Dark eyelids can be due to sun damage, eyelid hyperpigmentation, thin skin, medication side effects, increased blood vessels, and so on.
Black eyelids can be a cosmetic issue and may make a person look tired. In the majority of cases, there is no serious underlying cause.
However, if eyelid darkening is limited to just one eye, appears to worsen in a short duration, or is associated with pain, one should see a doctor immediately.
Table of Contents
What does it mean?
Dark eyelids refer to the darker appearance of the upper eyelids as compared to the rest of the face. Sometimes, they are also referred to as “black eyelids.”
The color of dark eyelids may be of various shades depending on the cause. Often, it is gray, brown, or darker when it occurs due to excess melanin pigment.
The eyelids may appear purple or blue if blood vessels are the underlying cause of eyelid discoloration.
Causes
There are several causes behind black eyelids, which can be external factors or internal factors. If you look under a microscope, you will notice that the eyelid skin is much thinner than the rest of the body.
Due to this, sometimes the normal structures of the skin can be seen through the eyelid skin, making it appear darker.
Injuries to the eyelid can lead to bruising, making the discolored eyelids appear purple. Similarly, several factors can lead to the formation of excess melanin pigment, resulting in dark or brown patches on the eyelids.
Below are the reasons why your eyelids may be dark:
1. Sun damage
UV rays and visible light are some of the well-known factors behind hyperpigmentation. They can trigger the formation of excess melanin pigment. Melanin is a pigment that gives color to our skin, and an excess of it can lead to dark spots on the eyelids.
In addition, UV rays can contribute to aging, which can make the areas around the eye appear darker.
2. Melasma
Blackness on the eyelids can be due to a skin condition called melasma. Melasma leads to symmetrical dark patches on the face, which often worsen with sun exposure.
It can affect any area of the face, including the eyelids and areas around them. It is thought to occur due to several factors. Hormonal changes (such as during pregnancy) and sun exposure are some of the important underlying causes.
3. Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation
Any inflammation of the eyelid area, such as atopic dermatitis or contact dermatitis, can leave behind areas of hyperpigmentation on the eyelids.
4. Structure or Anatomy
In some cases, the darkness of the eyelids is due to the shadowing effect and hollowness around the eyes. This can be a result of genetics, fat loss, or aging. Dehydration can also give a sunken appearance to the eyes, making the eyelids appear dark.
5. Thinning of skin
Thinning of the skin can make the blood vessels and other structures show through the skin, making the eyelids appear purple or bluish in color.
The skin can thin with aging or through the use of topical medications like steroids. Some chronic skin conditions can also affect the eyelid area, making the skin thinner.
6. Genetics
Genetics seem to play a part as well. If your family members have darker eyelids, there may be chances of you getting them as well. In addition, people with darker skin tones are more likely to have dark eyelids.
7. Medication side-effects
Certain medications like oral contraceptives or hormonal pills can make the eyelid appear darker. Prostaglandin analogs like Bimatoprost or latanoprost which are used to treat conditions like glaucoma can also lead to dark skin on the eyelids.
Latisse, the eyelash growth serum, can also cause eyelid darkening.
In addition, there are several other drugs that can cause hyperpigmentation (usually in sun-exposed areas such as the face) like antimalarials, heavy metals, tetracyclines, etc.
8. Increased number of blood vessels
An increase in blood vessels or dilated blood vessels can make the eyelid appear bluish or purple. Women may notice darker eyelids during pregnancy or menstruation due to changes in blood vessels.
9. Sleep deprivation
Lack of sleep can make your complexion appear pale, which can make the blood vessels more prominent. This can cause the eyelids to appear darker than the rest of the face.
10. Swelling around the eyes
Swelling around the eyes can lead to a shadowing effect, resulting in eyelid darkness. This can happen in some people after salty meals, due to allergies, or as a result of systemic diseases.
11. Make-up or skincare products
Dark eyelids may be the result of irritating makeup and skincare products. Fragrance and essential oils are often the common culprits.
Eye shadow or makeup contains several pigments, dyes, or other ingredients which may be a source of chronic irritation that can result in inflammation and eyelid hyperpigmentation.
12. Excessive rubbing
Rubbing the eyes aggressively (due to allergies) can damage the skin around the eyes, leading to inflammation and black eyelids.
13. Trauma
Trauma to the eye area can lead to bruising which can make the eyelid area look darker.
14. Dermal melanocytosis
Dermal melanocytosis is the presence of melanocytes in the dermis, that is the middle layer of the skin (normally melanocytes are present in the epidermis and hair follicles). These usually have slate-brown or gray-blue in color.
