If there's one thing that can make you look years older than you actually are, it's puffy eyes. Your eyes are typically the first thing people notice about you, and their appearance can unfairly dictate your youthfulness. So how do you get rid of the problem?
Here's a collection of natural home remedies for puffy eyes and bags. Take a look at each easy method closely, as they can be combined to create a comprehensive regime that will protect you from swelling and ensure that you always look rejuvenated. Before you start tackling the issue, it's good to know why bags appear in the first place.
Swelling can occur due to a number of reasons. Contrary to popular belief, the issue isn't just a problem for the elderly. It can affect you in your 20s, though the problem does get noticeably worse the older you get if you're not proactive about fighting it. In some cases, people have a genetic predisposition for bags under their eyes.
While it may be hereditary, it's avoidable with a bit of extra precaution. Essentially, bags and swelling are deposits of fat and fluids that can accumulate over time. As you get older, the delicate skin and supporting muscles under the eyes get weaker. The natural decline in collagen production affects the tissue in the area, causing the skin to sag. Eventually, the fat around your eyes will migrate to this pocket of saggy skin to produce a swollen appearance.
Beyond the effects of aging, swelling is also caused by fluid retention. Certain foods, hormonal changes within the body, environmental factors, and health conditions can cause your body to retain fluid.
Unfortunately, it's often stored in the most accessible place, which is under the eyes. It's not uncommon for swelling to occur during certain times of the year because of seasonal allergies and hormonal changes. Certain lifestyle choices and behaviors can also change the way your eyes look. As mentioned earlier, the skin under the eyes is very delicate. It's easily affected by the chemicals and toxins you put into your body.
Even something as simple as rubbing the skin can agitate it, resulting in noticeable swelling. Despite the many causes, you can learn how to get rid of puffy eyes. This cosmetic issue can be managed naturally. All it takes is some careful planning, a change to your daily routine, and some healthy lifestyle choices to keep the swelling at bay.
Avoid Excessive Salt
Sodium is an important nutrient that helps to regulate water in cells. However, too much of it will cause you to retain water throughout the body. It's prevalent in areas around the face, such as under the chin and in the bags under your eyes. To remain healthy, it's ideal to consume approximately 1,500 milligrams of sodium per day. If you consume more than that, you're putting your health and appearance at risk.
Salt is fine in moderation, but it's always good to limit your intake. Avoid junk foods that have a high salt content and choose healthier alternatives like celery, which has around 32 milligrams of salt per stalk. If you're using salt to season your food, go with a small amount of natural Himalayan sea salt. It's a healthier alternative to traditional table salt that contains more beneficial minerals. By limiting your salt intake, you can decrease your water retention and reduce swelling under your eyes.
Ditch the Cigarettes
Cigarette smoke is chock full of harmful toxins and chemicals. It has over 4,000 different chemicals that can cause premature signs of aging. Regular smoking will dry out your skin, causing it to get weaker. Because that smoke is often blown around your face, the already delicate skin under the eyes is further compromised. Smoking restricts blood flow in your body and damages elastin and collagen in your skin.
These fibers play a key role in your skin's strength and resilience. Damage can result in droopy skin and increased swelling that adds years to your appearance. Smoking can also irritate your eyes, which results in more damage to the skin and causes your body to retain even more water. Ditching cigarettes altogether is one of the best ways to alleviate under-eye swelling.
After you stop smoking, your body will slowly heal itself. You may be able to regain elasticity in your skin and prevent further damage from occurring.
Decrease Your Alcohol Intake
If you drink frequently, you're putting your skin through a lot of stress and damage. Alcohol causes dehydration, which manifests itself through dark discoloration around the eyes, and in dry skin. This happens because alcohol affects the way anti-diuretic hormones are produced. Production decreases significantly when alcohol is absorbed. As a result, your body is losing more fluid than normal. You're not able to reabsorb water without the hormone.
When you become dehydrated, your body will naturally attempt to retain as much water as possible. Excessive drinking can also lead to bloodshot eyes and irritation. You can limit the effects of dehydration by decreasing your daily alcohol intake. Consuming as much as a glass of wine per day is fine. You should avoid drinks with a high alcohol content. If you do end up drinking, it's a good idea to drink a lot of water to ensure that you don't become dehydrated.
Drink Plenty of Water
One of the best home remedies for puffy eyes is drinking plenty of water. Ideally, you should be consuming 8 to 10 glasses each day. The more water you consume, the healthier you'll be. Water keeps your cells and skin hydrated. That extra fluid being stored under your eyes will diminish. It's best to avoid caffeinated, sugary, carbonated, and alcoholic drinks.
Drinking a lot of water will also help keep you healthy by flushing out harmful toxins that may be flowing throughout your body. When it comes to the condition of your skin, water helps to avoid loss of elasticity. Water binds to collagen and works to keep your skin supple.
