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"No matter how much sleep I get, I always have these ugly, dark, baggy eyes. Yuck, what to do?"

The opinions expressed herein are the author's alone and have not been influenced by WebMD.

Dark rings around the eyes are a familiar problem. Did you know that the eyelid skin is the thinnest skin found anywhere in the body? Consequently, the eyelid skin is relatively transparent. The darkness relates to circulating blood in the soft tissues beneath the skin. Some people believe it is actually pigment (melanin); however, there has never been any proof for this claim. Chronic irritation, illness, fatigue, and many other conditions can accentuate these rings. Conversely, adequate rest, good nutrition, and overall good health tend to make the circles less noticeable.

There are some dangerous medical problems in a few unfortunate people who have dark rings under their eyes. Your doctor knows about these worrisome conditions and will be able to confirm or exclude them from consideration.

It may be time to see someone at the cosmetic counter for some hypoallergenic occlusive makeup. This can be applied very sparingly and will boost your appearance and elevate your attitude quickly.

I hope this information will motivate you to take action and get relief.

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