Dark circles under the eyes caused by allergies are also known as “allergic shiners”. Without spending a lot of money and fretting, you can prevent having under eye discoloration by learning what allergens may trigger them and by not exposing yourself to these irritants.
How Do Allergies Happen?
Histamine reaction causes allergies. This occurs when an undesirable substance enters the body through skin contact, airways or sensitive lining of intestines. Because of this, the antibodies are deployed to the area of intrusion to combat the allergens. This battle inside the body causes the release of histamines, which in turn causes wheezing, runny nose, fluid leaks, dilated blood vessels and watery, puffy eyes. The constant rubbing of the eyes due to frequent itching causes dark circles under the eyes or black eye circles to come about.
Food Allergies
Dark circles under the eyes or black eye due to food allergy is one of the top culprits. According to the World’s Healthiest Foods website, 140 foods can cause allergic responses. Dairy products, egg whites, wheat, yeast, soy and nuts are some of the allergens that frequently cause dark circles.
Tyramine sensitivity also triggers inflammatory reaction from the immune system, particularly in sensitive persons. Sausage, red wine, beer, avocado, raspberry, chocolate and sour cream are few examples of foods containing Tyramine.
Temporarily eliminate the foods from your diet that may contribute to allergic shiners. Monitor the condition of your under eye discoloration as you slowly reintroduce the foods one at a time. Once you have identified which ones make the circles and other allergic reactions to recur, remove that food/s from your diet permanently. Consult your doctor before implementing radical changes to your diet.
Nasal Allergies
Nasal allergies may lead to under eye discoloration and/or swelling of one or both eyes. These allergic shiners may not be pretty but generally, they only affect blood flow slightly which lead to congestion in the sinuses, thus do not imply serious problems.
Allergic rhinitis indicates more serious symptoms. Taking nasal corticosteroid inhaled medication and antihistamines can provide relief for congested noses, along with swollen eyes and dark circles under the eyes. Using cold compress on swollen and itchy eyes can provide a quick relief. Sufferers must identify their triggers such as dust, pollen, mold, weeds, animal hair or cloth fibers to avoid this problem.
Once you have identified that allergies are actually causing teary, swollen and dark circles under your eyes, make sure to avoid triggering them. The allergies may not be treated permanently but they can be prevented from recurring.
