No. This comes as a surprise to many of my patients: movies, TV shows and spa commercials have made them think that a woman in a Turkish robe reclining with cucumbers over her eyes is the epitome of total relaxation and rejuvenation. But in reality, cucumbers won’t do anything for dark circles. The soothing cool of the cucumber feels nice on the eyelids, but dark circles are a structural issue that a slice of fruit simply can’t solve.
Dark under-eye circles can be caused by a number of conditions, including thin lower eyelid skin and not having enough fat between the skin and underlying muscle (the orbicularis oculi). The deepest part of the dark circle is where this lower eyelid muscle attaches to the bones of the face. The only permanent solution for this problem is to add volume to the under eye area. The best approach is to use hyaluronic acid fillers such as Restylane, which can be adjusted to create the perfect taut under-eye area.
Fat grafting is another method that is often used to treat this problem. Unfortunately, fat grafting requires a surgery. The surgery may be accompanied by a number of unpleasant side effects, including profound bruising, persistent swelling, and the development of bumps and lumps that sometimes require additional surgery to address.
Ending a long day by putting slices of cucumbers under your eyes may help you relax, but it won’t make a dent in your dark circles. If you’re truly interested in permanently lightening or erasing dark circles, consult a cosmetic surgeon who specializes in eyelid surgery.
About Dr. Steinsapir
Dr. Steinsapir is on active staff at the UCLA Hospital and Medical Center at the David Geffen School of Medicine as an associate clinical professor of Ophthalmology in the Division of Orbital and Ophthalmic Plastic Surgery. UCLA is consistently rated the best hospital in the West and ranked at the top with a handful of medical centers in the United States. Many surgeries are performed on an outpatient basis at the Surgery Center at the UCLA Medical Center. Dr.Steinsapir addresses a broad array of oculofacial reconstructive concerns. Contact us today to schedule a personal consultation with Dr. Steinsapir.