Las baggy eyes They are an alteration of the coloration of the skin that is located just below the eyes. Its appearance is due to an excessive production of melanin (a substance that gives color to the skin, the iris of the eye…) and due to the dilation of the blood vessels in this area.
They can be bluish, grayish, and even purple in color. And, although it is an eminently aesthetic problem, dark circles can also be symptom of a health problem.
It could be, therefore, a signal that indicates that something is not working correctly in our body.
Dark circles due to lack of sleep and fatigue
The most common thing is that dark circles are telling us that we are not having a restful sleep. The Spanish Sleep Society explains that an adult should sleep between 7 and 9 hours a day. Children and adolescents, on the other hand, from 9 and a half to 11 and a half hours.
More than 12 million Spaniards sleep poorly, and 45% of the population will suffer, at some point in their lives, a serious sleep disorder:
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chronic insomnia
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just from sleep
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Restless legs syndrome.
However, these are not the only causes of dark circles, as explained by the Spanish Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (AEDV).
Dermatologists emphasize that “there are people who have a correct day of rest and do not get rid of this unsightly presence.”
And they warn that the skin of dark circles is five times thinner than that of the rest of the body, making it more sensitive. Hence, it is very important to exercise extreme caution when we decide to use products indicated for dark circles.
Anemia, the first disease that can be discovered by dark circles
In the case of anemia, the eyes, or rather what surrounds them, are also the mirror in which this disease is reflected, which also produces dark circles.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), “a healthy diet helps protect us from malnutrition in all its forms, as well as non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke and cancer.”
Therefore, it is essential to eat a varied and balanced diet to avoid the appearance of pathologies that can compromise our state of health.
Because if we don’t, one of the problems that can arise from a deficient diet is anemiawhich is nothing more than a low number of red blood cells, or red blood cells, in the blood.
And the red blood cells fulfill an essential function: transport of oxygen in the blood and its release in the different tissues.
Therefore, when not diagnosed and treated early, anemia can become serious and life-threatening.
How do you explain the Spanish Society of Internal Medicine (SEMI),
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“The cause of the vast majority of iron deficiency anemias (iron deficiency anemias) is the loss of red blood cells (hemorrhages).”
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“And these bleedings occur above all in the digestive system, due to ulcers, polyps, etc.”
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“Y in women during their fertile life due to gynecological losseslike menstruation.
There are also other types of anemia:
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Consequences of other diseases: kidney, heart failure…
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For lack of vitamina B12. This nutrient is present in foods of plant origin. In the case of people who follow a vegetarian diet, it is the only supplement they should take.
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Folic acid. Folic acid deficiency anemia is more common among pregnant women, people who consume alcohol in excess or by prescription of certain medications.
SEMI explains that “today most anemias have a good solution. Although it may be more difficult to correct if there is a failure in the production of blood by the bone marrow, either because it is insufficient, it has filled with fibrous tissue or is invaded by tumor cells. But even so, current medicine offers remedies to improve the situation.
Liquid retention also produces dark circles
Another reason for the appearance of dark circles is the fluid retention. It is a problem that affects many people and does not understand gender. But the reality is that women are more prone than men to swelling that is a consequence of fluid accumulation in the body.
- hydrate properly. It is important to strictly follow this important health rule: you must drink two liters of water a day to maintain proper hydration. It is not a good idea to think that to end fluid retention you must reduce your water intake, because it is not. Moreover, hydration helps the body to expel toxins through urine.
- Reduce salt intake. Many foods have a natural concentration of sodium, so avoid adding salt to food. The explanation is very simple: the more salt consumed, the more water is retained in our body.
- moderate physical activity. It should be done between 3 and 4 times a week and with an estimated duration of 45 to 60 minutes, minimum. Sport is key to combat constipation, which helps to eliminate fluids.
- Opt for diuretic foods. For example, oats, blueberries, asparagus or artichoke.
Although the causes are very diverse, it may be due to the hormonal changes that occur at different stages of life: pregnancy, adolescence or during menstruation. Also due to genetic inheritance or lifestyle (sedentary lifestyle, little fiber consumption…).
Dark circles and kidney failure
As explained by the Spanish Society of Internal Medicine, kidney failure “is the slow loss of function of the kidneys over time: and being damaged, they cannot eliminate waste or excess water from the body.”
Diabetes and high blood pressure can cause kidney failure, a disease that has no cure, but for which “we have treatments that help to live with quality for a long time, including dialysis and kidney transplantation.”
Other symptoms of kidney failure are:
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loss of appetite
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Fatigue.
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skin dryness
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Weightloss.
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Drowsiness.
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Muscle cramps.
Hypothyroidism also produces dark circles
The thyroid is a gland found in the front of the neck that regulates metabolism through the production of thyroid hormone. Internal medicine experts point out that the hypothyroidism “It occurs when the thyroid gland produces less hormone than is necessary for the proper functioning of the body.”
It is a disease mainly female and occurs especially after giving birth. It is a pathology that, although it has no cure, is treated very easily with a medication that contains synthetic thyroid hormone.
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“Your symptoms can sometimes be confused with those of other diseases such as depression, anxiety, etc. and they are generally easily treatable diseases”.
Therefore, the first thing to do in case of doubt is to see a doctor to request tests that confirm or rule out the diagnosis of hypothyroidism.