The skin underneath your eyes will have the moisture it needs to stay tight. Water will also help to provide a youthful glow. Discoloration and dullness is a byproduct of dehydration, so drink plenty of water to keep your eyes looking young.
Get a Good Night's Rest
Knowing how to get rid of bags under your eyes before you go to bed can make a noticeable difference the next morning. There are a few ways to achieve this as you sleep. The first thing is to make sure that you're getting at least 7 hours of uninterrupted sleep every night. Tiredness can result in puffiness and discoloration. The blood vessels underneath your skin around your eyes can dilate with lack of sleep, causing a noticeable change in appearance.
Even if you're sleeping well, it's important to make sure that your body is in the right position. Sleeping with your face against a pillow can cause irritation and fluid build-up. Gravity will make fluid accumulate underneath your eyes naturally. It's best to sleep with your head slightly elevated to prevent the fluids from creeping up. It's also important to remove any makeup before sleeping to prevent irritation.
Supplement Your Body's Natural Collagen Production
Collagen is a protein that plays an important role in your overall health. While it's naturally produced in the body, that production level will decrease as you age. A lack of collagen results in the saggy skin underneath your eyes. Collagen is responsible for cell turnover and affects the skin's overall firmness and elasticity. You can help to prevent saggy skin under your eyes by increasing your intake of collagen.
There are a number of great collagen supplements available. They come in pill form and can be taken with a glass of water. Alternatively, you can eat collagen-rich foods. These include bone broth, carrots, sweet potatoes, and more. Many orange-colored fruits and vegetables contain high levels of Vitamin A, which helps to restore damaged collagen in the skin.
Foods that are rich in Omega Fatty Acids like fish are also beneficial. They protect the membrane around the skin cells, which has a beneficial effect on collagen and elastin.
Protect Your Skin from the Sun
Harmful UV rays from the sun can damage the sensitive skin around your eyes. They cause the cells in your skin to deteriorate, damage blood vessels and weaken fibrous tissue. Constant exposure will ultimately cause your skin to age much faster than normal, which results in discoloration and sagging skin underneath the eyes. An effective way to prevent this from occurring is to keep your skin shielded using sunscreen and glasses.
A mineral-based sunscreen can scatter light so that it doesn't penetrate the skin. It also absorbs UV rays before they can reach the skin underneath. High-quality sunglasses work in a similar way. A protective coating on the lens absorbs UV rays and filters light so that your eyes and skin aren't damaged. It's best to get sunglasses with large lenses that provide full protection to your eyes and the surrounding skin.
By properly shielding your skin from the sun, you can prevent dehydration and excessive damage over time.
Avoid Artificial Sweeteners
Artificial sweeteners are used in a variety of products to provide a traditional sweet taste without the calories. They're a chemical additive that can have an effect on your overall health and appearance. There are a number of different artificial sweeteners on the market. They include aspartame, saccharin, xylitol, and sucralose.
These products should be avoided as much as possible because they can cause your body to retain water much like excessive sodium. They can be difficult for your body to digest and process. This tricks the body into thinking that you're dehydrated. It's best to avoid diet soda drinks and coffee sweeteners. Instead, go for a natural sweetening product like honey, raw sugar, or coconut sugar.
Cutting chemical sweeteners out of your diet can help to reduce eye swelling significantly.
Get More Iron Into Your Diet
If you're trying to get rid of puffy eyes with little to no effect, it may be caused by an iron deficiency. One of the most overlooked side-effects of iron deficiency, also known as anemia, is water retention. Iron is used to produce hemoglobin in your blood. Hemoglobin enables red blood cells to carry oxygen throughout your body. A lack of iron decreases this process, which results in discoloration and slight dehydration of the skin.
To combat these effects, extra fluid is stored under your eyes. Iron deficiency is most common among younger women. Extra iron can be introduced into your diet with supplements or iron-rich food. Spinach, broccoli, and various types of seafood all have high levels of iron to help supplement a deficiency. Over time, your body's production of hemoglobin will return to normal and your body will stop retaining excess water.
Consume Vitamins, Antioxidants, and Healthy Acids
There are a number of home remedies for bags under eyes that involve fruits and vegetables. Produce that has high levels of essential nutrients can help prevent swelling. Foods like strawberries, citrus fruits, and bitter almonds all contain high levels of alpha hydroxy acid. This acid is known to improve the skin's texture and elasticity while helping to prevent puffiness.
Antioxidant-rich foods like pomegranate, dark chocolate, and kidney beans work to fight off free radicals in your skin. They can help to protect your skin from harmful toxins and radiation to keep it tight and youthful. Many plants can also be applied topically to help with swelling.
Plant oils and raw aloe vera contain Vitamin E, which may help to reduce puffiness and keep your skin cells safe from harm. Regular consumption of nutrient-rich foods will benefit your skin in the long run. They'll help you prevent premature aging and sagging around the eyes.
