydration gradually weaken the skin’s structure. As elasticity declines, fine lines become more noticeable, particularly during smiling or squinting.
Initially, these lines may only appear during facial movement. As collagen continues to decline, they can gradually become visible even when the face is at rest.