How to Get Rid of Puffy Eyes

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There are many ways to help reduce puffiness around your eyes. Some remedies are simple, like drinking more water. Others are more involved, like getting cosmetic surgery.

Here are some tips and tricks to try to get rid of puffy eyes.

1. Get enough sleep

Logging a good night’s sleep regularly will help you reduce puffy eyes. Adults need around 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night. To ensure you’re sleeping enough, create a bedtime routine and stick to it.

It’s important to remember that your bedtime routine starts long before you lie down to sleep. To get a good night’s rest, the Mayo Clinic suggests that you should:

• Stick to a sleep schedule.
• Stop drinking caffeine at least 6 hours before bedtime.
• Stop drinking alcohol close to bedtime.
• Finish eating dinner about 3 hours before bedtime.
• Finish exercising several hours before bedtime.
• Turn off electronics 1 to 2 hours before bedtime.

2. Prop yourself up

Sleep with a few pillows under your head to avoid fluid settling around your eyes. If you’re unable to sleep at an angle on a wedge pillow or a stack of pillows, try raising the head of your bed a bit for the same effect.

Shop for wedge pillows online.

To do this, put a stack of books or another wedge under the feet of your bed on the side where you rest your head. If you notice a difference in how often or severe your eyes puff up, consider a more stable solution, like bed risers.

Shop for bed risers online.

3. Address your allergies

Talk with your doctor if you have year-round or seasonal allergies. Allergies can cause your eyes to redden, swell, and puff up. This may prompt you to rub your eyes more, resulting in further puffiness.

Your doctor can help create a treatment plan to alleviate your symptoms. This may include eye drops and over-the-counter or prescription medications.

4. Drink enough water

Eye puffiness can be the result of dehydration. Make sure you drink plenty of water every day to keep your skin healthy. The general rule of thumb is to drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water daily.

To stay on track, consider setting an hourly reminder on your phone. You can also use a refillable water bottle marked with specific times to help you drink enough water throughout the day.

Shop for time-marked water bottles online.

5. Avoid alcohol

Try to limit or avoid alcohol and other drinks that can make you dehydrated. Dehydration can result in puffy eyes, so it may be best to have a glass of water instead.

If you’re tired of plain water, infusing it with fresh fruit is a great way to stay hydrated and refreshed. Try adding your fruit of choice to a water bottle for infused water that lasts all day long.

Shop for personal water bottles online.

6. Pass on the salt

Eating too much salt can cause additional fluid retention in your body. It can also lead to other health issues, such as a greater risk of heart problems and stroke.

According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the current daily value for sodium is 2,300 milligrams (mg). However, the American Heart Association recommends limiting sodium to 1,500 mg per day.

More than 70 percent of sodium found in American diets comes from processed or restaurant foods. To reduce your salt intake, steer clear of cured meats, cheese, breads, and other processed foods.

Prepackaged foods like instant soups are often high in sodium. Reading labels can help you identify excessive amounts of salt.

Instead, eat more whole foods like fresh vegetables and fruits.

7. Eat more potassium

Potassium can help reduce excess fluids in your body, so you may want to ramp up your potassium intake. You can do this by adding bananas, beans, yogurt, and leafy greens to your diet.

If you’re already eating a potassium-rich diet, talk to your doctor about whether your potassium level is fine as-is or if you can safely add a potassium supplement to your daily routine.

8. Use a cool compress

You can reduce eye puffiness by resting a cool washcloth on your eyelids for about 10 minutes. This can help drain excess fluid from under your eyes.

A compress of green or black tea bags may also do the trick. The tea contains antioxidants and caffeine that can reduce inflammation and constrict blood vessels.

9. Try an eye cream

There are many eye creams on the market that may relieve puffiness. Some ingredients to look for in an eye cream include chamomile, cucumber, and arnica. These all contain properties that may reduce inflammation and tighten the skin.

Eye creams and makeup with caffeine may also help reduce puffy eyes.

10. Talk to your doctor about cosmetic surgery

If your eye puffiness is severe, and if lifestyle changes or other remedies don’t work, you may want to consider cosmetic surgery.

One type of surgery is blepharoplasty, which is eyelid surgery. During this procedure, a doctor moves or removes excess fat, muscle, and skin in your eyelid.

Your doctor may also have recommendations for laser treatments, chemical peels, or prescription medications to help serious cases of puffy eyes.

One of the main causes of puffy eyes is aging. The skin under your eyes is very thin, which augments any changes that may occur in your body as you age.

Over time, the tissue in your eyelids can weaken. This can cause fat in your upper eyelid to fall, coming to rest in your lower eyelid.

Fluid may also be more likely to get trapped in your lower eyelid as you age. Fluid retention is known as edema. The thin skin around your eyelid can cause fluid retention to be very prominent, resulting in puffy eyes.

