Eye Puffiness

Puffy eyes or bags under eyes is characterized by mild swelling around the eyes. The skin around the eyes are more sensitive and delicate, and is therefore most prone to wear and tear. Sometimes puffiness around the eyes is more prominent after you wake up in the morning, but gradually reduces during the day. Eye puffiness can also be caused due to hereditary factors as well as aging. As we age, the tissues that support our eyes begin to sag and weaken giving an appearance of under eye bags.

Causes of Puffy Eyes

There are several causes of puffy eyes, and some of the typical causes of under eye bags are as follows:

• Allergies are a common cause of eye puffiness. If you have puffy eyes accompanied by swelling, itching and fluid secretion, it might be an allergic reaction. Your physician might recommend an antihistamine if you are suffering from such allergies.
• Change in hormonal levels, especially during menopause can also cause puffiness around the eyes.
• The primary reason for puffy eyes is water retention, caused due to the accumulation of toxins in the body. Regular intake of water throughout the day, will help in getting rid of toxins, thereby reducing the probability of retaining water in the body.
• Over consumption of coffee and alcohol also causes bags under eyes. Too much sodium in your diet is another reason for water retention, leading to puffy eyes.
• Some forms of medicines can also cause under eye bags.

Remedies for Puffy Eyes

Here are some tips that you can follow to reduce puffy eyes.

• Chill two metal spoons in a refrigerator and place them over your eyes. The cold metal spoons constrict the blood vessels, giving an appearance of smooth skin.
• Make thin slices of cucumber and apply them over your eyes for about 10-15 minutes. There would be considerable reduction in puffiness.
• Stiffly beat an egg white, and add 2 drops of chamomile oil to it. Apply this mixture gently under your eyes and wash it off with lukewarm water. Egg white tightens the skin and reduces the appearance of under eye bags.
• Grate a medium-sized potato and squeeze out its juice. Mix the juice of half a lime and apply this mixture under your eyes for 10 minutes.
• Splash your face with cold water thrice a day to constrict blood vessels and reduce the appearance of puffiness under eyes.
• Dip two tea bags containing green tea in a bowl of ice-cold water. Place these teabags over your eyes for 10-15 minutes. Green tea contains tannin and antioxidants that help tighten skin.
• You can also apply castor oil or pure vitamin E oil around your eyes at night.

Some other treatment and preventive measures are to keep your head at a slightly elevated position while sleeping. You can do this by using an extra pillow. This will prevent fluid from pooling around the eyes. Use an under eye cream that is specially formulated to eliminate under eye bags. For added benefit, store the cream in a refrigerator and apply this cream at night using your finger with gentle circular movement. Always ensure that you remove your eye makeup before going to sleep. Use a good quality makeup remover and do not use any eye makeup like eye liners or mascaras that are more than six months old. Try to get 7 - 9 hours of sleep at night. Insufficient sleep can cause swelling and dark circles under eyes. Include lot of fruits and vegetables in your diet and reduce the intake of sodium.

A concealer can also be used to reduce the appearance of puffy eyes. Choose a concealer that has a creamy consistency with a yellow pigment and is two shades lighter than your skin. Gently blend in the concealer, starting from the inner corner of the eye. Finally a light dusting of sheer powder will keep the concealer in place. If you do not want to camouflage eye puffiness by applying makeup and are looking for a more permanent cure, you can consider cosmetic surgery. The procedure involves a small incision below the eye to remove fat deposits. Before going for such procedures, make sure that you consult a reputed doctor. With so many options available, you can bid goodbye to puffy eyes.