The puffiness or swelling below eyes is referred to under eyes bags. As we age the tissues around our eyes weaken, including some of the muscles supporting our eyelids. Fat that helps support the eyes moves into the lower eyelids, causing them to appear puffy. Fluid may also accumulate below our eyes.
It does not affect the eyesight but may not look appealing.
Causes of bags under the eyes
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Natural ageing process: As we age the skin losses its firmness and starts sagging.
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High-salt diet: Eating a lot of salty foods may lead to water retention causing swelling especially below eyes.
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Medical conditions: Certain health conditions such as thyroid problems can cause the eyes to swell.
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Allergies: Inflammation and congestion from allergies can sometimes cause under-eye puffiness.
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Genetics: Under-eye bags can be a physical characteristic that may run in an individual’s family.
Tips to get rid of under eye bags
The under-eye bags may affect ones looks and appearance. There are certain simple and natural ways one can control and prevent swelling and puffiness under the eye.
Stay hydrated: Staying hydrated is vital as dehydration can lead to puffiness under the eye. One must consume 8-10 glasses of water during the day. One may increase the overall fluid intake to prevent under eye bags. This may include fruit juices, soup, flavoured waters, sparkling water, water infused with fruits, or herbal tea.
- Use a cold compress: A cold compress can provide goof relief from puffy eyes. Applying a cold towel to the swollen area can help the blood vessels constrict quickly for some relief. Some good options for cold compress are wet cloth soaked in ice, chilled teaspoon, cool cucumber, or bag of frozen veggies.
- Eat more collagen-rich foods: As we age, our muscles and tissues that support our eyelids weaken. This means that our skin may begin to sag, including the fat that surrounds our eyes. Increasing our intake of vitamin C can help our body absorb more hyaluronic acid. Foods rich in vitamin C and amino acids can also help with collagen production by boosting our levels of hyaluronic acid, creating healthier skin. Good sources of vitamin C include red pepper, oranges, and strawberries.
- Add iron-rich food to diet: Red blood cells carry oxygen to tissues in the body. Iron deficiency can cause dark circles under the eyes. Therefore, one must have enough iron. Some iron-rich foods include seafood, red meat, pork, poultry, peas, beans, leafy veggies, iron-fortified foods like cereals.
- Manage Allergies: One must try to reduce allergy and avoid excessive eyelid rubbing. Avoid things that cause allergies and consult doctor about treating allergy.
- Reduce Salt intake: Eating salty foods may contribute to under-eye bags. Salt affects our body’s fluid retention and can make us puffy overall. It may also lead to other health issues, like heart disease and stroke. One must also avoid processed food as it has high level of salt. Additionally, we must avoid adding extra salt to our food.
- Cut back on alcohol: Consuming alcohol may cause dehydration, and dehydration generally leads to puffiness and dark circles under our eyes. Therefore one must avoid alcohol, instead increase intake of water.
- Quit smoking: Smoking can contribute to faster collagen loss. This makes the delicate skin under our eyes even thinner, leading to more visible blood vessels. Nicotine present in cigarettes depletes our body’s stores of vitamin C, which is the vitamin responsible for creating healthy collagen in our skin. Smokers generally face skin issues like wrinkles, discoloration, under-eye bags, and dark circles.
- Wash your face before bed: Having a skin care regime, especially while we go to bed can help avoid bags under your eyes. It is essential to wash our face before bed each night, especially for those who wear makeup, as it may cause allergic reactions or cause infection, redness, or puffiness. Washing face before sleeping can help the skin rejuvenate.
- Sleep well: The most crucial thing to prevent puffy eyes is to have a good sleep. An undisturbed sleep of 7 and 8 hours is highly recommended as it allows our body to rest and recover from stress. In absence of enough sleep, we may experience headache and stress. It may even show up on our face in form of dark circles. Therefore, sleep well!
Additionally, dark under-eye circles may also result from genetics. But one may be able to reduce their appearance with lifestyle changes like getting more sleep, taking care of skin, cutting on alcohol, smoking, salt intake and having a vitamin C and iron rich diet.
