Waking up with puffy eyes is like a bad nightmare. Every woman has had one of those mornings when the mirror simply doesn't hide the truth. Lack of sleep, illness, irritation and stress all take their toll on your skin. For many, this translates into puffy eyes.
Puffy Eyes Triggers
While some people rarely experience puffy eyes, others seem to get them easily. Those with chronic puffy eyes can do something as simple as drink too much water before bedtime or eat too many salty foods and wake up the next day with a bloated face.
Puffy eyes, also known as "bags," can be caused by:
- Bending the head over for several hours during the previous day.
- Staying up too late at night.
- Allergies.
- Hormonal issues.
- Saggy skin caused by the normal aging process.
- Thyroid conditions or Graves' disease.
Call the Doctor?
If the eyes suddenly become swollen for no obvious reason, and they are painful, it's a good idea to call a doctor. Sudden puffiness near and under they eyes can be a sign of a serious condition which may need immediate attention.
However, if puffy eyes occur regularly, they can usually be treated at home with any one of several remedies.
Prevention
It's a lot easier to deal with puffy eyes if you take measures to prevent its occurrence.
The following are some tips on how to prevent the bags from developing:
- Sleep with the head elevated.
- Don't drink too many fluids right before going to sleep.
- Cut back on salt intake.
- Avoid placing wrinkle remover cream near the eyes. Wrinkle remover cream hydrates the skin to make wrinkles look less obvious. When used near the eyes, it can actually cause too much hydration, and puffiness is the result.
- Steer clear of oil-based makeup. The oil can cause the skin under the eyes to swell and become inflamed. Water-based and/or gel-based makeup is less harsh for sensitive skins.
- Avoid anything that can cause an allergic reaction. For example, sleeping on a feather pillow can cause puffiness under the eyes in some allergy sufferers.
- Always wash your makeup off each night, as the residue can fill the pores causing swelling.
Deflating Puffiness
If the area under the eyes is puffy, there are several methods to decrease the swollen appearance. If one solution does not work, simply try another until the best one is found.
- Wash the entire face with very cold water. The cold can get the blood moving through the veins in the face, and potentially flush out the excess water under the skin.
- Tap lightly on the bags to help encourage the fluid trapped in the area to dissipate. This must be done with caution because the skin under the eyes is very delicate.
- Use tea bags soaked in cold water, and rest them on the eyes for several minutes.
- If an allergic reaction is the suspected culprit, take an antihistamine to see if it reduces the swelling.
- Diuretics can help with water retention, so taking one can sometimes help the body expel excess fluids, but only use under the advice of a doctor.
Makeup as a Concealer
For those extra rushed morning when you wake up looking like you never slept, there is always the option of using makeup to hide the puffiness.
- Upper Eye Puffiness: If the puffiness is located in the upper eyelid area, dark eye shadow can help. Choose two coordinating shades, and apply the darker shade from the eyebrow down to the crease in the eyelid, and apply the lighter shade from the crease on the eye lid all the way down to the eye lashes.
- Under Eye Puffiness: Regular foundation can be used to try and hide puffiness. When the area has significant swelling, the foundation shade on those spots should be a little bit darker than what will be applied to the rest of the face.
Recommended Products
Depending on the cause of eye puffiness, Noevir's Perfecting Eye Cream has been designed to help the skin under the eyes re-build its elasticity. It can help firm the skin under the eyes and reduce swelling.