You may notice that your eyes appear puffier when you get up in the morning. This could be the result of edema. Once you awaken and begin blinking, you may notice that your eyes start to look less puffy.

In addition to aging, there are other reasons you may have puffy eyes, such as:

• genetics
• fluid retention
• allergies
• too much sun
• not enough sleep
• unhealthy diet
• crying
• other health conditions

Puffy eyes generally aren’t a sign of a serious medical condition. However, contact your doctor if you have:

• long-lasting puffy eyes
• pain, irritation, or severe swelling in or around your eye
• symptoms in other areas of your body

If you’re experiencing these symptoms, your puffy eyes could be the sign of a more serious health condition, such as:

• conjunctivitis, or pink eye
• blepharitis, or eyelid inflammation
• ptosis, or drooping eyelids
• cellulitis
• dermatitis
• thyroid eye disease

You may notice puffy eyes as you age or for a number of temporary reasons, such as lack of sleep, poor diet, or seasonal allergies. Adopting healthy lifestyle habits may improve your puffy eyes in just a short time.

If you experience chronic eye puffiness, talk to your doctor about treatment options, like cosmetic surgery. In some instances, puffy eyes may be the sign of a more serious condition. Consult your doctor if you suspect your puffy eyes may be a sign of something else.

How to get rid of puffy eyes from crying: 8 home remedies

Crying can lead to puffy eyes, which may make a person feel worse. One tip is to apply a cool compress, possibly with a few drops of witch hazel. Other options include using an eye roller and making dietary changes for a longer term reduction in puffiness.

Tears helps keep the eyes comfortable and moist. It also washes out dust and debris. There are different types of tears, including emotional ones that can lead to puffy eyes.

This article will discuss home remedies to reduce the appearance of puffy eyes from crying. It will also provide some tips on how to manage flushing and dryness.

A person may be able to reduce the appearance of puffy eyes with some of the following home remedies.

1. Applying a cold compress

Anything cold can help with inflammation and swelling, as it reduces blood flow. Therefore, a cold compress, ice pack, bag of vegetables, or even refrigerated or frozen spoons may work.

There are many cold compress eye masks available. Alternatively, a person can soak a towel or washcloth in cold water and apply it to the eye area for 5–10 minutes at a time.

2. Applying cucumber

The image of cucumber slices on the eyes is infamous, but it can work when treating puffy eyes. Due to its high water content, cucumber hydrates the skin and reduces swelling, working in a similar way to a cold compress.

Cucumbers also have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity and contain vitamin K, which can help reduce dark circles.

3. Applying tea bags

The key ingredients in this natural remedy are caffeine and natural tannins. Tannins work as an astringent, which means that they can constrict body tissue. Caffeine can penetrate the skin barrier, has strong antioxidant properties, and increases blood circulation in the skin.

People may find that green tea, black tea, and chamomile tea bags all work. Chamomile, in particular, has high levels of antioxidants.

Simply steep the tea in warm water, then chill the bags in the refrigerator for a while. Place a tea bag on each eye for a few minutes.

Learn more about tea bags for the eyes here.

4. Trying witch hazel

As a natural astringent and antioxidant, witch hazel has a tightening effect on the skin.

Simply soak cotton pads in cold witch hazel, making sure to squeeze out all the excess, and apply to the area for 5–10 minutes a couple of times per day. Take extra care to prevent getting witch hazel in the eye.

5. Using an eye roller

There are various eye roller options on the market that may help reduce puffiness, diminish dark circles, and offer anti-aging benefits.

Rollers are generally made of metal and can apply eye cooling gels through a rollerball. The device cools the area and provides a mini-massage to the under-eye area, which helps boost circulation.

6. Applying a face and eye cream

Many face and eye creams may help combat puffiness, cool down the eye area, and constrict blood vessels.

Creams may contain ingredients such as:

• retinol
• vitamin C
• phenylephrine
• hyaluronic acid

Look out for organic products that have not undergone testing in animals.

One study suggests that a topical eye cream containing complex carbohydrates and natural extracts can improve puffiness around the eyes.

7. Trying massage

Anecdotal sources suggest that a simple self-treatment is to use the fingers to gently massage the eye area.

People can run their fingers under ice-cold water, place the index finger on the bridge of the nose (under the brow), and massage along the under-eye area. Gently tap along the skin and use the middle fingers to get the blood circulating.

8. Changing the diet

Eating a healthful diet and staying hydrated may reduce the appearance of puffy eyes. For example, people can try the following:

• Hydration: Try to drink around eight to 10 glasses of water per day. Eat water-rich foods, such as cucumbers, and plenty of other fruits and vegetables.
• Moderation: Avoid consuming too many alcoholic, caffeinated, or energy drinks. They act as diuretics and signal dehydration.
• Salt reduction: Cut back on salt in processed foods. Consuming additional sodium causes the body to retain water. Fluid retention may lead to eye puffiness.
• Parsley leaves: Anecdotal sources suggest eating parsley to help flush out toxins from the kidneys.
• Herbal tea: Although placing tea bags on the eyes can soothe puffiness, drinking herbal tea may also have benefits for the skin.

