Have you noticed your eyes becoming puffy and even baggy? While puffy eyes (sometimes referred to as “bags under the eyes”) don’t ordinarily impact your vision, they can put a damper on your overall appearance. There is some good news though—short and long-term solutions exist to make your eyes seem less puffy.
Some people don’t care much about having puffy eyes and attribute it to just another aspect of ageing. Others opt for going for a tear trough filler treatment to reduce the bags that may form under your eyes over time. There are, however, several tips that our experts would like to share with you, to avoid these puffy bags in the first place.
What Causes Bags Under Your Eyes?
Before we give you the tips that will help you reduce puffy eyes, it’s important to know what the causes are, such as the following prominent ones:
- Allergies: One of the more common reasons for puffy eyes stems from congestion and inflammation caused by allergies.
- High-salt diet: If your diet has high levels of salt, your body tends to retain water which in turn leads to swelling under your eyes.
- Genetics: As with many other ailments, having baggy eyes can be a physical characteristic that is actually genetic.
- Medical conditions: Health issues such as thyroid conditions can often cause the area under your eyes to become swollen.
- Natural ageing process: Depending on your age, your puffy eyes could be caused by a loss of firmness in the skin area under your eyes.
- Lifestyle factors: Other lifestyle factors such as chronic fatigue, eczema and excessive sun exposure can also lead to puffy eyes which often become dark circles.
A Few Home Remedies to Deal With Bags Under Your Eyes
There are some things you can do at home to reduce the appearance or severity of bags under your eyes. In some cases, you might be able to reduce the formation of bags altogether.
- Cold Compress
Before you add some pricey eye creams to your shopping list, consider something as simple as applying a cold compress to the eye area. For the most part, this works because the low temperatures cause the blood vessels to quickly constrict, providing some much-needed relief.
- Clear Out Your Sinuses
One of the more common reasons you may wake up with puffy eyes has to do with your sinuses. Congestion due to allergies can easily cause your eyes to swell, creating the appearance of bags. Some medical experts recommend clearing your sinuses out using a neti pot filled with saltwater.
Essentially you irrigate your sinuses by using the neti pot to rinse mucus out. If you suffer from allergies, consider taking an antihistamine in the morning and evening to reduce the swelling.
- Stay Hydrated
Since water makes up about 60% of the average person’s body weight, it’s not surprising that being dehydrated can cause bags under your eyes. Be sure to stay hydrated by drinking the recommended 8 glasses of water per day.
To make the process easier, replace soda with bottles of water in your fridge. Alternatively, try and include decaffeinated or herbal tea into your daily routine. Many people with skin disorders who are considering a Venus Viva treatment are also encouraged to increase their water intake, so this fix can have many positive outcomes.
- Apply Tea Bags to the Affected Area
Tea isn’t just awesome for upping your water intake. Instead of tossing the tea bags, place them under your eyes to reduce the appearance of bags and puffiness. The tea contains powerful antioxidants, and it can help increase the blood flow to the area.
- Get Enough Sleep
It’s important to get enough sleep, especially if you experience high-stress levels. While getting the recommended eight hours of sleep might not eliminate the dark lines that often accompany puffy eyes, it does prevent them from being so dark.
Additionally, where possible, stay elevated while you sleep. You can do this by adding an extra pillow underneath your head. Elevating your head prevents fluid from pooling in your lower eyelids and in the process eliminates the puffiness you may sometimes wake up with.
- Eat More Collagen-Rich Foods
It’s no secret that as we age our muscles and tissues weaken, also around our eyelids. When this happens, the skin under your eyes may begin to sag. We interpret this sagging as puffiness or even bagginess.
One easy way to counter this is to increase your daily intake of vitamin C. This increases your body’s absorption of hyaluronic acid which creates healthier skin. Furthermore, foods rich in vitamin C also boost your body’s collagen production. Some foods to include in your diet include:
- Oranges
- Broccoli
- Brussel sprouts
- Red peppers
- Strawberries
Final Thought
If the bag-like puffiness under your eyes is related to your age, then a cosmetic treatment may give your skin the rejuvenation it needs. In the meantime, though, you can use our expert tips to keep puffiness to a minimum!