What the dark circles under your eyes really mean and the devastating impact it could have on your health

A young woman was shocked to discover that the dark circles under her eyes were a sign that something was seriously wrong with her body.

Lauren Garkow, A 25-year-old medical student from Los Angeles was told by a dermatologist that her dark circles were a sign that she had allergies.

“He looked at me and was like, allergies run in the family,” she said online.

When the skin expert asked Lauren if she wanted to know how he knew her family had a history of allergic reactions, he pointed to the “allergic shine” under her eyes.

Also known as periorbital hyperpigmentation, the doctor explained that the dark circles are caused by blockage of the blood vessels that produce pigment.

Lauren, who attributed the discoloration to a poor night’s sleep, couldn’t believe there could be a medical cause for this common skin problem.

“You mean I’ve had dark circles my whole life and they could have been prevented,” she said.

She confirmed that allergies such as asthma, hay fever and eczema did indeed run in her family and was surprised to hear that there might be good news too.

Lauren was shocked to discover that her dark circles under her eyes were the result of allergies and not just poor sleep and exhaustion

“Depending on what type of allergy you have, we can get rid of it if we find out what it is,” she said, quoting the dermatologist.

Lauren told FEMAIL she was shocked to discover even more signs of allergies hiding on her face.

The skin folds under Dennis Morgan’s eyes and the allergy line running horizontally across her nose are also indicators of a compromised immune system.

Fiona Tuck, Australian beauty therapist and nutritionist, spoke to FEMAIL about dark circles under the eyes and explained that there are many reasons why they can occur.

Genetics, nutritional deficiencies, autoimmune diseases, celiac disease, dehydration, fatigue and food intolerances can all play a role in darkening under the eyes.

Fiona Tuck, an Australian nutritionist and beauty therapist, said dark circles under the eyes can usually be corrected if the right medical tests can identify the cause

“Allergies can often be a cause of dark circles. The dark circles almost look like bruises from nasal or sinus congestion,” Fiona said.

It is important to determine the cause of the dark circles. If the trigger is removed, the dark circles usually disappear or can be significantly reduced.

‘The best way to determine the trigger is to seek professional advice and ensure allergy testing is carried out by a qualified medical professional.’

The expert added that a healthy diet, adequate fluid intake and regular exercise are also effective in keeping the skin around the eyes looking healthy.

Thousands of people who suffer from chronic dark circles were surprised to discover that the cause may lie with their immune system, and not just exhaustion or poor sleep.

“This makes perfect sense,” someone said.

“Thanks for sharing the information, I’m going to get tested,” added another.

A doctor who specializes in allergies agreed that the problem could be solved.

“I’m an allergist here and the best part of my job is getting rid of those dark circles under my skin that don’t respond to concealer,” she said.

One person was surprised to learn that dark circles can indicate an allergy, but for a very different reason.

“Are you telling me that this is the reason that psychic knew I had asthma?” she said.