Easy and Pain-Free Ways to Treat Puffy Eyes
Puffy eyes affect how you look and feel. For some, they can even be painful or caused by a medical condition. This blog explains why those bags under your eyes keep hanging around and how to get rid of them for good.
Causes of Puffy Eyes
Bags under the eyes, or puffy eyes refer to the optical surplus of fat, skin, and moisture, in the lower tear trough. The tear trough is the space between the lower eyelid and the upper cheek.
One of the main causes of that puffy look is skin aging around the eyes. As we get older, the tissue in our eyelids weakens. The thin skin under the eyes loosens and begins to sage.
But aging is just one of the causes for those dark circles. There are several other reasons why individuals experience puffy eyes, including:
- Allergies: Inflammation and congestion from allergies can aggravate under-eye puffiness in some cases.
- High-salt diet: When you eat a lot of salty foods, it can cause you to retain water, leading to swelling.
- Genetics: Under-eye bags could be a hereditary physical characteristic.
- Medical conditions: Certain medical conditions like thyroid issues could cause your eyes to become swollen.
At-Home Treatments for Puffy Eyes
During allergy season, or after having a few drinks, you may find your eyes look puffy. If you’re experiencing a sudden case of bags under your eyes, use the following to help reduce their appearance.
Always remember that if your symptoms worsen or persist you should speak to a medical professional.
- Elevate your head while you sleep
- Quit smoking
- Take OTC allergy medication
- Get a good night’s sleep
- Reduce salt in your diet
Other at-home remedies to try:
Apply A Cold Compress
Apply a cold compress to affected areas. This will decrease swelling and inflammation by reducing blood flow.
Anything cold placed on the area for several minutes will work. Just go to your freezer and find something that isn’t stiff. Try using an ice pack or bag of frozen veggies.
If you plan ahead, you can use a cold spoon or chilled cucumber slices as other great options.
Increase Your Collagen Intake
Collagen is a protein found in your skin, muscles, bones, ligaments, and tendons. It accounts for around 30% to 40% of your body’s proteins.
As you get older, your body produces less collagen. The tissues and muscles supporting your eyelids become weaker. This leads to extra fat and skin sagging around the eye.
Increasing your intake of vitamin C can help with collagen production. But incorporating the best vital nutrients for your hair, skin, and nail health is the best way to achieve results that last.
Include Hyaluronic Acid
Hyaluronic acid is an essential acid that’s found naturally in your body. However, the amount of stored hyaluronic acid in your body decreases as you age.
Hyaluronic acid helps your body lock in moisture. It keeps skin firm and supple by reducing the number of visible lines. Incorporate it into your daily skin routine to see fewer wrinkles and dark circles around your eyes.
Many people take hyaluronic acid as a supplement, but you can find it in topical serums. Its moisture and lubricating abilities are so powerful they’re even used in eye drops to alleviate dry eyes.
Reach for Caffeine
Caffeine is a vasoconstrictor, which means it tightens and compresses your blood vessels. Many cosmetic companies sell caffeine-rich eye creams to reduce puffy eyes.
If you’re in a pinch, rest chilled caffeinated black tea bags on your closed eyes for a quick at-home fix.
Remove Your Makeup
Prevent under-eye bags by improving your nighttime routine. Washing your face each night before bed will help increase your circulation and reduce puffiness.
It will also remove excess oils and skin that tend to get built up near the eyes causing inflammation.
Removing makeup before bed will reduce irritation, and the chance of infection or allergic reactions.
Forgetting to wash your face before bed can cause damage to skin or wrinkles. Leaving makeup on means you’re exposing your skin to unnecessary free radicals. This creates what’s known as oxidative stress which could cause premature skin aging.
Cosmetic Treatments that Help Reduce Puffy Eyes
When your undereye circles become chronic or increase in visibility and frequency, it’s time to consider something more than at-home remedies.
There are various types of cosmetic treatments to combat skin aging that are non-invasive. Most have little to no recovery time and can even be done during a lunch break.
Some of the services that a reputable medspa with qualified doctors and medical estheticians will provide are:
Chemical Peels
Chemical peels provide your skin with a thorough and deep exfoliation. They help remove unhealthy and dead skin cells, exposing your new, fresh skin beneath.
When thinning skin around your eyes leads to under-eye bags and puffiness, chemical peels are often the first choice of treatment.
A skin peel improves the tone, texture, and clarity of the skin. It minimizes fine lines, wrinkles, and age spots. Combine a peel and a facial for a deep clean and a bright fresh look.
Facial Fillers
Facial fillers or injectables are a common cosmetic treatment for dark circles and under-eye bags. Injectable facial fillers and serums add volume to saggy skin which eliminates fine lines.
Many fillers even tackle signs of aging and boost elastin and collagen production.
Facial fillers are used to eliminate puffy eyes regardless of their cause, but it’s particularly effective on circles caused by hyperpigmentation. Fillers are able to eliminate excess melanin that has formed pockets in the skin.
Juvederm is a filler treatment that is FDA-approved and helps reduce and eliminate dark circles under the eyes. It offers a strong volumizing effect to decrease the look of crow’s feet and bags.
Skin Tightening Laser Treatment
A skin resurfacing laser treatment heats connective tissue near the eyes. It stimulates the production of collagen which tightens and lifts skin.
Skin tightening helps to reverse the appearance of aging. It provides a less painful, noninvasive treatment for firm skin with little downtime.
Following the treatment, your skin will continue to improve as new collagen growth takes place at your skin’s dermal level.
Your under-eye area is an extremely delicate part of your face. If procedures are not performed properly, it could lead to serious complications.
Work with a board-certified, experienced practitioner who specializes in under-eye treatments. Contact Vibrance Medspa to schedule a consultation.
