The eyes tell a story to the rest of the world about your general health and lifestyle. Unfortunately, some of us are more prone to getting puffiness and bags under the eyes than others.
There are some things you can do at home to treat the appearance of puffy eyes and also some things you can do to prevent them from occurring.
Certain things are known to cause fluid to build up around the eye area. As many of you have experienced, watching a tear-jerker before bed practically guarantees waking up with bags.
Having a few too many cocktails the night before can also lead to puffy eyes in the morning. Allergies can have a similar effect on the eyes. This video by Fabhow illustrates the different causes of puffy eyes.
Treating and preventing puffy eyes at home is a great option. Usually, bags under the eyes are noticed first thing in the morning. In order to alleviate the appearance of
fluid retention, here are a few home remedies to have on hand.
Use Cold Spoons to Relieve Puffy Eyes
A metal spoon is shaped perfectly to help de-puff the area around the eyes. This method can help tighten the skin around the eyes in addition to relaxing the blood vessels. The cold metal not only feels soothing but it highly effective for combatting tired, inflamed eyes.
If puffy eyes in the morning are a common occurrence, or if you have been crying before bed or maybe imbibed in a bit too much alcohol, putting five or six spoons in the refrigerator overnight. In the morning they will be ready to fight those puffy eye issues.
In the morning, hold the round end of the spoon against the affected eye area until it eventually warms to body temperature. Replace each spoon as needed with another cold one from the refrigerator.
Prevent Puffy Eyes by Staying Hydrated
It may seem contrary to drink water in order to get rid of water around the eyes, but staying well hydrated is a key way to prevent and treat puffy eyes. When the body becomes dehydrated, it tends to retain water. This can cause the area under the eyes to swell.
In order to combat water retention, doctors say it is important to drink eight to ten glasses of water per day. Also, try not to ingest anything that may dehydrate you, like salt and caffeinated beverages.
Tea Bags Over the Eyes will Reduce Swelling
Placing tea bags over the eyes to reduce puffiness has been around a long time. This happens to be because the method works. Save your tea bags after they have been steeped and use them on your eyes, whether it is green tea or black tea.
Tea bags contain ingredients that reduce swelling, redness, and inflammation. Place two steeped tea bags in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Lie down or recline so that the tea bags will stay in place on your eyes for 10 to 15 minutes. This can be repeated a few times a day as needed.
Use Chilled Cucumbers to Chill Your Eyes Out
You have probably seen this remedy a time or two on television or in the movies. Usually, a woman has her face also covered with cold cream or a facial mask while donning this remedy. This time-honored recipe to reduce eye puffiness does hold weight.
Cucumbers contain enzymes and astringent ingredients which help to reduce inflammation in the eye area and tighten the skin. Dermatologist, Dr. Gregory Nikolaidis, explains that cucumbers can help to alleviate bags, but they do need to be chilled for the added effect of evaporation.
To use cucumbers on the eyes, cut a cucumber into thick slices. Chill the slices in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes. Place the slices on your eyes until they warm up. This can be repeated multiple times per day as needed.
Potatoes Can Be Used to Fight Eye Puffiness
Potatoes contain a starch that has anti-inflammatory properties. This starch will combat bags that you may have under your eyes.
To use potatoes on the eyes, peel, and wash a medium or small potato. Use a grater to slice up the potato and place the gratings in a small, clean cloth.
Tie the cloth up at the top with a rubber band or string. Place the cloth over your eyes for a few minutes. This can be repeated throughout the day.
Brush on Egg Whites to Alleviate Under Eye Bags
Egg whites can help alleviate puffiness under the eyes due to their skin tightening properties. To use egg whites, whip the whites of two eggs in a bowl until they are stiff. You can add a few drops of witch hazel, which will also help to tighten the skin.
Using a cloth or a small brush, apply the whites to the under-eye area and allow the mixture to dry. You should leave it on for approximately 15 minutes before washing it off.
Try Using Salt Water to Draw the Excess Fluid Out of the Eyes
Through a process similar to osmosis, saltwater can help with fluid retention around the eye area. This remedy works great for reducing puffiness and swelling under the eyes.
To use salt water, mix one-half teaspoon of salt with four cups of warm water. This will make saline that you can soak cotton balls or a clean cloth in.
Soak your cotton balls or small cloth in the salt mixture and place them over the eyes for a few minutes at a time to help draw out excess water. This can be repeated throughout the day.
Cold Water can be Used to Get Rid of Your Bags
Cold water constricts the blood vessels around the eye, tightening the skin and reducing puffiness. You can splash cold water repeatedly on the face, or use a cold compress. Gel packs can be a great way to soothe the eye area and reduce any swelling.
Fill a ziplock bag full of corn syrup and pop it in the freezer. You can add additional food coloring to the corn syrup to mimic the cold packs you buy in a drug store.
The high amount of sugar in the corn syrup prevents it from freezing solid like ice, but you may need to let it sit out to soften a bit before using.
Sleep on an Incline Instead of Flat to Prevent Swelling
Some people experience swollen eyes due to lying flat to sleep. To prevent fluid from pooling under the eyes, doctors say try propping the head of the bed up a bit.
Instead of propping just the pillows, which can cause a sore neck, try placing something under the mattress at the head to prop it up.
A Few Drops of Essential Oils May Reduce Puffy Eyes
Essential oils not only smell good but also contain medicinal properties as well. Some good oils to try for the eye area are lavender, chamomile, and lemon.
Lavender oil can soothe the nerves and skin in the under-eye area while chamomile and lemon contain anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties to reduce swelling and redness.
Try blending one drop each of lavender, lemon, and chamomile oils in one teaspoon of water. Massage this mixture under the eyes before bed to prevent bags from forming.
We all want to convey an image of health to the people around us, but puffy swollen eyes can make you look tired and in need of a better night’s sleep. When puffy eyes occur, having some ingredients and tools on hand to get rid of them fast is imperative.
Conclusion
Preventing bags from occurring in the first place by getting enough sleep, eliminating salt and alcohol from your diet, treating allergies, and staying hydrated is key.
For those times when prevention is not enough, keep things like cold compresses, spoons, cucumbers, potatoes, and essential oils on hand to eliminate them.
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