The signs of tiredness can transform the appearance of your face and may not reflect how you really feel. But what makes you look tired? The eyes…
It is common for women to cover the eye area with make-up rather than addressing the source of the problem, but by confronting the causes of why you look tired, you can gain more confidence and even adopt a healthier lifestyle overall.
By following these tips from London City Skin Clinic, you can rehabilitate your skin from the surface to deeper layers.
Why do I look tired?
The features of your face are prone to looking tired for a number of reasons, most of which don’t necessarily relate to lack of sleep. In reality, lifestyle choices, genetic factors, and health concerns can all foster a tired appearance.
It is therefore vital to identify the causes, before the correct solution can be provided:
- Sleep
Signs that you might be sleep deprived are present in behaviour as well as physical appearance. For example, feeling burnt out in the afternoon, requiring an alarm clock to wake, dependency on caffeinated drinks, increased irritability, and feeling drowsy in warm rooms or following meals are all indicative of inadequate sleep.
- Stress
Stress increases your body’s production of cortisol which blocks your skin from producing hyaluronic acid and collagen. These are what keeps the skin plump and youthful.
The symptoms of stress likewise impact lifestyle habits that lead to tired looking skin.
- Incorrect skincare routine
Build up of dead skin, lack of exfoliation and uninformed make-up routine can be the reason why your skin looks dull.
- Dehydration
When you’re dehydrated, the natural level of moisture beneath your skin declines which causes skin to look tired.
- Eye strain
When you strain your eyes, the blood vessels around them dilate which exacerbates dark circles. This is one of the most commonly recognised signs of tiredness.
- Genetics
Some people can be genetically predisposed to varying factors that impact the quality of skin. These include vein prominence or hyperpigmentation around the eyes that cause dark circles, bone structure which determines hollowness and the shape of your tear trough (shadow under the eye), and allergies which increase the production of histamine which results in expanded blood vessels and puffiness.
- Ageing
As you age, you lose skin elasticity, moisture and volume. Also the descent of facial fat pads and volume changes in the mid-face and eye area may lead to the appearance of hollows, grooves and “eye bags”.
Signs of tired skin
- Swollen eyes
Puffiness around the eyes is usually one of the first signs of tiredness. It appears as the swelling of both eyelids and is often accompanied by prominent blood vessels and redness in the eyes. As fat pads also move, “eye bags” start to develop and cause swelling under the eye.
- Dark circles under the eyes
Tiredness in the skin can appear as dark or hollow tear troughs. Tear troughs are the grooves that sit between the lower eyelid and the cheek, and are prone to looking worse with tiredness. Over time, tear troughs deepen and may even extend into the cheek, which exacerbates the appearance of dark circles.
- Dull skin
Tiredness can result in dull skin. This is because an exhausted body cannot function as well as a well rested body and this extends to immune function and skin health.
- Fine lines
Lack of sleep is linked to dull, dry skin and a reduction in the production of collagen. This breakdown of elasticity can be responsible for premature signs of ageing, as well as the development of crows feet, smile lines and other fine lines.
How to stop looking tired
There are several things you can do to reduce the signs of tiredness in your skin:
Lifestyle adjustments
Adjust your sleep schedule
If your skin is looking tired, the first thing you should do is take a look at your sleep schedule. It is recommended that adults have 7-9 hours of sleep every night, so ensure you go to bed at a reasonable hour that is dependent on your lifestyle.
Avoiding the temptation to oversleep can likewise have the same impact.
To correct your sleeping pattern, stick to the following advice:
- Set a regular bedtime
- Avoid using screens before bed: Blue light makes your mind active rather than tired
- Drink less caffeine: Caffeine is another contributor to premature ageing and disrupts your natural body clock
- Avoid naps more than 20 mins in the day
- Get up at the same time every day, and get a morning walk outside to regulate your body clock
- Exercise regularly throughout the week
- Avoid eating 3 hours before bedtime
- Speak to a GP if your sleep is disrupted by factors other than the ones mentioned above
Reduce stress
It is easier said than done, but identifying areas that generate excess stress and anxiety in your life, as well as finding ways to alleviate them should be your top priority when adjusting your skincare routine. Consider yoga, meditation, mindfulness and breathing techniques to optimise your response to stress.
Establish a regular exercise routine
Exercising regularly can:
- Increase circulation and blood flow to the skin
- Boost collagen production
- Reduce stress levels that contribute to poor skin health
- Help promote healthy sleeping patterns
- Improve overall skin tone
- Promote new cell growth and regeneration
Drink plenty of water
Whilst applying moisturiser to your skin daily can aid your skin quality at a surface level, making sure you drink a suitable amount of water every day will also have an effect.
Moisture
It is important to also choose skin products that are not just based on moisturisers alone, as your skin will just become reliant on moisturisers. To improve hydration in the skin you should encourage healthy skin with a dedicated skin care routine to stimulate healthy skin. It is also advised to avoid smoking and moderate consumption of alcohol.
Leading non-surgical aesthetics
Botox
Botox is most often used on the upper face, around the eyes and some areas of the lower face.
Botox can be used to treat several symptoms related to tired features, by rejuvenating the skin. Its revolutionary techniques smooth the signs of ageing including tired-looking eyes from wrinkle formation, and reducing the premature development of fine lines and wrinkles.
Botox is prescription-only treatment and must be prescribed for a patient by a medically qualified practitioner.
For further information, take a look at our guide on How To Reduce Wrinkles and Fine Lines.
Dermal Fillers
Dermal Fillers are a soft tissue hyaluronic acid based filler that are injected into the skin to soften fine lines, contour features and add structural support. Dermal fillers can be injected into the tear trough area directly. This is because the tear trough has very little support except for muscle and bone, so the hollow appearance can be rejuvenated and careful application of dermal filler can be very effective in the correct circumstances. It is always better to have an in-person assessment to understand your suitability to this treatment.
Dermal fillers improve hydration and volume within the foundations of facial tissue, and are fast becoming one of the most sought after methods of reducing the signs of dull, tired skin. When done in conjunction with cheek fillers, which act as the supporting structure for the eye area, your face can appear refreshed and more youthful.
Polynucleotides
Polynucleotides are fast becoming an important tool in facial aesthetics, particularly for areas that need stimulation. What are polynucleotides?
Polynucleotides are DNA fragments (usually extracted from salmon), that can bio-stimulate positive changes in the skin. What this means is that skin gets stimulated to turnover quicker, produce elastin, reduce fine lines, improve micro-circulation, reduce dark circles, plump the skin and reduce hollowness under the eyes. This is particularly important in the under-eye area, as dermal fillers may not be suitable for everyone, so this provides another tool to help the delicate skin in the area.
At London City Skin Clinic, we can create a bespoke treatment plan according to your needs. Dr. Robby Bajaj is highly experienced in developing Advanced Skin Care and non-surgical injectable programmes that cater to your skin, and this goes beyond the application of high quality cosmetics to hide your skin concerns.
Contact our Skin Clinic today.
020 3488 8469 | info@londoncityskinclinic.com
