Bags and shadows under your eyes are a common occurrence. They make you look dull and haggard. The treatment strategy often depends on its cause, and the care may vary with every individual. Here is some advice that may help to lessen or eliminate the puffiness and darkness under the eyes:
- Cold compresses over the eyes may lessen the puffiness under your eyes. Use a clean washcloth and wet it in cool water. Sit upright and place it around your eyes for a few minutes. Rinse and repeat. You may also use chilled cucumbers and chilled tea bags to achieve the results.
- Get enough sleep of 7-9 hours daily.
- Prop up your head while sleeping by simply adding an extra pillow. Sleep with your head raised slightly.
- Avoid smoking because it can contribute to faster collagen loss. It also makes the delicate skin under your eyes thinner, resulting in more visible blood vessels.
- Use cosmetics, such as a concealer, to cover shadows under your eyes.
- If you are allergic to certain skin products such as soaps, shampoos, and creams avoid them whenever you can.
- If you have painful, itchy red eyes, you must see an eye doctor.
- To reduce dark circles, your eye doctor may suggest topical creams containing
- Vitamin C.
- Hydroquinone.
- Arbutin extract and kojic acid.
Why do you get puffy eyes?
Puffy eyes or baggy eyes (infra-orbital edema) are caused by swelling under your eyes. It occurs because of an excessive fluid buildup around the eyes. It may look like sagging of the skin under the eyes.
It often occurs as we grow older. The tissues around the eyes gradually weaken and sags down with increasing age. The skin under the eyes loses tone, and it gives rise to a bulged out and swelling appearance. Fluids can also pool in the under-eye, resulting in puffy eyes along with under-eye shadows and dark circles. Other factors that can contribute to it include:
- Retaining fluid often after waking up
- Crying a lot
- Not getting enough sleep
- Smoking
- Allergies to certain chemicals
- Excessive salt intake in food
- Hormonal causes such as thyroid imbalance
- Hereditary (run in families)
- Certain medications; consult your doctor if you are receiving the following medicines, which may increase the chances of puffy eyes:
- Imatinib (very common)
- Acetaminophen
- Aliskiren
- Aripiprazole
- Bleomycin hydrochloride
- Cetirizine
- Clonazepam
- Clozapine
- Diltiazem
- Doxycycline
- Latanoprost
- Nifedipine
- Nilotinib
- Sulfadiazine
- Sulfasalazine
SLIDESHOW
Plastic Surgery: Before and After Photos of Cosmetic Surgeries See SlideshowWhat are noninvasive skin therapies?
To tighten skin, improve its tone, and reduce puffy eyes, the doctor may suggest:
- Laser therapy: Ablative resurfacing is a powerful technique to improve puffy eyes. It treats irregular pigments around your eyes and tightens the skin. It improves concealment of under eyes and reduces the visibility of blood vessels. Q-switch laser technique is effective to treat dark circles by disrupting pigments under the skin. Often it is suggested, in addition to retinoid and hydroquinone therapy. The pulsed dye laser is also beneficial to reduce dark circles.
- Chemical peeling: Chemical peeling is often suggested with other medicinal therapies or sometimes used alone to treat dark circles under the eyes. It is beneficial in improving pigment irregularities.
- Soft tissue fillers: Hyaluronic acid (HA) filler is the best choice of treatment for managing the under-eye irregularities, which cause dark shading under the eye.
- Intense pulsed light (IPL): The broad wavelength of light usually ranges between 500 and 1200 nm that is applied to the skin using coupling gel. This light targets melanin pigments under the skin and improves the skin tone under the eye.
- Radiofrequency (RF): This device uses energy produced by an electric current that contracts collagen protein under the skin and stimulates new collagen production. It helps to achieve skin tightening under the eye with some small risks. This device can be used to treat a wide variety of skin types.
References
WebMD. Slideshow: Banish the Bags Under Your Eyes. https://www.webmd.com/beauty/ss/slideshow-banish-the-bags-under-your-eyes
MedicineNet. How to Get Rid of Bags Under Your Eyes. https://www.medicinenet.com/eye_bags/article.htm
MedicineNet. How to Get Rid of Bags Under Your Eyes. https://www.medicinenet.com/eye_bags/article.htm
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