The eyes are always producing a certain amount of tears.

Tear fluid, which originates from the lacrimal gland, flows over the surface of the eye and drains out of the corners of the eyelids. Traveling through the tear ducts, the tears then empty through the nasal cavities.

Tears protect the surface of the eye and help remove debris from the eye.

There are three different types of tears:

• Basal tears: These are the basic, functional tears that are always in the eye. Basal tears lubricate and protect the cornea, while keeping away dirt and debris.
• Reflex tears: These tears respond to irritation, such as foreign bodies, smoke, and onion scents. The eyes produce more reflex tears than basal tears, and they contain antibodies that help fight bacteria.
• Emotional tears: Strong feelings can trigger emotional tears. Emotional tears relate to attachment, physical pain, empathy, exhaustion, or compassion.

When a person cries with emotion, they can produce more tears than the lacrimal drainage system can cope with. This causes the tears to run out of the eyes and sometimes the nose.

Tissue around the eyes can then reabsorb the tears, making the area appear puffy.

The blood vessels dilate when a person cries, hence the flushing or discoloration that appears around the eyes.

Although many of the tips for reducing puffiness also apply to treating flushing and discoloration, there are specific color-reducing eye drops available to purchase. Eye serums and creams are also available.

The tears contain oil, water, and mucus, and each element acts to protect and nourish the eye. Excess tears flow into small drainage ducts in the eyelids, but when these elements become unbalanced, dry eyes can occur.

Dry eye treatments include over-the-counter artificial tear solutions, which can also be preservative-free.

While at home, remember to blink regularly, especially when working on a computer for an extended period of time. Wearing sunglasses in bright sunlight can offer further protection.

There are many home remedies that can reduce eye puffiness after crying, but it can be a case of trial and error to find the right method.

If the puffiness continues for an extended period of time, it might be worth seeing a doctor for advice.

Performing regular skin care routines and eating a healthful diet are the best steps for general eye care.

Why edema appears under the eyes and how to get rid of them

Sometimes the first thing a person sees after sleep is swelling of the eyes . An unpleasant sight, but the problem is not only in aesthetics: their appearance indicates that something is wrong with the body and it needs close attention.

Often, some do not even understand why the swelling of the eyes occurred: if they lead a healthy lifestyle and monitor the condition of the skin, then most likely they are sure that they will never see anything like this in the mirror. However, there are actually more than a dozen reasons for the occurrence of edema – you can simply not know about some.

Why eyes swell, is it possible to solve this problem quickly and what helps most effectively – we will tell you in more detail.

If you woke up with swelling, before you solve the problem, you need to understand why it arose. Sometimes puffy eyes are a sign of eating the wrong food or overworking, and then you can deal with this pretty quickly.

First, it is worth touching on the reasons that are not considered the most serious. If your eyes are swollen because of them, you can fix everything without medical help.

• Excessive consumption of salty foods is the most common cause. In this case, in order to remove swelling from the eyes, you don’t even have to completely refuse salt – just reduce its amount.
• An abundance of alcohol. If you like noisy parties with booze, the next morning you are unlikely to like the condition of the eyes. Alcohol dehydrates the body, so make sure you buy a good eye cream and apply it before bed.
• Allergic reaction, especially in certain seasons. In this case, reduce contact with the allergen to a minimum or refuse to use it if we are talking about the product. And, of course, do not forget about the drug that helps you in such situations.
• Eye injuries – scratches and the like. The main thing is that if the cause of the edema is an injury, in no case do not rub your eyes, otherwise you will only make it worse. But the cooling mask will definitely benefit.

There are also a couple of problems, the solution of which may take you a lot of time, but the result will definitely please. Eyes can swell from regular stress and lack of sleep and then slowly but surely return to a routine that will help you get enough sleep.

Another edema occurs due to a lack of collagen – this is directly related to aging . You cannot stop the natural process, but you can slow it down: buy the right products and think about visiting a beautician.

Among other things, there is such a phenomenon as swelling of the eyes after surgery . Surgical intervention hits the body hard, especially when it comes to vision, but there is nothing to worry about: in most cases, it passes quite quickly. To recover faster, do not forget about the drugs prescribed by the doctor.

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Causes of eye edema: diseases

You can read the advice of cosmetologists as much as you like on how to remove swelling under the eyes, but sometimes not a single recommendation helps. The secret is simple: there is a high probability that swollen eyes are a consequence of the disease of any organ.

