Dispatch · February 20, 2026 · 6 min · By Idris Vanterpool
Lasers and energy devices for under-eye pigment
When light-based treatment helps the darkness, and when it makes it worse.
For genuinely pigmented under-eye circles, certain lasers can fade the discoloration that topicals only partly reach. Pigment-selective lasers target the excess melanin; resurfacing and microneedling devices improve skin thickness and texture, indirectly reducing the see-through darkness.
The caution is significant. The under-eye is delicate, and in deeper skin tones aggressive light treatment can trigger post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, darkening the exact area you meant to lighten. Conservative settings, appropriate wavelength selection, and an operator experienced with darker skin are essential. Eye shields are mandatory.
Laser is rarely a standalone fix here. It tends to work best as one part of a plan that also includes daily sun protection and a maintenance topical. Patients hoping a single laser session will erase a lifetime of genetic pigment are usually disappointed; those who approach it as gradual, layered improvement do well.
Related reading: Do eye creams actually work? and What is new in under-eye rejuvenation.