Use Anti-Inflammatory Foods
Anti-inflammatory products are used to reduce swelling. They block harmful enzymes and reduce the production of prostaglandins to control irritation and puffiness. There are a number of natural foods with anti-inflammatory properties that can be used instead of chemical products. These include cucumbers, tea, and potatoes.
Cucumbers are full of beneficial enzymes and have astringent properties that constrict the skin for a tighter appearance. Cucumber slices are one of the easiest home remedies for bags under eyes. Simply slice the cucumber into thin circular pieces, let them chill in the refrigerator for 10 minutes, and place them onto your eyes until they become room temperature.
The starch in potatoes has similar anti-inflammatory properties to those of cucumbers. Instead of placing slices onto your eyes, you should grate a potato into thin slices. Place these slices in a soft cloth and tie it up to create a simple compress. Let it rest on the eyes until the swelling subsides.
Green or black tea bags can also be used. Simply steep two bags of tea in hot water so that they're wet. Remove them from the water and let them chill for half an hour. Once ready, place them on the eyes and relax for another half hour.
Use Salt Water
While excess sodium within the body does cause water retention, you can learn how to get rid of swollen eyes with salt water outside of the body. Salt can be used to draw out excess fluid and help relieve your sinuses. Salt can draw out fluid through the process of osmosis. To reduce swelling on your eyes, create a salt water mix with 1/2 a teaspoon of salt and 4 cups of warm water. Then, soak cotton balls or pads in the solution.
Apply the wet cotton onto your eyes and relax for a few minutes. You can repeat the process for up to 20 minutes. To clean out your sinuses, you'll need to invest in a Neti Pot. Seasonal allergies can cause a buildup of mucus and fluid in your sinuses. Sinuses are located throughout your face and can cause your eyes to look swollen.
Create the salt water mixture and pour it into the Neti Pot. Then, pour the mixture out of the spout into one nostril. Breathe through your mouth and let your sinuses drain completely out of your other nostril.
Apply a Cold Compress Water
A dramatically cold temperature can help to reduce swelling by shocking the blood vessels within your skin. The vessels will constrict, reducing the heavy blood flow in the area underneath your eye. You can utilize a few different methods to achieve this. The easiest method is by using cold water. Simply splash your face with cold water throughout the day to bring the puffiness down slowly. You can also create a cold compress.
Fill a leak-proof bag with ice and wrap it in a smooth towel. Then, lie back and apply the towel to your eyes for a few minutes at a time. Alternatively, you can use a washcloth soaked in ice water. Another easy method is to use cooled spoons. Place a few spoons in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes.
Apply the rounded side of the spoon to your puffy eye until the spoon reaches room temperature. You can repeat the process as many times as needed.
Facial Exercises and Massages
Just like strength exercises keep your body in good condition, facial exercises can help to keep the skin taut. Regular exercises can help prevent sagging underneath your eyes by strengthening muscles throughout your face. You can learn how to get rid of bags under your eyes over time by performing a lower eyelid exercise. Place your index fingers at the outside corner of your eyes and the middle finger on the inside corner.
Apply slight pressure and lift your lower lid without squinting your eyes. Repeat this 10 times per day. Facial massages can also be used to relieve eye puffiness. Massages can be performed when you first wake up before you get out of bed. Place slight pressure on the skin underneath your eye and glide your finger across using an arc motion.
Use your ring finger to perform the massage because it's the weakest and helps to ensure that you're not applying too much pressure.
Use a Natural Eye Cream
Eye Cream can be used to give your skin an extra boost of moisture. Cream can be used throughout the day to keep your skin hydrated and at night to prevent irritation. Continual use can help save your skin's elasticity so that bags don't form. Instead of buying a cream filled with chemicals, you can make a natural alternative at home.
Healthy ingredients like shea butter or coconut oil will act as the base of the cream. You can then add ingredients like rosehip oil, lavender essential oil, and lemon oil. Avoid synthetic fragrances and additives. If needed, you can also add a bit of aloe vera or cucumber juice. These have anti-inflammatory properties that will help prevent swelling.
Conclusion
While puffy eyes aren't typically a cause for concern, there's no reason to feel ashamed for wanting to get rid of them. They can age you dramatically and give off an appearance of tiredness or sadness. Knowing how to get rid of swollen eyes can do wonders for your overall appearance and confidence.
You can also work to avoid the issue for as long as possible by protecting your overall health and skin. Swelling and puffy circles underneath your eyes are completely avoidable by making simple changes to your everyday life. While there are products to provide temporary relief or mask issues as they come up, nothing beats natural remedies and ongoing preventative care. You can save money and prevent potentially dangerous side effects by following these easy tips.
While some tips are designed to tackle specific causes, each method is easy enough to implement in your daily routine. You can combine these remedies to stay healthy, protect your skin from damage, avoid harmful habits, and prevent water retention. Collectively, the remedies treat all the basic causes of puffy eyes, allowing you to avoid the issue and maintain your youthful look for many years to come.
