We’re Here to Tell You at a Skin Clinic Near COEX! A Complete Guide to the Causes of Dark Circles and the Features of Each Type!

| This post has been written for the purpose of providing medical information in compliance with Article 56, Paragraph 1 of the Medical Service Act, and since the effects and results of procedures may vary from person to person, we recommend sufficient consultation with medical staff before treatment. |

Hello.

This is Owen Clinic Samsung Branch.

Have you ever sighed while looking in the mirror in the morning because the area under your eyes looks especially dark and dull?

Even after getting enough sleep, it can be very stressful when people around you still say you look tired.

The eye area is a very important part that determines your overall impression.

No matter how much you try to cover it with concealer, darkness under the eyes that becomes noticeable again by the afternoon is not something that can be solved simply with makeup.

For a fundamental solution, the first step is to understand exactly what is causing your dark circles.

Through today’s post, we will take a detailed medical look at the starting point of under-eye concerns and the complex reasons behind them.

The structure of the skin around the eyes and its relationship to pigmentation

If you were to pick the thinnest skin in the body, it would unquestionably be the skin around the eyes.

The skin around the eyes is only about 0.5 mm thick, making it highly vulnerable to external irritation and also the area where signs of aging appear first.

The first cause of dark circles to look at is the excessive deposition of melanin pigment.

Rubbing the eyes habitually due to atopic dermatitis or rhinitis can cause minor inflammation in the thin skin around the eyes, which can then lead to pigmentation.

In addition, neglecting sun protection or applying excessive friction when removing makeup can also be contributing factors.

In such cases, the area under the eyes tends to have an overall brownish tone, and it is a feature that is difficult to improve with rest alone.

This is exactly why, when patients troubled by dark circles visit Owen Clinic near COEX, we carefully analyze each patient’s lifestyle habits.

Structural changes, and the effects of under-eye fat and hollowing

As skin elasticity declines with age, the orbital septum that supports the area under the eyes begins to weaken.

At this point, when the fat inside the septum shifts outward and bulges, a deep groove forms beneath it. This is called the tear trough.

These structural changes create shadows depending on the direction of the light, making the under-eye area appear darker.

When this structural issue is the main cause of dark circles, the key is not skin-surface pigmentation but correcting the imbalance in volume.

Especially from the late 30s onward, collagen regeneration slows significantly, so these three-dimensional changes may become more noticeable.

The combined effects of vascular issues and the living environment

For people whose skin is especially thin, the blood vessels under the eyes may show through and appear dark.

This is the third major cause of dark circles and generally corresponds to the vascular transparency type, in which venous blood becomes stagnant and appears bluish.

When overworked or under severe stress, or when nasal blood circulation is poor due to rhinitis, the blood flow under the eyes can stagnate and symptoms may worsen.

Vascular issues are not limited to the eye area alone and are closely related to overall physical condition, so a more comprehensive approach is needed.

Category	Pigmentation type	Structural protrusion/hollowing type	Vascular transparency type
Main cause	Excess melanin, friction	Fat protrusion, tear trough	Poor circulation, thin skin
Color characteristics	Brown or dark gray	Black due to shadow	Blue or red
Factors that worsen it	UV exposure, rubbing habit	Reduced elasticity, aging	Fatigue, rhinitis, lack of sleep

Why accurate analysis is necessary

Dark circles usually result from a combination of multiple factors rather than just one cause.

For example, pigmentation may be present while fat also bulges outward, or vascular show-through and a tear trough may appear together.

Trying to diagnose the cause of your dark circles on your own and applying the wrong care methods can sometimes make the symptoms worse.

For instance, if you mistake a shadow-related issue for a pigmentation problem and insist only on brightening care, it will be difficult to expect a noticeable change.

If you are considering treatment at a skin clinic near COEX to improve dark circles, it is important to have an in-depth conversation with medical staff who clearly understand the anatomical structure.

What matters more than flashy procedures is a precise understanding of your skin condition and a conservative approach.

Because the eye area is the part where changes occur the fastest, careful management is essential.

Many people leave it untreated because surgery feels burdensome, but there are now many refined approaches that can naturally restore volume or improve pigmentation without interfering with daily life.

We hope that those of you reading this will not simply blame your concerns on fatigue, but instead check your condition based on scientific and medical evidence.

We recommend setting the direction that is most suitable for you through a skin clinic near COEX or a nearby medical institution.

This has been Owen Clinic Samsung Branch.

Thank you.