We all have to deal with puffy eyes at one point or another. Puffy eye causes can range from allergies to not getting enough sleep. No matter what the reason may be, they can ruin the day. The can make you look tired all day long and aren’t always the easiest thing to hide. Especially considering they normally come with under eye bags or even eyelid swelling. Luckily, figuring out how to reduce puffy eyes or any other eye issues can be easier than you might think.
There are a lot of different things you can do to change up your routine. Not only sleeping habits but diet changes, sun protection, and more! The first step is understanding what causes bags under eyes and what you think is specifically causing yours! So if you’re on the search for a puffy eye remedy, you’re in luck because I have a bunch! No need to walk around looking tired all the time. You have more options for how to reduce puffy eyes than you may have realized!
What Causes Eye Bags, Puffiness, and Swelling
Like I said, we all have to deal with puffy eyes and bags. I’m very familiar with them myself, but then again, I think we all are from time to time. Dark circles can have a lot of causes. Aging is one of the reasons for both puffiness and bags. Over time our skin starts to thin as we age. Since the skin under our eyes is already thin, to begin with, that can lead to other issues in that area. As the skin thins, it becomes easier to see what’s underneath. That can cause the area to look darker than the other areas of your face.
All of the other reasons include:
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Stress
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Lack of sleep
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Allergies
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Crying
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Eczema
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Dehydration
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Diet
All of these puffy eye causes are fairly simple.
As you can see, if you’re trying to figure out how to reduce puffy eyes, these can all be corrected easily! I want to give you a few changes you could consider for your routine. I also want to let you in on a few secrets on how to get rid of dark circles permanently!
But before I move on, I also want to mention a cause for eyelid swelling. I dealt with this once when I was younger, and it was terrible. When I was outdoors a ton for sports, I happened to get dirt in my tear duct. That caused fluid to build up, and I had one incredibly swollen eyelid. It honestly looked like I got in a fight. Luckily there was an easy fix I will mention later on!
Eczema or psoriasis are some other issues many people deal with. A boy I used to work with would break out below his eyes in painful looking eczema. It is a reoccurring problem, but there are still plenty of things you can try that will ease the discomfort.
How to Reduce Puffy Eyes With a Better Routine
As I said, there are plenty of solutions, and it isn’t too hard to figure out how to reduce puffy eyes. But you may need to consider getting yourself into a better routine. I know it can be difficult. I’m the queen of crazy schedules, no sleep, and mainly surviving on caffeine. So I know that there are a lot of things that would improve if I could manage a better routine.
Sleep Schedule
Hopefully, you’re the type of person who needs eight hours of sleep to function. Getting into a good sleep schedule is the first thing you can do if you’re trying to figure out how to get rid of bags under eyes. The rest will give your body time to heal and be refreshed the next day. That will help get rid of any puffiness and dark circles.
Drink More Water
Being the queen of terrible schedules, I also happen to be terrible at drinking the recommended amount of water each day. I’m always trying to improve in this area because it is so important. Drinking enough water is crucial for your whole body, especially your skin. While you’re at it, you should also cut back on your salt intake. By consuming too much salt, you will help your body retain water in the wrong places. Sodium is a big factor when you’re learning how to reduce puffy eyes. Salt may cause your body to get swollen. My mother and sister both have issues with this. By consuming too much salt, their whole bodies can swell up to the point that any rings on their fingers become much too tight.
Don’t Forget Your Sunscreen
Whenever you are trying to improve anything about your skin, you will always hear this recommendation. Always remember to protect your skin from the sun. Carry sunscreen in your bag and apply it if you are going out in the sun at all. If you’ll be outside for an extended period, make sure to reapply every two hours.
Protecting your skin is critical because it will slow the aging process. The faster your skin ages, the thinner it becomes at a quicker pace. That will affect how often you get dark circles and puffiness, among other skin issues.
Take Off Your Makeup
Makeup is a fantastic way to cover up dark circles. But if you don’t take it off before bed, it could cause puffiness and swelling. Makeup can clog your pores. Not only will that cause acne, but it will cause irritation. That irritation will cause puffiness under your eyes. Not to mention you should get into a good skin routine anyway. If you want to age gracefully, you will always want to wash off your makeup before bed. You will also want to moisturize and tone your skin.
