Yes, tretinoin can be used to treat dark circles under the eyes. It has been found to effectively reduce darkness related to pigment and improve overall skin texture. However, it's important to consult a dermatology provider before starting tretinoin treatment for dark circles.
Tretinoin helps fade dark circles and reduces pigmentation in this area. This can lighten and brighten the under eyes. Thicker & Less Hollowed Look: Tretinoin can also make the skin under the eyes thicker, plumper and tighter.
The good news is that you can use tretinoin around your eyes, as long as you're careful. Avoid your upper eyelid entirely, and don't get too close to the lower lash line when you're rubbing it in — our dermatology team recommends leaving a gap of at least 5 mm between your treatment and your lower eyelid.
Retinol is proven to help with dark circles as well as wrinkles and other signs of aging. In fact, new Blue Pro-Retinol Eye Cream delivers a firmer eye contour within minutes1, as well as reducing dark circles2 and wrinkles3.
Here's a quick cheat sheet on which color-corrector shade to use: For redness: Neutralize red and pink tones with a green color corrector. For dark circles and dark spots: Use a peach color corrector if you have fair skin, or a deeper orange shade if you have medium to dark skin.
Laser therapy or chemical peels can be helpful to some people. Injectable fillers can smooth the hollows that cause shadows. Other options are platelet-rich plasma injections and surgery to reduce puffy lids.
Retinol is naturally derived from vitamin A, while tretinoin is a synthetic form. Tretinoin is significantly stronger than retinol. Tretinoin requires a prescription, while retinol compounds are typically over the counter. Typical skin shedding during early use of retinol is less pronounced than tretinoin.
The bottom line
Retin-A (tretinoin) is a topical medication that's effective for the treatment of acne, wrinkles, and skin damage from the sun. It starts working within the first few weeks of treatment for acne, but can take 3 to 6 months for wrinkles.
The skin on your lips is very delicate, so applying topical retinoids could be irritating. The skin concerns that tretinoin treats rarely affect the lips directly, and its collagen-boosting abilities won't smooth the appearance of wrinkles or crepey skin in the same way that specialised lip-plumping products do.
The next most important tip is to use a moisturizer with your application. There are many ways to do this — you can apply your moisturizer before tretinoin; after tretinoin; before AND after tretinoin (the “sandwich method”); or you can mix the tretinoin into your moisturizer.
Tretinoin, the active ingredient in both Retin-A and Renova, can cause a dryness, irritation, and chapping of the eyelid skin. It can also cause dryness and irritation of the eye if it migrates into the eye itself.
What Deficiency Causes Dark Eye Circles on Skin? Vitamin deficiencies that are associated with dark circles include vitamins E, D, K vitamin, A, and B12. In addition to that, iron deficiency is also a root cause of dark circles.
If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately: fever; weight gain; swelling of the arms, hands, feet, ankles, or lower legs; shortness of breath; labored breathing; wheezing; chest pain; or cough.
Over-the-counter products with retinol can help improve skin-cell turnover and thicken the skin, which might lighten dark circles temporarily, Dr. Friedmann said. Even better, Dr. Lee added, are prescription topical retinoids, which may work better than over-the-counter versions.
It may seem complicated but it's actually quite simple. “For lighter skin tones, a warm peach will cancel out the blueish purple in under-eye darkness, and a true orange/red will work best for darker complexions,” says celebrity makeup artist Nick Lennon who counts Charli XCX as a client.
Notify your doctor if you experience: blistering, crusting, severe burning/swelling of the skin, eye redness and watering (conjunctivitis), eyelid swelling, skin discoloration. A very serious allergic reaction to this drug is unlikely, but seek immediate medical attention if it occurs.
Apply retinol in a thin layer to your entire face (be careful not to get it in your mouth, nose and eyes). You should use a dose that's about the size of a pea. For the first couple weeks of treatment, apply retinol only every other day. Finish with a facial moisturizer that won't clog your pores (noncomedogenic).
A 2009 clinical trial tested a 10% vitamin C product for 6 months to treat dark circles under the eyes. The authors found that the treatment increased the thickness of the skin beneath the eye, reducing the visibility of dark circles. They suggest this could be because vitamin C stimulates collagen production.
Medical treatment options for dark circles under your eyes may include: Topical creams and bleaching agents. Topical creams, like vitamin C, and bleaching agents, such as hydroquinone, can help lighten the appearance of dark circles under your eyes. Chemical peels.
We found that Goodal Green Tangerine Vitamin C Dark Circle Eye Cream and Superegg Phyto Bounce Eye Contour Solution worked best for making dark circles look less prominent.