Puffiness Under Eyes - Causes & Remedies

How often have your friends and family advised you to sleep and eat right when the skin under your eyes gets puffy? How many times has that not worked? While lack of sleep and a poor lifestyle contribute to under-eye puffiness, they are not the only cause.

Along with skin darkening and depressed appearances, puffiness is a common sign of aging due to the skin structure changing as we age. Several other underlying causes could also lead to the same experience. Reducing puffiness starts with understanding the cause and taking appropriate action.

What Causes Puffiness under the Eyes?

Puffiness usually occurs when the tissue structures and muscles supporting the eyelids begin to weaken. As a result, the skin starts sagging, and fat from around the eyes moves into the area below them. The undereye area also becomes puffy or swollen when fluid gathers.

Fluid retention can occur for numerous reasons, and overconsumption of salt is one of them. It may also result from dehydration. Insufficient oxygen being delivered to the tissues around the eyes due to low iron levels can lead to premature skin aging.

Allergies, smoking, overconsumption of alcohol, poor sleep quality, and diet can also be responsible. Eye puffiness could also be a symptom of a medical condition like dermatitis or thyroid disease.

How to Reduce Puffiness around the Eyes?

The good thing is there is a way to manage under-eye puffiness. The not-so-secret solution is good skincare and mindful lifestyle changes. So let's take a closer look.

Say yes to caffeine - Caffeine isn't good for waking you up. It is easy on the eyes too. That's one reason it has become a star player in the skincare space. Eye gels with active ingredients like licorice, caffeine, and other antioxidants nourish the sensitive skin under the eyes and help reduce puffiness.
Gels are also lightweight and do not need vigorous massaging to be absorbed into the skin, which is another plus. The best way to use it is to chill the gel overnight before applying it in the morning.

Invest in a good eye cream - A moisturizing eye cream packed with green tea, caffeine, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, vitamins C, E, and K, ceramides, and peptides help reduce inflammation and constrict blood vessels to aid with puffiness.

Hydrate - Drinking about four liters of water daily can help reduce puffiness. When you are dehydrated, your body tries to hold on to all the fluid it can. As a result, the facial skin cells under the eyes swell up. It may also lead to panda eyes if left untreated.

Try spooning - Two clean spoons chilled overnight and pressed against the eyes for a few minutes will help constrict the blood vessels and reduce inflammation. You can also try other cold compress techniques.

Give massage a shot - Lightly tapping the area around the eyes and massaging pressure points encourages lymphatic drainage. Most dermatologists recommend using a face oil or a face moisturizer to help the skin stay taut and healthy.

Watch out for allergies - Along with dark circles and puffiness, allergies can also cause the eyes to water and make them itchy. If the cause is environmental, you should try some medicines to reduce allergies.

Tip: Try using a gua sha to gently drain toxins and improve blood supply around the eyes to reduce dark circles.

You should also be aware of what you are allergic to. You could save yourself from many issues by not using skin care products with such ingredients.

Hit snooze - Like it or not, a lack of sleep can lead to dark circles and puffiness or at least make them more apparent. It is a sign that your body is tired. Eight hours of sleep is highly recommended.

Stay elevated - Elevating your head while sleeping, like using two pillows, for instance, can help to prevent the pooling of fluids in the lower eyelid.

Take off your makeup - Removing all traces of makeup before going to bed is a cardinal skincare rule. One that applies to preventing eye puffiness too. Sleeping with makeup on will irritate the skin and leave it vulnerable to infections that cause puffiness and redness. It also exposes the skin to free radicals which can cause significant damage.

Eat collagen and iron-rich foods - Foods like oranges, kale, red peppers, and broccoli are rich in vitamin C and amino acids. They help the body absorb more hyaluronic acid and boost collagen production. This, in turn, boosts collagen production and reduces the chances of skin sagging.

Iron deficiency can also cause puffiness and dark circles because insufficient oxygen is carried to the tissues. Increasing your intake of red meat, leafy vegetables, beans, dried fruits, etc., will help boost iron levels. In the case of severe anemia, supplements may be required, but they should be taken only if advised by a doctor.

Ease up on salt - Salt is often the main culprit behind fluid retention leading to overall puffiness. Control your salt intake by focusing on processed food consumption and opting for whole foods like fruits and veggies.

Choose oils - Oils rich in vitamin E fight the effects of free radicals. Coconut oil is a good source of vitamin E and acts as a natural moisturizer. It thus helps hydrate and nourishes the sensitive skin under the eyes.

Look in your kitchen - Several home remedies have proven to be successful when dealing with puffiness and dark circles—the ingredients for which can be found in your kitchen. Cold tea bags, potato juice, cold milk, orange juice, and turmeric are especially effective.

Cut back on alcohol and smoking - Among other things, alcohol causes dehydration, and smoking depletes stores of vitamin C, both of which are significant contributors to puffiness under the eyes.

Call the doctor - Usually, puffy eyes are not a red flag for a serious condition. If the puffiness hasn’t lessened despite a healthy diet, good sleep patterns, and regular skincare, there could be a cause for concern. You should consult your doctor or dermatologist.

You may also try our Vitamin C Under Eye Cream. Enriched with Vitamin C and Gotu Kola, it helps illuminate the under-eye skin and reduce puffiness. It comes with an inbuilt massager that helps send the nutrients deep into the skin layers and reduce hyperpigmentation. This under-eye cream is also enriched with Hyaluronic Acid and Niacinamide, improving the skin’s texture.

The takeaway

The skin around the eyes is sensitive and needs additional care. That's why dermatologists emphasize incorporating eye creams into your daily skincare routine. Undereye puffiness can be hard to avoid, especially with an on-the-go lifestyle, but it can be managed.

A few mindful changes to your routine and choosing products that nourish and heal will help make puffiness around the eyes one less thing to worry about. You should use safe and toxin-free skincare products and avoid the chemically-enriched ones.