Periorbital Melanosis
Pronunciation: peh-ree-OR-bih-tal mel-uh-NOH-sis
The clinical term for dark circles under the eyes caused by increased pigmentation, vascular prominence, or structural factors, commonly addressed in cosmetic dermatology with topical agents, fillers, or laser.
Full Definition
Periorbital melanosis, colloquially known as dark under-eye circles, is a multifactorial condition involving pigmentary, vascular, and structural (shadow) components. The hyperpigmentation subtype is attributed to increased melanin deposition, while the vascular subtype involves visible periorbital vasculature. Editors should note that 'periorbital' refers to the area surrounding the eye socket and should not be confused with 'perioral' (around the mouth). The term is always written as two words with no hyphen between 'periorbital' and 'melanosis'. It is distinct from the separate entry 'periorbital region', which is a broader anatomical descriptor.
Usage
Usage note: Not hyphenated. Take care to distinguish 'periorbital' (around the eye) from 'perioral' (around the mouth)—a common transposition error in clinical editing.
In Context
- "Periorbital melanosis of the vascular subtype was treated with a pulsed-dye laser rather than topical hydroquinone." — Case report
- "The editor corrected 'perioral melanosis' to 'periorbital melanosis' after identifying a transposition error in the original manuscript." — Manuscript correction log