Written & Medically reviewed by 

Dr.Sanjana.V.B. Bhms. Dbrm.Cdn

How to reduce eye puffiness?

Puffiness vs Bags under the eyes.

     Puffiness under the eyes is also called periorbital  puffiness or oedema. Puffiness happens from fluid retention temporarily. It is also a sign of ageing associated with accumulation of fluids in the lower eyelid area. Fluid leakage from periorbital blood vessels causes fluid retention if they fail to drain through lymphatics.

Bags under the eyes

 As you age, when some tissues and muscles around the eyes weaken .The fats around eyeballs move to lower lids with ageing.The lower lid area appear swollen and baggy due to fat accumulation. Although this is a permanent phenomenon it is also associated with puffiness of eyes and fluid retention. This is different from puffiness around eyes happening temporarily due to various other reasons.

What is puffiness around the eyes or periorbital oedema?

Puffiness under the eyes or lower eyelids happens from fluid retention. It is also a sign of ageing associated with accumulation of fluids in the lower eyelid area. Fluid leakage from periorbital blood vessels causes fluid retention if they fail to drain through lymphatics.

Apart from  chronological ageing various other factors may cause eye puffiness such as:

·       Lack  of sleep

·       Allergy

·       Smoking

·       Hereditary  factors

·        Diseases of kidneys, thyroid,skin etc.

·        Fluid retention after excessive salt intake 

Allergic conditions affecting the periocular area include seasonal and perennial allergies such as hay fever, allergic dermatitis etc.

Facial puffiness and periorbital swelling happen in severe hypothyroidism or underactive thyroid disease, due to infiltration with the mucopolysaccharides hyaluronic acid and chondroitin sulfate.

Nephrotic syndrome is a disease of kidney that may cause eye puffiness.

Blockage of tear gland ducts may cause puffiness around eyes.

Certain medications [topical, oral, and parenteral usage] are well recognized to create eyelid swelling through generalized fluid retention, angioedema, urticaria, or topical blepharoconjunctivitis.

Symptoms of puffiness include:

Swelling under the eyes; puffiness is temporary if fluid accumulation is the only problem.

Treatment

·       Usually puffiness under the eyes is not a serious health concern, and some home remedies can reduce it. There are home remedies for reducing puffiness under the eyes. There are various topical applications such as cold and herbal tea compressions, eye masks etc.

·       If diseases are the cause of puffiness , address them appropriately with medications  after consulting a doctor .

Home remedies & general instructions to reduce puffiness

•   Get adequate sleep as lack of sleep affects the eyes very badly and causes puffiness. Ensure a sleep of 7-8 hours a day.

•   Cold compression – Apply two clean and Coldwater dipped clothes under both the eye lids.

•   Eye masks – Various types of under eye masks can reduce puffiness.

·       Medical conditions causing puffiness  [thyroid,skin,kidney diseases]must be addressed with proper medications

•   Quit smoking as smoking can worsen puffiness.

•   Treat your allergy with some medications. This can alleviate the allergy related under eye puffiness. 

•   Sleep with your head slightly raised, using a pillow. This may prevent fluid accumulation under the lower lids from the pull of gravity.

•   Limit salt intake as it may worsen puffiness.

Do not rub around and under the eyes frequently. 

Under Eye masks to reduce puffiness

·       Coffee egg white mask

Mix one egg white with 1-2 teaspoon coffee powder well, whisking it .Apply the mask around and under the eyes. Allow the mask to dry for 5- 10 minutes. Then gently wet it with water and wash off. Wipe the area gently with cotton. Then apply a moisturizer. This mask provides lightened under eye area with firmness to the skin, and help get rid of puffiness also.

·       Aloe Vera  gel and cucumber  under eye mask

Mix one tablespoon aloe Vera gel with 1tablespoon of cucumber juice. Combine them well.  Apply the mixture around and under the eyes massaging gently for one minute. Keep it for 10 minute. Wipe out with wet cotton. Later wash your face well.

This under eye mask will help you get rid of dark circles, fine lines and puffiness under the eyes. A readymade aloe Vera gel is recommended here as natural aloe Vera gel taken out from the plant may cause itching in some people. As the eye area is sensitive and if any allergy to aloe Vera happens it will aggravate the puffiness. So ready to use gel available in the market is recommended.

·       Green tea eye mask

Mix 2 teaspoons of green tea with 2 teaspoons of potato juice, 3 teaspoons of cucumber juice. Cool the mixer in refrigerator. Do not freeze it but just cool it. Now dip four cotton pads cut in the shape of a crescent, into the mixture. Apply these cotton pads over the area above upper eye lids and under the lower lids of both eyes. This pack can reduce puffiness and dark circles probably within 2 weeks due to the antioxidant and vitamin C content of green tea and potatoes. Cucumber juice intensely moisturize the skin and removes the tiredness of eyes.

You can get rid of the puffiness, dark circles, dryness and dullness of skin around the eyes with regular use. Apply the eye mask in the morning hours or twilight. Applying mask over the eyes  at night is not recommended.

·       Coconut oil ,vitamin E oil & almond oil  mask

Mix the three ingredients well 1 teaspoon each. Combine all the ingredients well. Apply all around your eyes and massage anticlockwise and clockwise gently for one minute. Apply it in the morning after you wash your face well. Keep it for 2 hours. It will be absorbed into your skin by that time. Just wash your face with water if you have normal skin. If your skin is too oily use a natural cleanser or face wash.

Usually most people recommend overnight eye masks. It is not recommended by us because lying down with oil based eye masks may worsen respiratory problems as the applied oils may promote postnasal dripping of mucus from the back end of nostrils to airways and throat. It may worsen asthma, allergic cough etc.

Almond oil is a good antioxidant rich in vitamins .Vitamin E also is a potent antioxidant which helps to repair the damaged skin around eyes reducing puffiness, wrinkles, dark circles. Coconut oil also reduces wrinkles and fine lines related to ageing. 

Bags under the lids 

As you age, when some tissues and muscles around the eyes weaken .The fats around eyeball move to lower lids with ageing producing bags under the lids. This condition is medically termed as suborbicularis oculi fat – "SOOF".

It is also associated with puffiness of eyes with fluid retention. It is not a serious health concern but a cosmetic problem related to skin ageing and the solutions are medical and surgical.

Laser resurfacing is a laser treatment carried out to enhance the beauty of skin around eyes treating wrinkles, dark circles etc. associated with puffiness and bags.

Hyaluronic acid based fillers are another cosmetic procedure to enhance the beauty of periorbital skin. These filler injections are injected under the eye area giving the saggy skin a firm look.

However those who want to achieve better appearance of under eye area may opt for cosmetic surgery – Blepharoplasty to get rid of these bags under eyes.

The surgical procedure involves removing excess fat through an incision in the natural crease of the upper eyelid or inside the lower lid. The procedure is usually done in an outpatient setting with local anesthesia. In addition to puffiness, the operation can repair skin upper eyelids, drooping eye lids, excess skin removal from lower lids etc. Blepharoplasty is not a complicated procedure. You may consult any ophthalmologist cosmetic surgeon to do the procedure.

References

1.     https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/how-to-get-rid-of-bags-under-your-eyes

2.    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2884828/