A good night's sleep may seem like the obvious cure for the dreaded dark circles under your eyes — but it's not always the case. For some people, solid sleep isn't responsible for dark circles at all — while other people, like new parents, just aren't able to spend a solid eight hours asleep.

Preventing Dark Circles

Like many things in life, prevention is the key to fighting dark circles. Wear sunscreen daily and make sure that you cover the area under your eyes, which can be susceptible to hyperpigmentation. Use a formula for sensitive skin or a thicker formula that won't run or drip and irritate your eyes.

Try to avoid rubbing your eyes, which causes inflammation and damage that creates the dark circles. Even removing eye makeup can cause dark circles if you have to rub too hard.

Treating Dark Circles

If you wake up with dark circles, try getting rid of them by cooling them off. Using an ice cube, cucumber, or spoons that have spent time in the fridge, can help to erase the appearance of dark circles. Another option is to use tea bags that are no longer hot or warm. The caffeine in the tea helps to shrink up the blood vessels that are causing the dark circles while antioxidants can help soothe.

Retinoid creams can also help to stimulate collagen production so that the skin is thicker and the dark circles less obvious. The vitamin A in the cream also helps to fade the area.

Products with brightening ingredients can also be used to fade dark circles, but be cautious in this delicate area when applying.

Concealing Dark Circles

However you treat them, you'll probably need to conceal your dark circles. How you cover them depends on what color your circles are. Use a green-tinted concealer for redder circles and a peach concealer for blue circles. Apply the concealer in an upside down triangular shape to make it appear more natural, working it up into your lashline and tapering off towards your cheek. Follow it up with creamy concealers that are slightly lighter than your foundation. Going too light can actually make your dark circles more obvious, so layer with caution.

Doctor's Visit

A doctor prescribed retinoid may be more effective than its drugstore counterpart. Also, because overuse of the ingredient can cause discoloration, especially in people with olive or darker skin tones, a doctor can help you figure out how much of the product to use.

Another reason to head to the dermatologist is for laser treatments that can help get rid of the blood vessels causing the dark circles. It typically takes more than one session and the cost can range from a few hundred to over a thousand dollars per treatment. Fillers can also help to temporarily reduce the appearance of dark circles by plumping the hollow area under your eyes.