They can be congenital or acquired during life. Some examples include nevus of Ota, nevus of Hori, blue nevus, etc. These are commonly seen in Asians.
15. Tumors
Rarely, the dark or black spot on the eyelid may be the result of a tumor, such as a mole or a hemangioma (a tumor of blood vessels).
How to determine the cause
In some cases, dark eyelids may be caused by a combination of the above reasons, and it may be hard to determine the exact cause.
Eyelid darkness due to structural causes usually appears better in good lighting. To test this, lie down in a well-lit room with a mirror in your hand. Look in the mirror; your dark eyelids will appear better if they are due to structural causes.
Dark eyelids due to blood vessels may appear blue or purple, and if you slightly stretch the eyelids, they appear worse, and you can notice the prominent blood vessels.
Hyperpigmentation usually results in grayish-brown or brown spots on the eyelids, and their color does not change with better lighting or stretching of the eyelid.
Home remedies
There are several home remedies for dark eyelids that can help by improving swelling and inflammation around the eyes
1. Cool compress
A cool compress can give an immediate calming effect. It can help with any swelling around the eyes. You can use an ice bag, a chilled eye roller, or just a metal spoon.
2. Moisturize
As simple as it sounds, just moisturizing the skin around the eyes can make the skin smooth and supple and can boost the skin barrier.
3. Protect from the sun
Protect your eyelid area from the sun by using broad-spectrum sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat.
The eyelid skin is often sensitive so if you cannot tolerate a chemical sunscreen, use a physical sunscreen with zinc oxide and titanium oxide.
Sunscreen in stick form may be easier to use around the eyes and since they usually have a waxy and thick texture, they do not move around or get into your eyes. Alternatively, you can use a non-tinted lip sunscreen on your eyes.
4. Treat underlying inflammatory skin condition
If you have an inflammatory skin condition like eczema, it’s best to treat it to prevent any dark patches on your eyelids.
5. Treat your allergies
Treat your allergies with over-the-counter antihistamines or consult your doctor if you don’t get relief from them.
6. Elevate your head
Use a thick pillow to elevate your head at night if you often wake up with swollen and dark eyelids.
7. Reduce salt intake
Salty foods can lead to fluid retention and swollen eyelids. It’s best to decrease such foods.
8. Get adequate sleep
A good night’s sleep can do wonders for your skin, not to mention brighter eyes.
9. Tea bags
Caffeine in tea can reduce the swelling around the eyes by constricting the blood vessels.
Dip the tea bags in hot water to make your tea. Instead of discarding the tea bags, store them in your refrigerator to use them later.
10. Cucumber
Cool cucumber slices can reduce the swelling around the eyes. They are also rich in vitamin C and can brighten the skin.
11. Conceal
If you need an immediate solution, you can conceal the area with a brightening concealer. Make sure to pick concealer according to your skin tone. You can also dab a little highlighter on your eyelids to brighten them.
If you have any redness around your eyes, use a green-colored concealer to balance it.
Topical treatments
Home remedies may give some relief, however, they may not be enough for everyone.
There are several topical treatments that may help in improving the appearance of dark eyelids. However, they may not be beneficial if the look of darker eyelids is due to structural causes, such as the bony structure of the eye area.
Note: When using any eye serum or cream, make sure to not apply too much of a product on the upper eyelids, as that can seep into the eyes and cause irritation.
Below you can find topical treatments of dark eyelids depending on the underlying causes.
1. Vascular causes
If the eyelids are purple or blue in color, or look bruised, ingredients that target blood vessels or help to make the skin thicker may be helpful.
- Caffeine: It can reduce the appearance of enlarged vessels by constricting the blood vessels (although the effects are temporary).
- Vitamin K: It is an antioxidant, has anti-inflammatory properties, and can promote wound healing. It may help with dark eyelids due to leaky blood vessels.
- Vitamin C: Vitamin C can strengthen the blood vessels around the eyes and can also promote collagen production.
- Retinoids: Retinoids are Vitamin-A derivatives that can prevent collagen degradation and promote its formation. It can also increase the epidermal thickness. This can make the appearance of the blood vessels less noticeable.
Note: Retinoids are very strong and irritating topicals and the eyelid skin is very different from the rest of the face. So, make sure your eyelid skin is able to tolerate the formulation. In addition, choose a formulation specifically meant for the eye area. If in doubt, it’s always best to check with your dermatologist.
2. Hyperpigmentation
Blackness on the eyelids due to excess melanin pigment can be improved by several ingredients. These ingredients either decrease melanin formation or assist in the removal of skin cells with excess pigment.
- Niacinamide: Niacinamide can decrease hyperpigmentation by preventing the transfer of melanin pigment to the skin cells. You can easily find niacinamide in many moisturizers.
