How To Lighten Dark Spots Around Eyes WITHOUT Surgery

Q: How can I lighten up dark spots around my eyes? - Towanda D.

A: Here are six things you can do -- without surgery -- to help keep your eyes looking youthful:

1. 1. Almond Oil - a little dab of almond oil can help facilitate some clearing up of dark circles.  Just a little dab twice a day can begin the process.
   2. Potatoes have natural bleaching properties that can help lighten dark circles. They can also help get rid of the puffiness around the eyes. Chill two potatoes in the refrigerator for one hour. Peel and grate the potatoes to extract the juice. Dip a cotton ball in the juice and apply it around your eyes before going bed. Leave it on overnight. In the morning, wash it off with warm water. Follow this remedy daily for a week or more to remove dark circles.
   3. Rose Water. Rose water is a gentle ingredient with fabulous skin-enhancing benefits that can lighten dark circles under the eyes. Being a rich source of antioxidants, rose water can help strengthen skin cells, regenerate skin tissue and rejuvenate the skin around the eyes. Dip clean cotton balls in rose water and place them over your eyes. Leave them on for about 15 minutes and then wash the area with lukewarm water. Do this once in the morning and once in the evening, every day for two weeks.

1. Don't smoke and always apply a sunscreen around the eye area. Smoking and exposure to UV rays both weaken collagen and cause premature wrinkling and sagging.
2. Get plenty of sleep nightly. It’s not entirely clear why inadequate sleep results in dark circles under the eyes, but lack of sleep tends to cause the skin to become more pale increasing the appearance of darkness under the eyes and reduces circulation. Before going to bed at night, remove all eye makeup. If you don't do so, as you age, the skin around your eyes can soak up the residue from makeup and cause other health issues.
3.  To calm puffy eyes, place cold spoons, slices of cucumbers, chilled tea bags, or even a package of frozen peas under your eyes. The cool temperatures -- rather than any special properties of cucumbers or peas -- reduce swelling. Hemorroid cream under your eyes might help get rid of puffy eyes, too.

Visit the BlackDoctor.org Eye and Vision center for more articles and tips.

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to 'Ask Dr. Renee'. Follow me on Twitter @AskDrRenee and on  my website.