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Such a phenomenon as bruises under the eyes is quite common and can be caused by many reasons, including health problems. Therefore, in some cases, bruises under the eyes should be the reason for going to the doctor.
Causes of bruising under the eyes
The skin of the lower eyelids can signal the state of the body, as it is thin and has many capillaries.
The causes of bruising under the eyes can be identified as follows:
Individual characteristics. In some people, bruising in the lower eyelids can be observed throughout life. Sometimes they are brighter, sometimes they fade. This is due to the anatomical fragility of the vessels located under the eyes. Most often, women suffer from this problem. They damage the already fragile vessels with constant irritation during makeup removal.
Injury. Bruising in this area occurs due to a blow to the bridge of the nose or directly to the eye. In this case, the appearance of bruising is due to internal hematoma due to damage to the walls of blood vessels. This is the most obvious reason. To reduce bruising, it is worth applying cold to it for the first hour. This will cause vasospasm and help stop the bleeding.
Bad habits, non-compliance with the daily routine and lifestyle in general. Bruising can be caused by long-term work at the computer, watching TV, and any other eye strain, as in this case, blood flow increases. The eyelids initially swell and turn red, and later bruises form under the eyes. In the same way, chronic fatigue and the absence of a daily regimen are manifested. Excessive alcohol consumption disrupts blood circulation in the body as a whole. Since the skin of the lower eyelids is very thin, bruising under the eyes appears very quickly. Capillaries become less elastic and brittle. Nicotine works the same way. To get rid of the problem, it is worth giving up bad habits and streamlining your lifestyle as much as possible.
Age. The older a person is, the more fragile his blood vessels become. Most of all, women who have crossed the line of 40 years suffer from the appearance of bruises, which is due to hormonal failure in the body. Against the background of the extinction of sexual functions, the skin condition worsens, which causes the appearance of bruises under the eyes. In addition, both men and women produce an excess amount of melanin with age, which is most noticeable on the skin of the lower eyelids.
Pathology of the kidneys. It is important to remember that in case of any malfunction of the urinary system, the lower eyelids are the first to suffer. They swell and turn blue. In particular, acute renal failure is manifested by the appearance of pronounced bruises in this area. It is the peripheral vessels that react to this pathology, expanding significantly. Pyelonephritis is another disease that causes blue under the eyes. A similar reaction is observed both in its acute form and in chronic. Such pathologies include nephroptosis and glomerulonephritis. Depending on the phase of the disease, bruising will be more or less pronounced. Therefore, in the case when, in addition to blueness in the eye area, there are problems with the kidneys, you should definitely consult a doctor and undergo a course of treatment.
Diabetes insipidus. It is known that the work of both the whole organism as a whole, and the kidneys in particular, to a certain extent depends on the hormones produced by the endocrine gland. Therefore, a disease such as diabetes insipidus may well cause bruising. If a person is constantly thirsty, the daily volume of urine increases, and bruises are observed under the eyes, then it is worth going to the doctor as soon as possible and informing him of these symptoms.
lack of vasopressin. This hormone is produced by the adrenal glands, if it is not formed in the amount required by the body, the vessels suffer, becoming brittle and permeable. The result is bruising around the eyes.
Diseases of the heart and blood vessels. In this case, we are talking about any pathological process in the area of the myocardium or endocardium. With violations of cardiac activity, venous congestion is formed, which will necessarily appear in the form of bruises under the eyes. These can be microinfarctions, microstrokes, blood clots and scars in the endocardium, etc.
Couperose. Couperosis – this pathology of a cosmetic nature is manifested in the fact that the capillaries expand and form a mesh. Blue spots, with red patches, appear not only under the eyes, but also on the wings of the nose.
Decreased venous return in the eye socket.
Most eye diseasesas: blepharitis, cataract, blepharoconjunctivitis, panophthalmitis. Bruises are formed as a result of the fact that fragile capillaries cannot withstand the increased blood flow to the eye area. Most often, the appearance of blue is accompanied by additional symptoms that depend on the specific disease, for example, fever, the appearance of purulent discharge and pain.
Most diseases are caused by viruses and bacteria. It is known that adenovirus and pasteurella adversely affect the walls of blood vessels, increasing their permeability. As a result, bruises form under the eyes.
Hereditary predisposition. This includes both anatomical features and a number of pathologies of the heart, kidneys, blood vessels, etc.
Unbalanced nutrition, in particular, the absence of polyunsaturated fatty acids in the food consumed. Their deficiency affects both the condition of the skin and the condition of the vessels. Insufficient intake of vitamins and minerals in the body.
Insect bites.
Diseases of the teeth.
Allergy to both cosmetics and environmental irritants – plant pollen, pet hair, etc.
Anemia.
