What Are Tear Burns on TikTok and What Causes Them?

TikTok users are currently obsessed with the small areas of redness or darkness around their eyes, which they're labelling "tear burns." The idea behind this trend is that you can tell when someone cries a lot because they've been "burned" by their tears and left with permanent marks. But is that really how tear burns form? We'll dive into the subject in this article! Keep reading to find out what exactly tear burns are on TikTok, if tear burns are real burns, what causes them, how to embrace them (or get rid of them), and more.

Why do my tears burn my skin?

Tears don’t actually burn the skin. "Tear burns" may be caused by rubbing your eyes a lot, either because you cry often or your eyes water frequently. Rubbing your eyes repeatedly can cause the skin around them to become inflamed and eventually change to a red or dark brown color in a process called hyperpigmentation.

Section 1 of 6:

What are tear burns on TikTok?

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Tear burns are areas of skin around the eyes that become discolored after crying. They're usually located in the outer or inner eye corners, on the undereyes, or on the eyelids. The term originated on TikTok sometime in 2023 and gained popularity in March 2024 and again in spring 2025. In videos for this trend, TikTok users typically film themselves pointing to brown or red areas around their eyes.
- Some TikTokers glamorize their tear burns: On March 18, 2024, @piscesangel97 uploaded a TikTok showcasing her tear burns with the caption, "Just found out these are called tear burns, they're kind of cute."
- Others post seeking information about what causes tear burns: On March 2, 2025, @user12340.04 posted a TikTok showing a red, irritated-looking mark in the outer corner where her upper and lower eyelids meet. The caption on the video reads, "can someone pls tell me what this is," adding, "is it tear burn?"
- Some TikTokers post educational videos about tear burns and how to prevent or cover them: On August 23, 2024, @eyestheticsofficial—the account of optometrists Dr. Gurleen Dhanoa & Dr. Aysha Chaudhry—posted an informative TikTok about where tear burns come from and how to minimize or embrace them as a fashion statement.

Section 2 of 6:

Are tear burns real burns?

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No, tear burns aren't real burns. Tear burns are caused by hyperpigmentation from rubbing your eyes. The discolored areas that TikTok users are calling "tear burns" aren't the same as real burns from sun exposure, heat, or acid. They're areas where the thin, delicate skin in the corners of or under the eyes has been irritated and inflamed from rubbing. It's associated with crying because we often rub our eyes when we cry or our eyes water.^{[1]
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- Are tear burns permanent? The redness and irritation caused by one or two cryouts typically fade from your skin once you stop rubbing your eyes and let your skin heal. But with repeated crying sessions or watery eyes, these "tear burns" can linger or even stay permanently.

Section 3 of 6:

Causes of Tear Burns

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Nonclinical causes Tear burns are usually caused by rubbing your eyes, which you may do after excessive eye watering. The skin around your eyes is very thin and delicate, which means any friction easily irritates it. Repeated or prolonged irritation (as in several crying sessions in a row) can cause the skin to inflame and then permanently darken in a phenomenon called post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH).^{[2]
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Research source}There are several reasons your eyes might water enough to make you rub them, which aren't caused by a health issue. Those include:
- Crying
- Environmental irritants (e.g., smoke, bleach, the smell from onions)
- Sweat
- Low humidity
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Clinical causes Tear burns are typically caused by rubbing your eyes, which you’re more likely to do if your eyes water frequently. However, certain conditions may make your eyes burn, which may make your tears sting more. Below are some of the clinical causes of eye watering that may lead you to rub your eyes and get tear burns.
- Allergies
- Dry eye: A condition where your eyes are so dry, they produce an excess of tears to try to compensate for the lack of hydration.^{[3]
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  Cleveland Clinic
  Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
  
  Go to source}
- Blepharitis: A condition in which your eyelids become irritated and appear red, swollen, and scaly. It's caused by a blockage in the glands that produce oil in your tears, or it can develop alongside an infection.^{[4]
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  Cleveland Clinic
  Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
  
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- Ocular rosacea: Inflammation in the eyes that causes redness, irritation, and watering.^{[5]
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  Mayo Clinic
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- Photokeratitis: A condition where the eyes are damaged by too much exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun.^{[6]
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  American Academy of Opthamologists
  Professional medical organization focused on advocating for public health and supporting sight-related research
  
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- Pink eye: Inflammation in the eye caused by a viral or bacterial infection.^{[7]
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  Mayo Clinic
  Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
  
