A new article published in Dermatologic Therapy discussed that periorbital hyperpigmentation (POH) is a common dermatological condition that presents as dark periorbital area beneath the lower eyelids, and it is commonly found in females belonging to the age group of 16-45 years.

This review presented data from studies conducted on patients with a clinical/histological diagnosis of POH or melasma. Many diverse topical depigmenting agents comprising an array of naturally obtained actives such as arabinoxylans, α-arbutin, asiaticoside, azelaic acid, beta-carotene, boswellic acid, caffeine, chrysin, curcumin, cyanidin-3-glucoside, d-glucoronic acid, dihydrochalcone, dipalmitoyl-hydroxyprolene, fucoxanthin, genistein, glabridin, b-glucogallin, hyaluronic acid, lactic acid, lycopene, niacinamide, pycnogenol, retinol, salidroside and xymenynic acid demonstrated significant benefits in the management of POH. In addition, other techniques such as blepharoplasty, carboxytherapy, calcium hydroxylapatite fillers, tear trough implant, Q-switched ruby laser, medicated tattoo, fat transfer, micro-needling, chemical peels, nitrogen plasma skin regeneration, intense pulsed light and radiofrequency have been reported to be beneficial in the treatment of POH.

The use of topical depigmenting agents is the most widely reported method in the clinical management of POH. Of these, α-arbutin, caffeine, cyanidin-3-glucoside and dihydrochalcone exhibit significant benefits. Furthermore, combination products containing a blend of actives have shown better efficacy than single active containing products.

Sun protection and inhibition of the enzyme tyrosinase are most important tools for treating dark under-eye circles or periorbital hyperpigmentation. Aldavine is a powerful ingredient comprised of two polysaccharides that maintain the health of capillaries to minimize puffiness around the eyes and reduce pigmentation that causes dark circles. Chrysanthellum indicum is a plant-based extract containing a unique combination of phenylpropenoic acids, flavonoids and saponosids, and has a well-documented effect on vascular wall permeability and increase of the mechanical resistance of capillaries. This ingredient confers significant decrease in the severity of erythema and overall rosacea severity. This component acts as a free radical scavenger and can attenuate periorbital puffiness in cases with POH.

Sources: Dermatologic Therapy. 2020 May 29;e13717. doi: 10.1111/dth.13717 Euromedicom.com. https://www.euromedicom.com/content/dam/Informa/euromedicom/2017/en/face/pdfs/FACE2018-Program.pdf. Published 2018. Accessed September 10, 2020. Rigopoulos D, Kalogeromitros D, Gregoriou S, et al. Randomized placebo-controlled trial of a flavonoid-rich plant extract-based cream in the treatment of rosacea. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2005;19(5):564-568. doi:10.1111/j.1468-3083.2005.01248.x