- Kojic acid: It can inhibit the enzyme tyrosinase which makes melanin pigment.
- Arbutin: It is derived from some plants like the bearberry. It naturally breaks down to hydroquinone, leading to its slow release which inhibits enzymes that make melanin pigment.
- Retinoids: Retinoids can decrease excess pigment by increasing cell turnover.
- Hydroquinone: Hydroquinone works by inhibiting the tyrosinase enzyme (which makes melanin pigment). However, use it under the guidance of a doctor to avoid irritating the eyelid skin.
- Other ingredients: There are several other ingredients that can be useful for hyperpigmentation like vitamin C, azelaic acid, licorice, soy extract, etc.
3. Due to medications
In the majority of cases, the dark eyelids improve in a few months after discontinuing the medication. However, one should seek medical advice before stopping any medication.
Your doctor may recommend an alternate medication.
4. Due to tumors or dermal melanocytosis like nevus of Ota
In such cases, one should see a doctor for evaluation. Depending on the cause, your doctor may recommend treatment. In some cases, a surgical procedure may be needed.
Procedures
If topical treatments fail to improve the discolored eyelids, or in some cases where a structural cause is behind the dark eyelids, your doctor may recommend procedures like:
- Lasers: The type of laser will depend on the cause; it can target blood vessels and pigment.
- Fillers: Fillers can be used to improve hollow areas.
- Surgical procedures like removal of excess skin or fat, blepharoplasty, or eyelift.
Prevention
- Be gentle: Avoid rubbing or tugging your eyelid skin. If you get a facial massage, be gentle with the area around the eyes.
- Protect from the sun: Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen that protects from both UVA and UVB rays. In direct sunlight, use wide-brimmed hats to limit exposure to the sun.
- Iron-oxides: Use a tinted sunscreen or makeup product with iron oxides. Iron oxides can protect the skin from the harmful effects of visible light which can worsen dark eyelids.
- Use sunglasses without metal frame: Sunglasses are an additional layer of protection from the sun. Make sure to choose glasses without any metal as metal gets heated up in hot weather and can transfer the heat to the skin which can worsen pigmentation.
- Skincare products: Use skincare and makeup products meant for sensitive skin (preferably free of fragrance and essential oils).
- Remove makeup: Always remove your eye makeup at the end of the day using an effective cleanser. If your makeup is long-wear or water-resistant, use an oil cleanser to remove it easily.
- Eat a healthy diet: A well-balanced diet rich in antioxidants can help you fight every day’s oxidative stress which plays a role in the aging of skin.
- Avoid smoking: Smoking makes your skin age faster. So, for brighter eyes and healthy skin, avoid it.
- Cut down on alcohol: Limit the use of alcohol to avoid dehydration and dark eyelids.
- Other lifestyle modifications: In addition, stay well-hydrated, get a good night’s sleep, decrease your stress, and avoid phone screens before sleeping.
Key points
Dark eyelids can occur due to various causes like aging, excess melanin pigment, thinning of the skin, or eyelid swelling. Dark circles may be limited to areas above the eyes, or one may have both dark eyelids and under-eye dark circles.
It is important to determine what is causing the black eyelids, as the treatment for each cause is different. If you are unsure, you should see a doctor who can help you understand the underlying cause of eyelid discoloration.
Eyelid blackness may improve with topical treatments; however, in some cases, one may require an in-office procedure to see a visible improvement. A good concealer can also be used to camouflage the appearance.
If dark eyelids affect your self-esteem or they don’t improve with over-the-counter medications, you should see a doctor.
Read more
- Dark circles under the eyes: Types, causes, and treatment
- What does the color under your eyes mean?
- Best eye creams for dark circles
References
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- Kapur R, Osmanovic S, Toyran S, Edward DP. Bimatoprost-induced periocular skin hyperpigmentation: histopathological study. Arch Ophthalmol. 2005 Nov;123(11):1541-6. doi: 10.1001/archopht.123.11.1541. PMID: 16286616.
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- Priluck JC, Fu S. Latisse-Induced Periocular Skin Hyperpigmentation. Arch Ophthalmol. 2010;128(6):792–793.
- Naevus of Ota, naevus of Ito and naevus of Hori. Ngan V. 2003.
- Lee S, Kim DH, Lee G, Whang KU, Lee JS, Park YL. An unusual case of congenital dermal melanocytosis. Ann Dermatol. 2010 Nov;22(4):460-2. doi: 10.5021/ad.2010.22.4.460. Epub 2010 Nov 5. PMID: 21165221; PMCID: PMC2991728.
Disclaimer: This blog post is for information purposes only and does not replace medical advice.