Rapid weight loss. The already thin fat layer under the eyes, which performs the function of protecting blood vessels, disappears with a sharp weight loss, as a result of which bruises form.
Diseases of the pancreas. Any changes in it affect the condition of the skin. It becomes thinner and drier, which means that the capillaries under the eyes shine through more.
Parasitic infection of the body. If a person has worms, he suffers not only from intoxication, but also from sleep disorders. Therefore, bruises under the eyes are a common sign of helminthic invasion.
Metabolic disease.
The color of bruises can tell the cause
Indirectly, their color can indicate the cause of bruising to its owner.
For a doctor, color is the most important indicator by which a disease can be determined:
If the bruise has a slightly red tint, then the cause of its occurrence can be either an allergic reaction to an irritant, or problems with the urinary system, or rosacea.
If bruises have a yellow tint, then their occurrence may be caused by diseases of the blood or liver. The further the pathological process has gone, the richer the color of the bruise will be. Sometimes it takes on a dark brown color.
If the bruise has a purple hue, then most often it is formed due to a lack of oxygen in the body. Such problems lead to impaired lung function, or anemia.
If the bruise is black, then the cause of its occurrence is most often an excess of melanin, or chronic fatigue syndrome.
When a person is injured, the bruise goes through several stages and changes color in each of them.
If the causes of the appearance of blue under the eyes are not anatomical features, then they should be looked for in violations of the body. Almost any pathology is expressed by the fact that a person has bruises under the eyes. It is possible to determine the source of the ailment only together with the doctor, having studied the whole complex of symptoms of a particular disease.
How long does a bruise under the eye last?
The time for which the bruise under the eye will pass depends on the cause of its cause. If it appeared as a result of a malfunction in the body or in the presence of chronic pathologies, then the bruise will not come down until the person is completely cured. The intensity of its color will change from time to time. When any disease becomes acute, bruises intensify, when a period of remission sets in, they become lighter. However, they will not completely disappear until the pathology is eliminated.
As for the bruise caused by trauma, the time it takes to pass depends on the correctness and promptness of the measures taken. If nothing is done, then the recovery time is most often delayed and can be up to 3 weeks. However, one should not hope that it will be possible to get rid of the hematoma on the second day. However, it will not be so bright and, with proper treatment, will completely disappear on day 7.
You should start by applying cold to the injured area as soon as possible. It will help narrow the blood vessels and reduce the release of blood, which means that the bruise the next day will not be blue-black, but somewhat paler. Then it is important to use pharmaceutical products that help increase blood flow and lymph outflow from the damaged area. Due to this, dead cells will be removed from the body faster. These include Indovazin, Troxevasin, Badyaga.
Cold is applied only on the first day of injury, in subsequent days it is necessary to act on the bruise with heat.
The duration of the bruise is also influenced by the nature of the injury, the force of impact when it is received, the individual characteristics of the body, and metabolism.
Stages of passing a bruise
There are several stages of a bruise:
The red color of the bruise is due to the fact that under the skin there was an outpouring of fresh blood.
Green color indicates that hemoglobin is being transformed into biliverdin.
Then the bruise turns yellow, which indicates that hemoglobin continues to decompose and turns into bilirubin.
The brown color of the bruise indicates the final stage of hemoglobin decomposition, when it turns into hemosiderin.
The final stage is the disappearance of the bruise and the return of the skin to its original color.
On average, bruises under the eyes last up to 10 days. Previously, it will not be possible to get rid of them, because hemoglobin must go through all stages of development until it is completely absorbed.
There are several cases in which you should not wait for the moment when the bruise received from the blow will pass on its own.
When should you see a doctor?
You should consult a doctor when, after an injury, a person observes:
Double image in front of my eyes. This is a serious symptom, as it may indicate that the retina is damaged.
There is a veil before the eyes all the time, it is impossible to concentrate the vision. This may indicate violations in the work of not only the visual apparatus, but also the brain. Therefore, if the image after the impact remains fuzzy and blurry for 30 minutes, you should seek medical help.
If the bruise that appears is accompanied by the fact that the teeth or bones of the nose were broken.
If an injured person suddenly loses consciousness.
If the victim is unable to move the eyeball.
If colored spots appear before the eyes, stains appear, flashes form.
When, in addition to the characteristic pain from an injury, a person experiences dizziness and nausea. Most likely, these symptoms indicate a concussion.
If there are signs of infection, pus is released from the eyes, the place where the bruise is located becomes swollen and painful, and the body temperature rises.
If the hemorrhage occurred not only under the skin, but also in the eyes.
In order to avoid complications after receiving a blow, and the bruise passes as quickly as possible, it is important to be able to provide competent assistance. Most often, bruises under the eyes disappear without any consequences for human health. Within 10-20 days, they pass on their own, without human influence.