Causes and Treatments for Dry Skin Under Your Eyes

Understanding Dry Skin Under the Eyes

The skin around the eyes is thinner and more sensitive than elsewhere on the face. It also has fewer oil glands, making it prone to dryness. If you notice flaky, scaly patches, redness, or tightness under the eyes, you’re dealing with dry skin in this delicate area.

Dry undereye skin not only feels uncomfortable but also accentuates fine lines and wrinkles. Fortunately, with the proper skin care regimen you can hydrate this region to smooth and restore a more youthful appearance.

This guide covers common causes, complications, treatment dos and don’ts, and effective moisturizing products to banish dryness under and around the eyes.

What Causes Dry Skin Below the Eyes?

Dryness under the eyes forms for many reasons, including:

Aging

As you get older, skin cell turnover slows allowing dead cells to accumulate. This gives skin a dry, dull tone. The thin eye skin shows aging effects sooner than thicker facial areas.

Sun Exposure

UV radiation from the sun degrades collagen and elastin over time. This reduces structural support and moisture retention. Squinting in bright light also strains the delicate eye area skin leading to early wrinkling.

Winter Weather

Frigid temperatures, dry indoor heat, and cold winds deplete moisture from exposed facial skin. The undereye area lacks oil glands to supply protective lipids leaving it vulnerable to seasonal dryness.

Inadequate Hydration

Drinking insufficient water and fluids hinders skin cell turnover and nutrient delivery. Dehydration first manifests as dryness around the eyes since moisture levels decline here fastest compared to the cheeks, forehead and neck.

Harsh Skincare Products

Alcohol-based toners, fragrant cleansers, and exfoliating scrubs contain ingredients that can irritate and provoke inflammation. These strip moisture from the thin eye skin particularly with overuse, disrupting the protective moisture barrier.

Signs of Dry Undereye Skin

How can you identify dryness under the eyes? Key symptoms include:

Flaking and Peeling

When skin lacks sufficient moisture, dead cells accumulate faster on the surface. This manifests as white flakes and peeling skin, especially in the morning after sleep.

Redness and Irritation

Dry skin turns red and feels tight when stretched. Rubbing your eyes further inflames the area. Environmental allergens and fragrances provoke sensitivity too in parched skin.

Fine Lines and Wrinkles

Dryness under eyes robs elasticity from skin, allowing lines around the eye and crow’s feet to become more noticeable. Smiling and squinting exacerbate their visible depth.

Dull or Dark Tone

Hydrated skin appears plump and luminous. But dry undereye skin loses its glow and may look darker than surrounding areas on the face. Tiny shadowy veins also show through more without ample moisture.

Complications of Dry Skin Under Eyes

If dryness under the eyes is left unchecked, several problems potentially emerge:

Premature Aging Signs

Wrinkles, crepey texture, hollowness, and dark circles worsen visibly as the thin eye skin loses structural proteins and moisture reserves with recurring dryness.

Contact Dermatitis

When dry undereye skin gets rubbed excessively or contacted by irritants, red itchy patches, bumps, and peeling can result. Allergic reactions may trigger swelling and fluid accumulation as well.

Bacterial Overgrowth

Cracked dry skin serves as a portal of entry for infection-causing bacteria like Staph. Redness spreading beyond the eyes signals possible skin infection requiring antibiotic treatment.

Scarring

Repeated damage to eye area skin can prompt collagen overproduction during healing. This leads to irregular texture changes with raised firm scars. Proper hydration reduces friction and injury risk.

Caring for Dry Skin Under the Eyes

Relieving dryness under the eyes requires diligent skincare to hydrate, nourish, and protect this delicate facial area. Key tips include:

Cleanse and Moisturize Gently

Use a mild, soap-free cleanser only once or twice daily to avoid overdrying. Apply a rich eye cream afterward containing hydrating ceramides, oils, antioxidants and emollients that absorb well without feeling greasy.

Exfoliate Softly

Remove flaky skin cells no more than 2-3 times weekly using a cotton pad soaked in gentle chemical exfoliant. Avoid abrasive scrubs around the eyes which induce micro-injuries.

Apply Sun Protection Daily

Protect thin eye skin from photodamage by wearing broad spectrum sunscreen rated SPF 30 or higher everywhere on the face. Reapply at least every two hours when spending time outdoors.

Eat More Healthy Fats

Ingest more omega-3s from oily fish, avocados, olive oil and nuts to hydrate skin internally. Stay hydrated drinking water throughout the day as well.

Manage Allergies

Allergic reactions can worsen facial dryness and irritation overall. Identify and avoid environmental or food triggers using oral antihistamines to calm allergic flare-ups.

Treat Undereye Medical Conditions

See your dermatologist for diagnosed skin disorders provoking inflammation and dryness around the eyes, like eczema, infection, or psoriasis. Appropriate medical therapies reduce recurrent symptoms.

Consider Hydrating Procedures

In-office treatments like microneedling, skin-boosting lasers, peels, cryotherapy, and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy incentivize moisture production restoring a healthier skin glow.

What Not to Do for Dry Undereyes

When tending to dry skin under eyes, it’s equally important to avoid these detrimental practices:

Rubbing Eyes Excessively

Rubbing the eyes feels instinctive but intensifies irritation by disturbing fragile skin cells attempting to regenerate. This widens fine lines over time too.

Using Retinoids or Exfoliants Too Often

Products with retinoids, alpha- and beta-hydroxy acids effectively promote skin turnover but dry out the eye region with overuse. Limit application to twice weekly at most.

Picking at Flaky Skin

Peeling or scratching loose dry patches creates openings for infection and permanent surface damage. Let moisturizers gently dissolve dead skin naturally instead.

Applying Thick Night Creams

While hydrating, rich overnight formulas are too heavy for delicate eye tissue leading to puffiness and milia bumps. Seek lighter anti-aging options from the neck up.

Ignoring Makeup Removal

Allowing cosmetics to pool under eyes worsens dryness and irritation overnight. Always remove eye makeup gently with a separate dedicated remover before bedtime.

Best Moisturizers for Dry Undereyes

Which eye creams work best to combat dryness based on dermatologist recommendations?

CeraVe Eye Repair Cream

Packed with skin-replenishing ceramides along with hyaluronic acid to provide intense, long-lasting hydration suitable for sensitive skin.

La Roche-Posay Hydraphase Intense Eye

An oil-free gel-cream delivering turbo-charged hydration powered by glycerin and vitamin E to rejuvenate the delicate eye contour.

RoC Retinol Correxion Sensitive Eye Cream

A unique formula blending pure RoC Retinol with mineral-rich spring water to hydrate, firm and smooth aging under eyes.

First Aid Beauty Eye Duty Niacinamide Brightening Cream

Niacinamide restores moisture while powerful peptides, antioxidants and plant extracts rewind visible aging around the eyes.

Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Eye Cream

Combines hydrating hyaluronic acid, glucose complex and accelerated retinol SA to fade crow’s feet, under eye wrinkles and dark circles fast.

The Bottom Line

Dry skin prone to flaking, redness and wrinkling commonly develops under the eyes given fewer oil glands in this delicate facial zone. However, implementing a proper skincare regimen focused on hydration, nourishment and protection can remedy dry undereyes and maintain a more youthful refreshed eye appearance overall.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.