Winter makes women look aged

The eyes of 5,000 women aged between 27 and 60 were studied throughout the seasons by scientists, who found winter aged women's looks by an average four years and eight months.

A lack of sunlight means paler skin, emphasising bags under the eyes and the problem is made worse by a higher level of fatigue in the winter due to a lower amount of Vitamin D, generated by the body in sunlight, and subsequently less serotonin, the body's "feel good chemical".

The results are almost as bad for men, said the study, carried out at AMA Laboratories in New York for Adonia Organics. It found 82 percent of women suffered from dark circles and puffy eyes in the winter as opposed to just 38 percent in the summer.

"More science is coming out linking the lack of Vitamin D and K as one of the causes that plagues us with dark circles and puffy eyes, especially as it relates to fatigue and immune related issues. Once you have them, it is usually difficult to reverse," the Daily Express quoted Mark Binette, anti-ageing expert as saying.

"Lacking in Vitamins D and K has a considerable negative effect on the appearance of dark circles and puffy eyes," he said.

Dark circles are one of the most common skin problems, and are often caused by tiny capillaries that leak blood beneath the surface of the skin. As this blood starts to oxidise, it turns an ugly dark blue colour similar to a bruise.

The thin skin under the eyes allows fluid to build up. This becomes more obvious in winter as skin becomes more transparent.

In the summer, dark circles are easier to hide as people suffer less from fatigue and most people's skin becomes lightly tanned.

Additionally, during the summer, we experience higher serotonin levels when the skin is exposed to sunlight.