Dark Circles Under Eyes?

[BloatusMaximus]

Over the last 3 years (before I realized the gluten connection) I have developed very dark circles under my eyes; almost black. I am a very young 49 year old and look easily 10 or 15 years younger overall. But my eyes look horrible and make me look sick and tired (which I am). I looked around this forum pretty hard for any info on this and found nothing, so maybe it's just me and my genetics.

I would be very interested in knowing if others with gluten intolerance have had similar circles/bags under the eyes. Does it improve over time with the proper gluten-free diet?

Thomas

[soulcurrent]

I'm curious about the same thing. I've always had dark circles under my eyes. I try to cover it with makeup but they always show through.

[amberlynn]

I and my son also have dark circles under our eyes. I've been gluten-free for a few weeks and they're starting to get better. He is not gluten-free yet, but I'm in the process of weaning him off gluten, lol .

I accidentally gluten myself yesterday, and guess what? ALL my symptoms are back, and the circles are MUCH darker than they were yesterday... fun fun...

[Lexi]

I didn't realize that I had such dark circles under my eyes until I looked back at pictures from before I found I had Celiac Disease. I looked like death, and nobody ever said anything. But, who wants to tell someone that they look bad.

[txplowgirl]

I have had dark circles all my life and I am hoping that after a couple of years they will go away. I've only been gluten free for almost six months now and to me they seem to be getting lighter or maybe that's just wishful thinking on my part. But I do know that if I get severely glutened they are darker the next day.

[soulcurrent]

I never knew celiac could be the cause of so many things. Sheesh! Maybe I'll stop looking like a sleep-deprived zombie now.

[JillianLindsay]

I don't know if celiac disease causes dark circles under the eyes... but I do know that it is something common with allergies. Could you have a mold or dust allergy? Also people with celiac disease that is not yet well-managed may still have D and be dehydrated which can also cause dark circles under the eyes.

Here's an older discussion you may want to look at: https://www.celiac.com/gluten-free/index.php?showtopic=37150

[jkr]

I've had dark circles under my eyes all of my life. I know I've probably had celiac since I was a child.

My dark circles haven't gone away but I've only been gluten free since August 4th. We'll see.

I was always sick of people asking me " are you feeling alright?"

[gf-soph]

it's interesting you mention this as family members have commented on the dark circles under my eyes, they have been particularly dark after gluten exposure, and also when I am anaemic.

They do get lighter when I am well, but they are still darker than for most people.

[NorthernElf]

Dark circles here too - definitely worse when I get glutened ! Dairy makes it worse as well for me too (dairy has become an issue!).

[elle's mom]

  JillianLindsay said:

I don't know if celiac disease causes dark circles under the eyes... but I do know that it is something common with allergies. Could you have a mold or dust allergy?

The most common cause for dark circles under the eyes IS indeed an allergy.......that being said, the body could be responding in a similar way when a person sensitive to gluten does consume it. It isn't the exact same immune response as an allergy (IgG & IgA with gluten-autoimmune vs. IgE with allergic), BUT it could cause the same effect, in this case the dark circles. Unfortunately with gluten, the typically suggested anti-allergy remedies will not help, unless there is an additional allergy component. Hopefully, being gluten free would decrease the dark circles in time though. I'm an optometrist, although I've never treated an actual patient for dark circles due to gluten so take what I'm saying for whatever it's worth. I'm curious, if any of you who've been gluten free for many years have these and have them go away?

[samcarter]

I've had dark circles all my life, my mother has them as well. (I suspect she has silent celiac; she has rheumatoid arthritis, and her mother died of colon cancer). My mother's have always been very bad, and until recently mine were bad. They are getting better; i can go without concealer under my eyes some days. But then i've only been gluten free a little over a year.

[chiroptera]

We used to call our twin daughters our little raccoons because under their eyes were so dark. Now granted they have my colouring and I am very, icky white. But, since they have been gluten free since June their dark circles have really lightened up. As a matter of fact, there is a marked difference from last years school pictures. Our son who is five has dark circles as well, although his has been gluten free since August I honestly haven't noticed much a difference since them. However, he has only recently begun to drink cows milk and I have started to wonder if he has a problem with it.

Me, while I've been gluten free since June as well and still look like a raccoon, but am under severe stress right now.

[gabby]

I call them 'purple thumb-prints'. I only get them when I've been glutened. It looks like someone put dark purple ink on their thumbs then pressed their thumbs under my eyes, closer to the nose. I can barely cover them with makeup. Usually the thumb prints coincide with extreme tiredness, and a feeling of being uncoordinated (along with stomach upset and a wicked headache.) If it has been a 'trace' glutening from some tiny bit of gluten, then the thumb-prints last about 3 days. If it is a major glutening, then the symptoms all last much longer and are more severe.

[CarbQueen]

I call it the "Droopy" look (cartoon dog). Another set of bags are creeping in.

Just decided on my Halloween costume!!!!!

They are definitely from gluten intolerance. Bags started developing prior to being diagnosed. I always had food sensitivities but this past spring for some reason went into overdrive....from food sensitivities for a few years to moderate to extreme GI.

Makeup covers the dark circles but not the bags.

Now, I have to look for gluten free skin products, and makeup. See if that helps.

[rcheltrvel]

I have had symptoms of Celiacs for over 20 years but am not yet diagnosed. I had a positive Celiac panel and am waiting for my endoscopy. I have had progressively worsing black circles under my eyes over the past 3 or 4 years. I recently took gluten 100% out of my body and five days later was forced to add gluten back in, for testing purposes. Since going back on gluten, my body has seemed to have gotten worse. My black circles have significantly gotten worse over the two days and now on top of the circles, I now have what looks like an obvious allergic reaction of red and puffy, almost like bee stings, under each eye. Worse on my right eye and getting worse each day. Today it's the worst and even a little itchy. Until I tested positive a few weeks ago on the Celiacs panel, I had no idea it cold be related.

[rcheltrvel]

By the way, the best concealer I have found is "Boil-ing" by Benifit. It seriously covers, I can no longer leave the house without it.

[1desperateladysaved]

I get puffy circles under my eyes.  I have come to believe that this is an issue with lymph.  When I get exercise this puffiness often goes away.  I finally made the decision that I needed to exercise like I diet.  I need to be a desperate lady for exercise.  This is taking more resolve for me than diet.

 

D

[CaliSparrow]

Before getting off of gluten, I had these huge lines on my face in the shape of two Vs. They would start at the corners of my eyes and would come together to form the base of the V mid-cheek. It looked weird as all get out to me and I kept wondering if it was some genetic trait. I would also get the dark circles under my eyes. I believe that dairy causes the dark circles. There are traces of the V lines left. I just began taking Himalayan pink salt for my low blood pressure (per my doctor) and that puffs the rest of my wrinkles off of my face :-D