Usually most of the adults have dark circles under their eyes. Changing life styles made children also susceptible to dark circles. This may change the appearance of the kid, Isn’t it? Then, its time to pay attention to dark circle.
It is the discoloration of the skin beneath the eyes. Dark circles around your kid’s beautiful eyes may seem unpleasant. Sometimes these dark circles indicates that something not right with your child.
This article pays attention to the topics focusing your concerns for the dark circles in your kid. It presents the causes for dark circles in child. This articles discusses the 15 best home remedies to prevent dark circles under eyes in children.
What Do Dark Circles Under The Eyes Mean In a Child?
The skin beneath the skin may appear darkened. Usually, dark circles are not a sign of medical conditions. If the dark circles are permanent, then it indicates that the skin around the skin is thin. This thin skin can cause blood vessels to appear resulting in the discoloration of the skin.
If your child has dark circles under eyes for few days, then this may indicate that your child has abnormal conditions like- swelling near the eyes or fluid membranes around the eye
What Causes Dark Circles Under The Eye In Child?
Here are the few causes of dark circles in childhood.
1. Genetic problems:
If the parents have dark circles under their eyes. Thinner skin around the eye results in discoloration. This condition may be transferred to the kids genetically.
2. Chronic Sinus Infections:
When the nasal passages are blocked and congested due to the extreme cold or sinus infections, It creates pressure in the nose. This pressure do not allow the the blood supplies from the superficial parts of the face from draining back to the heart. This blood forms pools in the veins and capillaries under the eyes, causing dark appearance.
3. Iron Deficiency:
Lack of iron in the food breaks down the hemoglobin, resulting in the thin skin below the eyes.
4. Stress:
These situations direct more blood to the main organs leaving the face making it appear drained and dark circles more noticeable.
The other reasons that leads to dark circles in children are:
- Uneven pigmentation
- Eczema
- Fatigue
- Excessive exposure to the sun
- Food allergies
- Reaction to rubber/elastic
- Allergies caused by detergents, dyes, cosmetics
- Allergies caused by metallic substances like metal, copper, or wire
- Lack of water
Some of the infections include conjunctivitis, Rhinitis, throat infection
Symptoms of Dark Circles Around Eyes:
The most common symptom of dark circles is the discoloration of the pigments underneath the eyes.
Dark circles may be accompanied by the symptoms affecting the eyes, throat, and sinus. Some of the symptoms are:
- Conjunctivitis
- Coughing
- Difficulty breathing
- Flu or allergies
- Sore throat
- Head ache
Other symptoms that may occur along with the dark circles include:
- Diarrhea
- Nausea
Symptoms that Need Medical care:
In some cases dark circles in children might indicate serious health condition and requires immediate medical attention. They include:
- Blurry Vision
- Prolonged cough
- Coughing out yellow, light brown or green mucus.
- White spots on the throat or tonsils
- Stuffy nose with facial swelling
- In rare situations, dark eyes may be the sign for the cancer known neuroblastoma.
- Sympathetic nerves are affected by this tumour.
Diagnosis & Treatment of Dark Circles:
Diagnosis of dark circles involves blood tests, sleep studies and urine tests. If the dark circles are left untreated for long time it may lead to the following complications:
- Infection may spread
- Chances for loss of vision and hearing
- Developmental delays
Dark circles Treatment:
1. Allergic conditions that lead to dark circles like runny nose, head ache, throat infection, cough, rashes are treated through antihistamines.
2. Severe allergic conditions are treated by using immunotherapy.
Home Remedies For Dark Circles Under The Eyes In Child:
Here are the few ways to get rid of dark circles under child’s eyes by using the home remedies:
1. Warm Tea Bags:
Tea bags enhance the appearance of the eyes by reducing black circles.
How To Use:
1. Dip tea bags in hot water and squeeze excess amount of water from them.
2. Allow the bags to cool down and place them over the eyes when they are warm.
3. You can also refrigerate the bags for 10 to 20 minutes before placing on the eye.
4. While using cool bags, you can cover it with the slice of cucumber for added relief.
The popular herbal teas to treat eye infections are:
- Chamomile
- Lavender
- Fennel
- Fenugreek
2. Almond Oil:
Anti inflammatory and anti oxidant properties in the olive oil helps in lightening the dark circles under the eyes.
How To Use:
Take a few drops of lukewarm almond oil and massage it gently around your kid’s eye and leave it overnight.
3. Salt Water:
Spray the salt water in your kid’s nose to flush out the blockage caused by the sinus. This helps in reducing the black circles by facilitating the routine blood flow from facial parts back to the heart.