Remedies For Eye Puffiness and Dark Circles
Improving your everyday routine is a large part of how to reduce puffy eyes and dark circles. But there are quicker solutions. Some of these are excellent home remedies. Others are over the counter. Either way, if you’re trying to figure out how to reduce puffy eyes, all of these might just come in handy!
Green or Black Tea Bags
You may have heard of this one before. By placing damp, chilled tea bags over your eyes you can reduce the appearance of puffiness. The caffeine in the black tea bag will help constrict the blood vessels and reduce puffiness. While the green tea bags are full of antioxidants that do wonders for your skin. All you have to do is use the tea bags, chill them, and put them over your eyes for about 5-10 minutes.
Vegetables
Now I’m not just talking about any vegetables here. Potatoes and cucumbers come in handy when you’re trying to figure out how to reduce puffy eyes and under eye bags. Slices of cucumbers were always used over peoples eyes when they were at the spa in movies. I had always assumed it was just for show. But in all reality, cucumbers are great for your skin. They act as an astringent to tighten your skin and reduce fine lines and wrinkles. They even help brighten your skin tone which is a huge help with dark circles.
Slices of potatoes are miracle workers in their own right. Potatoes contain starch which will help to reduce puffiness. It works so well because they act as an anti-inflammatory. So if there is any type of irritation causing the puffiness, it will help relax the skin and return it back to normal.
Cool Compress
In the same way that you use ice to reduce swelling on a bruise, you can use it under your eyes. If anything, when figuring out how to reduce puffy eyes, this is the perfect solution. You always have it on hand. Grab anything from your freezer to do the job. You could even wet a paper towel and pop it in the freezer. It’s perfect because it’s flexible and you can press it gently against your under eye bags. It also won’t be quite as harsh and cold as an ice pack.
Take Care of Your Allergies
By taking antihistamines you can get your allergies under control This is a common problem, and another one I’m very familiar with. Lately, I have been struggling because it’s ragweed season. That’s pretty much the only time of year I struggle with allergies. It can make you feel so tired and give you so much pressure in your face. By using Benadryl, Zyrtec-D, or any other allergy medication, you can ease the inflammation in your sinuses. If you still have problems, you could also use a Neti Pot.
Retinol Cream
Some people think that under-eye creams like retinol are only necessary when you get old. But you should start as soon as possible. Retinol cream is a dose of vitamin A. It will help promote collagen production and cell turnover. That will keep the skin under your eyes healthy! All you need to do is apply the product every night before bed to improve dark circles and puffiness.
Improve Your Diet
There are a few foods you should focus on if you have issues with under eye circles and puffiness. Honestly, this is another simple aspect of how to reduce puffy eyes. What you want to do is focus on foods that are rich in collagen, iron, and vitamin C. A deficiency in any three of these areas will affect your skin. So eating meat, seafood, leafy greens, peas, or dried fruit could be a huge help. As well as vegetables that are rich in vitamin C like bell peppers, kale, oranges, broccoli, or strawberries.
How to Make Swollen Eyelids Go Down
When your eyelids start to swell or get red and irritated, your first reaction is to go to the doctors. While that is the best choice in case of an emergency, it isn’t always necessary. As I said before, I had swollen eyelids before. My left eye had a clogged tear duct. Lucky for me, my mom already knew the secret to how to reduce puffy eyes. Boric acid eyewash might sound intimidating, but it worked wonders.
You can make a boric acid eyewash at home. All you need to do is mix boric acid and sterile water. Use an eyedropper to drip the solution in your eyes a few times a day. That will help flush out anything that is causing discomfort. It can even be used on babies. Sometimes they develop a crust on their eyes. That crustiness causes puffiness and may also seal their eye closed. You can use the boric acid eye wash to solve the issues!
Conclusion
Puffy eyes and dark circles can be such a pain. Inflamed eyes can be legitimately painful. No matter what issue you’re having, it is possible to learn how to reduce puffy eyes fast in the comfort of your own home. These solutions will even work if you are trying to figure out how to reduce puffy eyes after crying.
There’s no need to go around looking tired. Or like you got hit in the face. Just use any of these remedies to brighten the skin under your eyes and apply your makeup as usual. By getting yourself into a better routine, you may not even have this issue anymore after some time. So take care of your skin and yourself. I wish you the best of luck with these tips!