That’s me alright and I’ve lived with dark circles or Allergic Shiners under my eyes all my life because I have Allergic Rhinitis. Even when I get enough of shut eye, those darn dark circles on the undereye are still present, like permanent tattooed eye liner.
Allergic rhinitis, also known as hay fever, is where your nose gets irritated by something you’re allergic to, such as pollen, causing sneezing and other symptoms. For most people it’s easy to treat with medicines from a pharmacist. But I am not keen on taking drugs, so I let it be and deal with the symptoms whenever I get an attack. This is one of the reasons why I am OCD and clean the house floor a hundred times a day as I have a nasty allergy to dust and pet fur.
Common symptoms of allergic rhinitis are similar to a cold and include:
- sneezing
- an itchy nose
- a runny or blocked nose
- itchy, red and watery eyes
- a cough
- the roof of your mouth being itchy
This usually happens within minutes of coming into contact with something you’re allergic to.
Allergic rhinitis is caused by an allergic reaction.
Common allergies include:
- pollen from trees, grass and weeds (hay fever)
- house dust mites
- animals such as dogs and cats
- mould
- wood dust, flour dust and latex
- smoke
- perfumes
Allergic rhinitis can cause dark circles under the eyes due to a few reasons.
Firstly, allergic rhinitis is characterized by inflammation of the nasal passages and sinuses, which can cause fluid buildup and congestion. This can lead to puffiness and swelling around the eyes, making the blood vessels beneath the skin more visible and causing dark circles to appear.
Secondly, allergic rhinitis can cause the release of histamines, which are chemicals that the body produces in response to allergens. Histamines can cause the blood vessels around the eyes to dilate and become more visible, contributing to the appearance of dark circles.
Lastly, allergic rhinitis can cause disruptions in sleep, as symptoms like congestion, sneezing, and coughing can make it difficult to get a good night’s rest. Sleep deprivation can lead to paler skin, making the dark circles under the eyes more noticeable.
Overall, the combination of inflammation, histamine release, and disrupted sleep can all contribute to the development of dark circles under the eyes in people with allergic rhinitis.
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I too have dark circles under my eyes. I use eye cream before going to sleep. I guess fair skinned people will notice these dark circles more. Try to get enough beauty sleep.
Eye cream doesn’t work for me though 😛
Hi Shireen, ok now I see the comments, maybe the new interface or new look threw me off balance in navigating through the page. All’s good now, thanks.
Hi Alvin
Glad you found your way to the comments section.
Have a great long weekend 🙂
I have allergies too but usually in spring/ summer. When my eyes were red and swollen( even had to go see an eye surgeon as allergist thought I might have scratched my corneas…but it’s all good), it was advised to use an ice cube wrapped in a facecloth and apply to the eyes….I even did this at work and my colleagues asked why I was crying! The cold helps.
Another possible solution is to use a nasal rinse; it didn’t work on me but I know someone was able to come off allergy meds using this.
Thanks for the great tip, Chris! I often have itchy eyes (caused by Haru’s fur) and I hate rubbing them, coz my eyes and the surrounding delicate skin often become sore. I’ll try this tip the next time I have a flare up! 🙂