Field Notes · September 17, 2025 · 6 min · By Renata Oyola

The three kinds of dark circles, and why it matters

Pigment, vascular, and structural circles each need a different fix.

Close-up of an under-eye area in soft daylight showing subtle dark circles

Under-eye circles are not one problem, and treating them as one is why so many people waste money. There are three main types, often mixed.

Pigmented circles are true brown discoloration, common in deeper skin tones and often genetic. They respond to topical brighteners, gentle peels, and pigment-targeting lasers. Vascular circles are blue-purple, caused by thin skin showing the network of veins beneath; they respond to things that thicken or smooth the skin, and sometimes to careful filler. Structural circles are shadows, a hollow tear trough or puffy bag casting a dark line regardless of skin color; no cream fixes a shadow, but filler or surgery can.

The practical first step is a simple test in good light: stretch the skin gently. If the darkness fades, it is largely vascular or structural; if it stays, it is pigment. Most people have a blend, which is why a single product rarely solves it. An accurate diagnosis turns an endless cosmetics spend into a targeted plan.

Microneedling Under the Eyes: Evidence, Limits, and Who It Actually Helps

Microneedling has quietly become one of the most requested under-eye treatments. The evidence supports it for one circle type in particular. Here is how it works, what studies show, and where it stops.

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