Why You Must Stop Rubbing Your Eyes — The Real Cause of Dark Circles (And How to Treat Them Effectively in Malaysia)

Rubbing your eyes feels so satisfying — that instant relief from itchiness or tiredness is totally relatable. But for the sake of your beauty, skin health, and eyesight, you need to stop doing it immediately.

What Happens When You Rub Your Eyes?

Repeated eye rubbing can lead to:

• Broken blood vessels underneath the thin under-eye skin

• Iron deposits (hemosiderin staining) that create stubborn panda-eye pigmentation

• Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation from chronic irritation, especially in allergy sufferers

• Skin thinning due to inflammation and UV damage

• Puffiness from disrupted lymphatic drainage

All of these contribute to one of the most common aesthetic concerns — dark circles.

DARK CIRCLES.

Hemosiderin staining can look like panda eyes (encompassing both upper and lower eyelids)

Underneath our eyes lies the blood vessels. When you rub your eyes, the blood vessels break. Iron pigment from blood then leaks and pools under the skin, creating dark shadowy colour under your eyes, also known as hemosiderin staining.

If you have allergy, disrupted lymphatic drainage systems can make your eyes look puffy and inflamed. Not only that, it may also cause your eyes to itch. The more you rub, the worse the inflammation. Chronic rubbing causes condition known as postinflammatory hyperpigmentation.

Besides, the skin underneath the eyes, sometimes known as “ tear trough” is thin and more sensitive than skin on other parts of our body. While aging is the most common cause of undereyes skin thinning, UV damage from sun exposure also destroys collagen, which contributes to the thinning of our skin. When the skin is thin, it allows the underlying features to be accentuated, including blood vessels and blood stasis from eyes rubbing.

In certain people, the cause for dark circles is true hyperpigmentation, be it genetic or acquired as in cases of sun exposure.

Shadowing is another cause of dark circles. As we age, we lose our periorbital fat pad and tear trough becomes deeper and sunken. Shadowing from poor lighting enhances the appearance of dark circles.

A simple case of shadowing which improved with appropriate filler placement

Other factors such as stress, excessive alcohol intake and smoking can also cause dark circles under your eyes.

SO, HOW DO YOU KNOW WHETHER YOUR DARK CIRCLES ARE DUE TO VASCULATURE OR HYPERPIGMENTATION?

Press on the dark area and then release.

If it becomes darker, it is vascular cause.

If it does not change, it is caused by pigment.

However, it can be combination of both factors in some people.

Vascular vs Pigmented Dark Circles — Which One Do You Have?

Press Test	Result	Your Dark Circle Type
Press the dark area gently and release	Becomes darker	Vascular (blood pooling/staining)
Press and release	No change	Pigmentation-based
Mixed reaction	Combination type

Understanding your root cause is crucial before choosing the right treatment.

Best Treatments to Remove Dark Circles

1. For Vascular / Thinning Skin Type

• PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) or Dermapen Microneedling — stimulates collagen production and thickens the skin

• Potenza RF Microneedling — a more advanced option combining radiofrequency with microneedling to tighten skin and improve blood circulation

• Deusaderm Under-Eye Filler — specially formulated collagen-stimulating filler to reduce hollowness, brighten the under-eye, and restore smooth contours

2. For Pigmentation-Based Dark Circles

• Laser Toning / PicoSure / Pigmentation Lasers

• Skin Booster Injections (e.g. Rejuran, Revok50, Exosomes)

• Brightening Skincare Ingredients such as:Niacinamide, Kojic Acid, Retinoids, Azelaic Acid, Hydroquinone, Vitamin C, Alpha Arbutin

3. For Sunken / Shadow-Type Dark Circles

• Dermal Fillers or Fat Transfer — instantly reduces hollow tear troughs and removes shadowing

Don’t Forget Lifestyle Factors

Even with the best treatments, results will be limited if you:

• Sleep late

• Smoke

• Take excessive alcohol or caffeine

• Have chronic allergies and keep rubbing your eyes

💡 Fix your routine, and the treatment works 10x better.

Final Takeaway

Dark circles are not all the same, and rubbing your eyes makes them exponentially worse. Whether it's vascular staining, pigmentation, or shadowing — there is a customised solution for each:

Cause	Best Treatment
Blood vessel rupture / thin skin	PRP, Potenza, Deusaderm
Pigmentation	Laser toning, Skin boosters, Brightening ingredients
Hollow tear troughs / shadows	Fillers or Fat Transfer

Want professional advice?

Visit RJ Clinic (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) for personalised dark circle assessment using doctor-led devices and medical-grade treatments.