Most men and women experience unwanted puffiness or so-called “bags” under their eyes at some point in their lives. It can be stubborn and difficult to get rid of, but it’s not impossible to conquer, as long as you understand the cause of the problem.
As we age, the tissue structures and muscles that support the under eye area weaken, and as a result the skin starts to sag. The fat that is usually located below the eye moves lower down and the area may also accumulate fluid. In some cases this is completely out of our control, and in others, lifestyle factors may cause or contribute to the problem.
What causes or worsens puffiness?
Some factors include:
Fluid retention – largely due to too much salt or alcohol in your diet, when the body retains water, it may cause puffiness in the face and around the eye area.
Allergies – if you suffer from allergies like hayfever, you may find your puffiness is worse when your allergies are worse due to a build-up of fluid in your sinuses and around the eyes.
Smoking – smoking is bad for every part of your body and skin, and more recently, it has also been discovered that the nasty habit can cause puffiness by irritating the eyes (and this counts for second-hand smoke too!).
Family genes – do your parents have puffy eyes? Genes play a major role and could be the cause of yours.
Lack of sleep – though lack of sleep doesn’t cause puffiness, it can make it worse.
What about dark circles?
Dark circles are often accompanied by bags and puffiness, but may also occur on their own. The biggest cause is sleep deprivation. When you don’t sleep enough, your skin becomes dull and pale, allowing the dark tissue and blood vessels beneath your skin to show. They may also occur naturally when you age, as the skin becomes thinner and the fat and collagen around the eye area decreases. Allergies, dehydration, overexposure to the sun and genetics also play a role. Dark circles can also be due to pigmentation that forms around the orbital area, this is normally due to genetics.
“Quick” alleviators
In most cases, there is no quick fix for bags and puffiness, however, there are some lifestyle changes that may help improve their appearance and alleviate the swelling. Giving up smoking and cutting back on salt and alcohol may help, as will drinking more water and getting more sleep. Some people swear by resting tea bags or cucumber slices on their eyes, others hold a cold teaspoon on the area for a few minutes. Having said that, if you do not find relief after making some healthy lifestyle changes, it’s time to see a professional.
A professional approach
Skin Renewal has been dealing with unwanted under-eye bags and puffiness for years, and has various treatment options available depending on the client’s individual needs, the cause of the problem and the severity. Dermal fillers may be used when there is a hollow trough between the base of the puffiness and the top of the cheek. Mesotherapy injections can be used to dissolve fat cell walls if there is an excess of fat in the area. Another treatment is carboxytherapy, in which carbon dioxide is used to increase blood flow to the area. In addition to highly-effective treatments, Skin Renewal also offers topical products to complement your treatment program. To wave goodbye to puffiness and under eye bags for good, book an appointment at your nearest Skin Renewal branch.
This post was sponsored by Skin Renewal.
One Response
Some good tips and solutions suggested here – I suffer from terrible eye puffiness in Winter especially, along with dark eye circles. I’d never thought it could be linked to dehydration though and will be upping my water intake to see if it helps.