Dark Circles
Old Think: Concealer was your best bet for years. Under-eye creams that contained vitamin K showed promise by constricting dilated blood vessels (which cause the shadowing effect), but the vitamin was found to be unstable and tough to deliver topically.
New Think: At home: The first line of defense is to re-plump the skin around the eyes. As we age, we lose the fat under the eyes, which makes dilated blood vessels look more prominent. Retinol and other peptides thicken the skin. Brandt adds that creams with caffeine can help temporarily shrink dilated blood vessels. Try Dr. Brandt Skincare r3p Eye, $80, or Lancôme High Résolution Collaser-5X Eye Serum, $59. Another bright idea: More stable forms of vitamin K are being paired with new delivery systems to help it penetrate better. Try Auriderm Illume Eye Creme, $50. At the doctor’s office: Once again, it’s fillers to the rescue. HAs such as Perlane and Restylane fill in the hollow under the eye. The blood vessels can also be sealed with lasers such as the Vbeam. Finally, Thermage recently introduced a handheld device to tone, tighten, and stimulate collagen around the eyes, which will plump the area.
Future Think: Bank suspects we’ll see one machine that would do the work of lasers and radio frequency — zapping blood vessels, tightening skin, and stimulating collagen — in a single treatment.
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