Curse of the black bags! Winter ages a woman's eyes by nearly FIVE YEARS as vitamin D and happy hormone levels drop
Winter ages a woman's eyes by four years and eight months, a team of beauty scientists have claimed.
The anti-ageing experts studied the eyes of 5,000 women throughout the seasons for a clinical study.
They found bags under the eyes were significantly darker during the colder months.
The eyes have it: A 38-year-old woman's eyes pictured in the winter with far more prominent dark circles (left) compared to the summer (right)
The team from Adonia Organics concluded the process is caused by a lack of sunlight which brings paler skin and emphasises the bags.
This is made worse by a higher level of fatigue in the winter due to a lower level of Vitamin D, generated by the body in sunlight, and subsequently less serotonin, which is the body's 'feel good chemical'.
SIX WAYS TO REDUCE BAGS UNDER THE EYES
There is no way of curing dark circles, but a few things can help reduce them…
- Take a power nap - even if it is just for 15 minutes it can trick your body into thinking you have slept for much longer
- Use a cooling compress (or some wet cotton wool) to help temporarily shrink the blood vessels, reducing puffiness
- Eye creams that contain vitamin K and retinol can also help
- Some dermatologists recommend a hydroquinone solution often mixed in an oil free moisturizer that acts like a skin bleach - slices of raw potato can also serve the same purpose
- Eat less salt, as it encourages fluid retention and may lead to puffy eyes.
- If all else fails, make-up can also be used to change the coloration of skin
Anti-ageing expert Dr Mark Binette said: 'More science is coming out linking the lack of Vitamin D and K as one of the causes that plagues us with dark circles and puffy eyes; especially as it relates to fatigue and immune related issues.
'Once you have them, it is usually difficult to reverse them.
'Our research has shown that women are worried about the ageing effect of dark circles more so than wrinkles which are easier to tackle and overcome.
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'Lacking in Vitamins D and K has a considerable negative effect on the appearance of dark circles and puffy eyes and can age a woman by 4.7 years putting over ten per cent on a woman's age of 40.'
Dark circles are one of the most common skin problems, and are often caused by tiny capillaries that leak blood beneath the surface of the skin.
As this blood starts to oxidize, it turns a dark blue colour similar to a bruise.
The thin skin under the eyes allows fluid to build up and dark circles and puffy eyes to appear.
This becomes more obvious in winter as skin becomes more transparent due to lack of sun and tanning.
In the summer dark circles are easier to hide as people suffer less from fatigue and the skin is lightly tanned.
Dark circles? Low levels of vitamin D and K may be to blame
Additionally, during the summer, we experience higher serotonin levels, which raises our mood, when the skin is exposed to sunlight.
When sunlight is in short supply, our serotonin levels fall and we don't have so much energy.
The study, carried out during clinical trials at AMA Laboratories in New York, found 82 per cent suffered from dark circles and puffy eyes in the winter as opposed to just 38 per cent in the summer.
The study was carried out among women aged 27 and 60 and the results were consistent across the board.
Researchers found women regain their youthful good looks in the summer once the cold, dark nights have eased.
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