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- Pterygium: A growth on the conjunctiva, the clear membrane covering the white of your eye.^{[8]
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  Cleveland Clinic
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- Shingles: A viral infection that can sometimes affect the skin around the eye, leaving a painful rash and causing your eyes to water.^{[9]
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- Sjögren's syndrome: A condition in which the immune system attacks the glands that keep different parts of your body moist. When it affects the eyes, it prevents the tear glands from functioning properly, leading to dry eye and, in some cases, excessive watering.^{[10]
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  Johns Hopkins Medicine
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Section 4 of 6:

How to Enhance Tear Burns

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Highlight your "tear burns" with eyeliner. If you have hyperpigmentation from excessive crying or watery eyes, you may want to embrace it as part of your makeup look! Some TikTok users call their tear burns their "natural eyeliner" and think it makes them look unique. Others use it as a guide when applying eyeliner to their eyelid.
- TikTok user @limonadaymiel shared a video of her "tear burns" on December 16, 2024, saying, "Thank you guys for giving me free eyeshadow and eyeliner." She also shared the hashtags #iykyk ("if you know, you know"), #sadgirl, #relatable, and #dating, implying that a man she was dating made her cry, and that's why her eyelids are red and puffy.
  - Her post has over 757,000 views.
- TikTok user @miraciah showed off her "tear burn" eyeliner strategy with this TikTok on November 28, 2023. Her caption reads, "darkening my tear stain scars to create the perfect smudged brown eyeliner look daily."

Section 5 of 6:

How to Get Rid of Tear Burns

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Eye cream or gel Apply hypoallergenic, fragrance-free eye cream or gel to the thin, sensitive skin of your eyelids and around your eyes to keep them moisturized.^{[11]
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Trustworthy Source

Cleveland Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals

Go to source} Hydration will help reduce inflammation, which may reduce the look of your tear burns (or may even prevent them from forming in the first place). However, you may not need even this step, as tear burns tend to go away on their own unless they’re the result of a recurring medical condition.
- Treating the underlying clinical cause of your watering eyes is ultimately the best solution to preventing tear burns.
- Regardless of the cause of your tears, make a habit of patting your tears dry when you cry or when your eyes water, since it’s vigorous rubbing that damages the skin and causes tear burns.
Don't like how your tear burns look? Applying concealer to your eyes under your regular makeup is an easy, inexpensive way to make them "disappear." Use green-tinted concealer for red "burns" or orange-tinted concealer for darker hyperpigmentation before putting on your foundation.
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Microneedling Microneedling is a cosmetic procedure that tackles hyperpigmentation, scarring, dark spots, and other skin flaws at the root of the problem: your skin cells. During a microneedling session, a dermatologist will puncture the skin around your eyes with tiny needles. The needles create holes which your body will fill with collagen, the main building block of new, healthy skin cells. After a few months, your "tear burns" should look significantly faded, if they don't disappear entirely.^{[12]
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American Academy of Dermatology
Professional organization made of over 20,000 certified dermatologists

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- Microneedling doesn't require much downtime, meaning it won't take long for your skin to heal. In the first few days after the procedure, however, you might notice some slight burning, swelling, and discomfort. That's completely normal.
- Cost: typically $160-$800 (for 1 session)^{[13]
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Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections PRP is a procedure where a dermatologist or plastic surgeon draws some of your blood, puts it into a centrifuge to concentrate the platelets, and then injects the platelet plasma into the skin around your eyes. Doctors who use PRP believe it helps kickstart healing in your skin cells by stimulating collagen production and encouraging the removal of old, dead cells.^{[14]
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Cleveland Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals

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- Expect to feel pain and swelling around your eyes in the days after your PRP injection.
- You may have to wait up to several months to see the final results, although you may be able to tell a slight difference after just a few weeks.
- Cost: typically $750-$850 per injection^{[15]
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  Johns Hopkins Medicine
  Official resource database of the world-leading Johns Hopkins Hospital
  
  Go to source}

Section 6 of 6:

When to See a Doctor

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In rare cases, tear burns may indicate an underlying condition. Eye watering and crying are normal, and tear burns are also usually temporary and nothing to worry about. However, if your eyes water constantly, or if you experience any of the following symptoms, seek help from a medical professional:
- Headaches
- Fever
- Loss of vision
- Rash
- Any other unexpected or uncomfortable symptoms