This story has been updated since its initial publish date with more expert insight.
Dark circles can be caused by a variety of factors, from natural aging to hereditary reasons to a diet lacking essential nutrients. As it turns out, there are certain foods and beverages that can worsen the appearance of eye bags. If you have dark circles or bags that feel noticeable and you’re wondering if you’re drinking anything that might be making them worse, we can help you get to the bottom of it.
To learn more about the worst beverages that can lead to and worsen these beauty issues, we spoke with experts Dr. Kemunto Mokaya, M.D. and Monika Wasserman, M.D. They told us you might want to consume less alcohol for the sake of your dark circles.
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How Consuming Alcohol Often Can Lead To Dark Eye Circles
Drinks with high amounts of alcohol can damage your body in numerous ways if consumed excessively, and your under-eye skin is no exception.
"Alcohol causes blood vessels to dilate," Mokaya explains. "When the veins around the eye area dilate, they are more prominent, and they amplify the darkness of the skin around the eyes," she adds.
Wasserman says alcohol can also dehydrate you, which can definitely worsen the issue. "The diuretic effects of alcohol can cause body dehydration resulting in soft, flabby skin with prominent dark bags," she explains.
Mokaya adds that due to alcohol interfering with sleep (hangovers, daytime sleepiness, etc.), it can "reduce the quality of your sleep" and "exacerbate the appearance of dark eye circles."
Wasserman concurs: "Drinking can interfere with quality REM and restorative sleep," she says. "This induces fatigue in the body characterized by extra projecting dark bags or circles under the eye." Yikes!
Ultimately, the darkness of your under-eyes won't be fixed by consuming alcoholic beverages, and could even be worsened by them. For people over 50, the skin under your eyes is very delicate and in need of vital nutrients like Vitamin K or Vitamin C.
Tips For Reducing The Appearance Of Dark Circles
Dark under-eye circles can certainly be a pain to deal with. So, in addition to limiting your alcohol intake, what else can you do to reduce their appearance? Mokaya has some helpful tips to share, starting off with essential advice for most skin-related issues: drink more water.
"To prevent dark eye circles from nutritional causes, ensure your diet is rich in protein, iron, vitamin B12, folic acid and omega-3 fatty acids," she advises. She stresses "ensuring you also get adequate sleep" and to always "avoid harmful practices like smoking and tanning bed use." (Got it!)