The most common of these problems are:

• kidney disease . Their main symptom is the stagnation of water and salt in the body, so sick people wake up with a swollen face and eyelids. By the evening, as a rule, everything passes, but in the morning the same thing repeats. There is only one way out – to go to a specialist, because you yourself will not be able to solve this problem;
• hormonal disorders . Most often in such cases, the legs swell, but the same problems often appear with gases. Be sure to make an appointment with an endocrinologist and take tests so that he understands which hormones you are missing and prescribes the appropriate treatment;
• Conjunctivitis is one of the most common eye diseases. Puffy eyes are among the main symptoms. If you are also worried about the fear of bright light and itching, immediately go to the doctor – you can recover pretty quickly.

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Eyes swollen before an important event. How to quickly remove swelling?

Most often, cold compresses and cooling creams help in such cases. Some advise massaging your face with an ice cube, but you need to be careful: it won’t be long before a cold.

If you need a method from the “cheap and cheerful” category, and the swelling is very small, just wash yourself with cold water.

Is it possible to forget about edema, if not forever, then for a long time?

Of course, cosmetology will help with this. Four treatments work well for puffy eyes:

• lymphatic drainage, which removes excess salts from the facial tissues. Treatment of the area around the eyes is a mandatory part of the process;
• microcurrents, which work in a similar way and still provide a slight lifting;
• any facial massage that will remove excess fluids and salts, as well as improve skin condition;
• regular application of a moisturizing cream to stimulate the activity of skin cells.

The main thing is to remember that any treatment should take place under the supervision of professionals and with their participation. You should not engage in amateur performances when it comes to the face – and especially the eyes. Take care of your health!

Removal of bags under the eyes – surgery or other methods, which is better?

Edema bags under the eyes age the face, give it a tired, sick look. It is difficult to solve the problem with home methods. They only mask the defect, but do not eliminate it. Removing bags under the eyes in the clinic of Dr. Listratenkov will restore freshness and beauty to the face.

Where do bags under the eyes come from?

There are two reasons for the aesthetic defect:

• Edema.
• Age changes. The fatty layer grows, forms tubercles and folds. The skin of the eyelids sags, becomes flabby.

How to remove swelling?

First of all, you need to understand what causes swelling. These are:

• overwork, lack of sleep;
• improper diet, eg too much salt;
• alcohol;
• drinking plenty of water at night;
• certain diseases, such as kidney failure.

If you do not abuse alcohol, salty foods, rest, monitor the health of the kidneys, the problem will disappear by itself. Usually the bags appear in the morning and disappear by the afternoon. It is easy to get rid of such edema:

• Apply tea bags or chamomile tea bags to your eyes and hold for 20 minutes. Freeze the bags first.
• Wipe your eyelids with ice cubes. You can use not water, but frozen decoctions of herbs.

These simple remedies only relieve slight morning puffiness. But they are powerless before age-related changes. Compresses can briefly tighten loose skin, but after a couple of hours the cosmetic effect will disappear.

Another cause of edema is medical:

• kidney problems;
• diseases of the cardiovascular system;
• metabolic disorders.

Cosmetics will not eliminate the defect, you need to contact a general practitioner, endocrinologist, cardiologist, nephrologist.

How to remove bags under the eyes? Surgery, injections, laser

It is impossible to stop the aging process, but it is possible to slow it down. Doctor Listratenkov’s clinic in Moscow offers:

• Contouring. These are injections of hyaluronic acid into the problem area. After the procedure, the skin brightens, becomes elastic, wrinkles and folds disappear. The effect is visible after 5-6 days and lasts for several months.
• Mesothreads. A “frame” of the finest fibers is implanted into the skin. They are made from suture material. An internal scar is formed along the threads. Over time, the fibers dissolve, and seals remain. They keep the eyelids from sagging, eliminate bags under the eyes. The operation stimulates the production of collagen, rejuvenates the skin. The effect lasts up to 2 years.
• Photorejuvenation. The skin is treated with various light sources. This is not ultraviolet, the procedure is harmless. Photorejuvenation stimulates the synthesis of collagen fibers, tightens the skin, removes wrinkles. The result is stored from 6 months to a year.
• Eyelid laser resurfacing. The beam evaporates the surface of the skin, but does not penetrate into its deeper layers. Such “shock therapy” stimulates regenerative processes. The skin is tightened, dark spots disappear. Sanding the bags completely will not remove them, but will make them much smaller. The effect lasts from 5 to 7 years.
• All types of blepharoplasty, including laser. The operation to remove bags under the eyes solves the problem dramatically. The surgeon removes excess adipose tissue, tightens the skin of the eyelids and muscles. The procedure is minimally invasive and the incisions are minimal. The doctor makes incisions either in the area of ​​eyelash growth or in the conjunctiva of the eyes.