Note: Use this remedy only with your doctor’s advise.
4. Cucumber:
It reduces the darkness by lowering the fluid accumulation.
How To Use:
Place the slices on the eye or you can extract the juice out of the cucumber. Massage gently around your kids eyes. Leave it for 15 minutes and rinse with water. Do this thrice a week for effective results.
5. Tomato:
Tomatoes are rich in antioxidant known as Lycopene, This antioxidant reduces inflammation and prevents blood clotting.
How To Use:
Mix the tomato juice with few drops of lemon juice and gently massage it beneath your kids’ eyes and leave it for about 20 minutes. Wash it off with water.
Note: Make sure that the the lemon juice should not go into your kids’ eyes while massaging. which may cause pain and irritation
6. Turmeric:
Turmeric is effective in removing the dark circles because of its anti inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
How To Use:
Mix pinch of turmeric with rose water and add few drops of honey and lemon to it.
Apply this paste under your kid’s eyes and leave it for 10 minutes and was it with water.
7. Raw Potato:
Extracted potato juice, being rich in starch will help in reducing the black circles.
How To Use:
1. Massage the extracted potato juice over the affected areas and leave it for 15 minutes before washing.
8. Rose Water:
Rose water will help in lightening and soothing the skin. It’s mild scent feature gives a feeling of refreshment.
How to Use:
Dip the cotton balls in rose water and place it over your kid’s eyes
Leave it for 5 to 10 minutes.
9. Honey:
Natural bleaching agents present in the honey help in removing the black circles.
How To Use:
1. Take few drops of honey and massage it gently on the dark circles.
2. Wash it with lukewarm after leaving it for 15 minutes.
10. Steam/Saline Water:
If your child has the symptoms of sinus then steam is a good idea to treat the black circles. The warmness offered by steam will help in improving the blood circulation by clearing the blockage.
11. Saffron:
The high antioxidant and anti inflammatory properties of saffron will help in treating the black circles.
How To Use:
1.Add pinch of saffron to the tablespoon of milk and blend them well.
2. Gently massage it over the affected area and leave for 15 minutes before washing.
12. Orange Juice:
Orange juice is loaded with vitamin A and Vitamin C, which makes it more effective in treating the black circles.
How To Use:
1. Extract few drops of juice from the orange pieces and dip the cotton balls in juice.
2. Rub the affected areas under the eyes with cotton swabs.
3. Make sure to avoid drops of orange juice entering the eye.
13. Dark Chocolate:
Chocolate, which is always the kids’ favourite food helps in reducing the black circles.
How To Use:
Take a teaspoon of cocoa and mix it with coconut oil.
Apply this paste over the affected areas under the eyes and wash it after 15 minutes.
14. Figs:
Figs are rich in many enriching vitamins, antioxidants and minerals making it effective in dealing with dark circles.
How To Use:
Make a thick paste out of figs and water.
Apply this paste on the affected area under the eyes and rinse it with water after 15 minutes.
15. Cold Milk:
Milk contains lactic acids, alpha hydroxy acid. It helps in cleansing the pores and restoring the skin.
How To Use:
Dip cotton balls in milk and place it on the black circles below the eyes and leave it for about 10-15 minutes.
Always try applying these extracts on the hands to check for any allergic conditions before applying on the face.
Medical Treatments:
If the home remedies do not work well to deal with the black circles under your child’s eye. Go for the medical treatments consulting your doctor or dermatologist.
Dark circles treatments include:
- Using topical creams and lotions
- Chemical peels
- Lasers, fillers and surgery, usually not recommended for the children and can be advisable once they grow up.
Tips To Avoid Black Circles in Your Kid:
Here are the few tips to avoid black circles in children:
1. Place two to three pillows under your kid’s head which helps in flushing out the fluids that cause puffiness and darkening under the eyes.
2. Gently massaging your kid’s eye ball will help in the temporary relief of stress.
3. Give your child iron rich foods like spinach, eggs, meat, fish, cereals to increase iron levels which helps in preventing black circles.
4. Focus on hydrating your child in both winter and summer.
5. Keep your child away from the allergens like dust or pollen.
6. Apply kids friendly sunscreen lotions to your kid.
7. Ensure that your child has enough sleep each day
8. Reduce your kid’s screen time.
Appearance matters a lot in building self esteem and confidence. Do not let black circles to destruct their cute appearance. Help your kid to get of black circles by following home remedies and proper life style management.
