Did you wake up today with dark circles under your eyes and something swollen? These are puffy eyes which are also known as under-eye bags.
As you age, the skin under your eyes darken and the surrounding tissues and muscles become weak.
This allows for fluid accumulation under your eyes moreover, it also moves fat from surrounding places in that area.
Hence, it looks loose, swollen, and saggy. You can try home remedies to reduce their appearance.
However, if it is a serious concern then you can go for eyelid surgery.
If you want to try some remedies for treating your under-eye bags, keep reading this article.
Puffy Eyes Causes
There is fluid retention around your eyes is known as edema. Its accumulation increases under the eye as the skin is the thinnest there.
Hence, when you wake up in the morning, your eyes are usually puffy and swollen because of fluid retention and accumulation. As soon as you will start blinking, they will become less puffy.
Your non-blinking eyes swell up as fluids are trapped and as soon as you blink they are absorbed back into the circulation. Hence, having puffy eyes in the morning is normal and they go away on their own.
When your age keeps increasing then the fat around your eyes shifts below the eye as the skin starts to sag because muscles become weak.
Fluid builds up because of factors such as consuming more salt and waking up after sleep.
You can also get these under-eye bags because of sinus problems, stressing and crying a lot and not getting enough sleep.
If any of your family members have puffiness under the eyes including dark circles then you are likely to have them too.
They are hereditary and can pass on to your generations as well.
Also if you do not drink enough water then you can become dehydrated which can darken your under-eye skin and swell it too.
It can also be a symptom or side effect of allergies such as sinus. Moreover, sun exposure and using enough sunscreen can darken and swell the under-eye area.
Puffy Eyes Treatment
While you can easily get rid of swollen eyes by using remedies, however, you should visit a doctor if it is a serious medical condition.
If you feel itchy, see redness or swelling remains painfully persistent then it is time to pay a visit to your doctor soon for an eye exam.
There might be other underlying conditions that may cause your condition such as thyroid, an allergy or an infection. Relevant medicines can treat your underlying condition.
Though you can also get rid of them using cosmetic treatments. These include:
The treatments help to rejuvenate the skin. They increase collagen and elastin production which tightens the skin and enhances your skin tone. Hence, they reduce the appearance of under-eye bags.
Moreover, you can also get an eyelid surgery known as blepharoplasty. You can get it if your eyes are puffy because of excess fat accumulation.
The surgeon makes an incision in the upper eyelid crease. They may also choose to make one in the lower eyelid and remove fat from there.
After putting in stitches you will see the significantly less puffy under-eye area.
Moreover, it can reduce extra skin on your upper eyelids that will cause your eyes to droop and interrupt your vision or show more white than the iris.
Plus it can also decrease any extra skin in the lower eyelids. Your upper eyelids will no longer look puffy or baggy after the surgery.
Though, like every other surgery, this one too has certain side effects.
You can get dry and watery eyes that may also swell. Your eyes can hurt and your vision can become blurry.
Severe side effects include injury, infection, drooping of eyelid, bleeding, corneal abrasion and vision loss.
Therefore, you can first try remedies to make your eyes look less puffy.
Home Remedies For Puffy Eyes
1. Don’t Eat Salty Food Right Before Sleeping
Salts help to accumulate and retain fluid in your under-eye area.
You should limit your salt intake up to 1500mg daily if you want to get rid of the puffiness.
Sodium is practically everywhere, in your processed food, restaurant fast food and junk food.
You should avoid cheese, bread, processed foods, chips, salty biscuits etc. Hence, you should entirely try to eat food that you cook at home.
Try to include more fruits and vegetables in your life while avoiding instant foods and high sodium content.
2. Get Enough Sleep
Sleep deprivation is one of the causes of your under-eye puffiness.
Hence you should get good enough sleep before starting your day. Try to take at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep daily.
You can do this by incorporating a good sleep schedule. This includes:
Turn off your phone an hour before sleeping or at least put it far away.
Also before that reduce the blue light in your phone while you are using it.
You should also eat dinner at least 3 hours before you intend to sleep. Do not eat anything after that.
Plus, drink water and not caffeine when you intend to sleep in the next few hours.
In fact, your last caffeine drink should be about 6 hours before sleeping and you should drink fewer fluids nearing bedtime.
This is how you can get a good sleep which should be at least seven to nine hours.
3. Drink More Water
Speaking of water, you should drink enough of it so that you do not get dehydrated.
Water benefits the skin and keeps it plump and hydrated. You should drink at least 8 glasses of water daily.
If you cannot keep a count of the number of glasses then make sure that you drink at least 2 glasses whenever you are thirsty.
Also, set a reminder after every hour on your phone to remind yourself to drink water.
Keeping a water bottle can also help you drink more water than usual.
4. Use A Cool Compress
You can make a cool compress to apply to the puffiness. Dampen a washcloth in cold water.
Then apply it on your under-eye area and around the puffiness for at least 10 minutes. You should wet it again if it dries down. This helps drain the fluids that accumulate in the area.
You can also use other cold compresses such as using green tea or black tea bags and soaking them in water. Take them out and let the teabags cool in the fridge for some time.
Apply them under your eye to constrict blood vessels that make the puffiness apparent and to decrease inflammation. This happens due to its antioxidant properties and the amount of caffeine.
You can also put spoons overnight in the freezer and put those cold spoons on your eyes in the morning to reduce the early-morning puffiness.
5. Elevate Your Head
Fluid accumulates and sets around the eyes when you do not raise your head enough while sleeping.
If you do not take any pillow, then it is time to take not only one but 2. Or you can also raise your head by using cushions underneath.
Other extensive ways include raising your mattress or the head of the bed. Though, you can still manage well enough elevation with an extra pillow.
This will prevent fluid settling and as soon as you wake up, your lower eyelid will have no fluid retention and puffiness will go away.
6. Avoid alcohol and smoking
Smoking and alcohol can aggravate eye puffiness by dehydrating you.
In fact, even other drinks like coffee, tea and carbonated drinks can dehydrate you. Hence, it is better to avoid alcohol and quit smoking if you want your eyes to remain less puffy throughout the day.
Instead, drink plenty of water and keep your hydration levels high. It also brightens and refreshes your skin.
7. Treat Allergies
If you have year-long or persistent allergies then that will make your eyes puffy and swollen and red.
Moreover, you may rub your eyes even more extensively if they cause irritation which increases swelling and dark circles.
Hence, in order to reduce the bags under the eyes, you should avoid all allergens and treat your current allergies with medicines and eye drops.
8. Add More Potassium To Your Diet
Try eating more potassium as it removes extra fluids from your body. You can find this in bananas and leafy greens.
If you are already taking enough potassium intake through food then try to take a potassium supplement if your bags persist.
9. Use Makeup and Skincare
Add an eye cream to your skincare routine. They help to reduce puffiness and the darkness of your under-eye skin.
Ingredients like chamomile, green tea, cucumber and coffee help to significantly reduce puffiness.
However, it will take quite a long time before an eye cream shows significant changes.
Hence, till that time, you can use a makeup concealer and corrector to properly conceal the puffiness and darkness.
Though, if you do not apply makeup then use other remedies to get rid of your puffiness.
Conclusion
Puffy eyes can make you look tired and sick. It is not a medical but a cosmetic concern. Hence, you should seek solutions in remedies, skincare or makeup rather than surgery and medical treatment.
