Dark circles occur under eyes due to a combination of reasons. It is noticeable under the eye, as people get older. As we age and receive more sun damage to our facial skin, the thin skin under the eye can become thinner and wrinkled, which allows the veins in the fat pad under the eye to become more prominent. As the skin here is slightly darker than the rest of your face, any changes in health show up immediately in this delicate area. Some people think that they occur because they are either tired, or as a result of sun exposure. This is not typically the case. Sometimes the dark spots can be hormonal, but often they are just hereditary. Sometimes the dark spots are caused by the reflections or shadows cast by the bulges of fat that occur naturally in the lower eyelids as people get older. If the bulging of fat is the cause of the dark circles under the eyes, then cosmetic surgery to remove the fat bags is the only approach that is typically effective, other than concealer makeup. There are many contributing factors that make dark circles around the eyes more noticeable.

Age - The skin covering the eyelids thins out as we age and starts to loose its elasticity. With the skin being thinner the blood vessels underneath become more apparent. To assist in collagen formation and re-vitalizing your fragile skin around the eyes - please consider taking an extra vitamin C (ascorbic acid) supplement, after checking with your medical practitioner.

Heredity - Tendencies such as allergies or thinner eyelids pass on from generation to generation.

Allergies - Although allergies are often the blame for dark circles, anything that causes chronic nasal obstruction can be the culprit. You might not have a major medical reaction to an allergen, such as wheezing, couching, sneezing or a closed chest - you could simple have a slightly stuffy nose, or swollen eyes most of the times. Tests can be done to determine environmental or food allergies with a simple skin scratch test, a blood test or other alternative types of testing. If you have any of the tests done, and they come up positive for any item that you could avoid as far as possible, go the extra mile and try to cut the allergen out of your sphere of living - be that either environmental or food in origin. Vitamin C is effective in fighting allergies.

Fatigue, tiredness or lack of sleep - Plain tiredness will also add to the problem of bags under your eyes, and especially to those ugly dark circles under the eyes. Have a look at the amount of hours you sleep and also check on the amount of hours you work in front of your computer or watch television - both these actions place a tremendous strain on your eyes.

Smoking - You might not smoke yourself, but even secondary smoke can affect the way your eyes look. Most people will have a violent reaction to smoke, such as the eyes turning bloodshot or watery, while others will manifest their allergy as swollen eyes. Take vitamin C as smoking kills off large amount of this vitamin, every time you light up.

Ingesting excess salt or sodium - Try and cut down on eating raw salt as it could add to your problem with water retention.

Fluid retention - Fluid retention can be a major cause of swollen eyes. Vitamin C is a natural diuretic and an increase in this vitamin will not only assists in removing excess water from your body, but will also assist with collagen formation.

Other reasons of dark circles are menstruation, pregnancy, thyroid and over exposure to the sun.

Following are few treatments for dark circle that will help alleviate or conceal them.

Dip a cotton swab into freshly extracted mint juice, rosewater or cold milk. Lie   down with your feet raised higher than your head, and then place the wet   pads on your closed eyes. Stay that way for 10 minutes. Do this everyday and   you will start seeing results before long.

Gently massage saffron or almond oil on the dark area before going to bed.

Lie down and place a slice of cucumber or potato on each eyelid for about   fifteen minutes.

Follow a diet rich in iron, vitamins and proteins. Deficiencies immediately show   up as circles under the eyes.

You can also use a mixture of almond oil or cucumber juice with lemon juice to   lighten dark circles.

Drink lots of water and get plenty of rest.

Exercise for the eyes

1. Sit down and relax. Breathe normally, and look at a spot between your eyes, above the bridge of your nose. Keep looking at this spot for a count of five, and then relax the eyes. Next look at the tip of your nose, also to the count of five and relax. This exercise will ease the stress and tension and will relax your eyes.

2. Sit down and relax and look straight in front of you. Inhale and look right as far as possible, without turning your head. Slowly come to the original position and exhale. Repeat the same method for the left side. Do this exercise three times.

3. Sit up straight and look down. Slowly inhale and start rolling your eyes to the right and then to the top, in a circular movement. When your eyes have reached the top, looking towards your eyebrows, start exhaling while moving your eyes left and downwards in a circular movement. Repeat three times.