I am 21 years. I have a fair complexion but I have dark cicles which look very bad on my face. Please suggest an easy home remedy or any cream name without any side effects.
Hafsa Shah

Dear Hafsa,
Dark circles are one of the commonest cosmetic complaints today faced by people of all ages. There are number of contributing factors: the commonest being heredity. Check your hemoglobin levels if they are low, see if you are stressed, been having too many late nights and if your profession demands you to spend long hours in front of the computers, if you have spectacles which you are not wearing also contribute towards it.

So also does your lifestyle. Your diet, your habits, your addictions all affect and aggravate it. People with bony skeleton have deep set eyes which make them look darker because of overshadowing. Too much and too sudden weight loss can lead to darkening of this area.

To reduce dark circles ideally one has to isolate the cause and treat it accordingly. A number of creams are available in the market which can lighten the dark circles. They include lightening agents like vitamin C, kojic acid, arbutin, azelic acid. You can treat your skin while you sleep by overnight applications of these agents.

Amongst the homemade treatments one should try natural eye refreshers like a chilled slice of cucumber kept for around 10 to 15 minutes or a raw potato slice cooled in a refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes does help when done on regular basis. One can t ry applying a mixture of 1 tablespoon yoghurt with honey and turmeric for 10 to 15 minutes. One should try using cold tea bags to reduce the swelling and discoloration. The caffeine in the tea bags improves the circulation. Drink plenty of water to flush out toxins.