Hands up those who’ve ever had ugly dark circles under the eyes!
I guess I would see lots of hands if I could see you. It’s little wonder because under-eye bags is a very common problem that many people struggle with (not just women).
Roughly one in four women is bothered by puffy eyes and dark circles under the eyes! That’s why I came up with an idea for today’s post 🙂
To begin with, let’s answer the key question, namely, where does puffiness come from? I’m aware that there are some serious causes and this condition depends on many things.
Causes of puffy eyes
Generally, the puffiness of lower eyelids, or so-called puffy eyes, results from the build-up of lymph fluid under the skin. Still, it’s not so simple because it’s impossible to determine one main cause of this condition.
It’s possible that we inherit this proneness to puffiness from our parents (some inheritance, right?). We’re also more exposed to the under-eye bags when we’re growing older. As much as we would like to deny it, we face to this kind of problems because of aging and loss of muscle tightness (orbicular muscle in this case). As a consequence, the skin loses firmness and elasticity.
Not much can be done about the above said. However, there’s also a group of causes that we can eliminate. It’s easiest to solve a problem by removing its cause.
What causes dark under-eye circles and puffiness?
- Insufficient sleep on a regular basis, sleepless nights.
- Imbalanced diet, insufficient amount of nutrients.
- Addictions such as cigarettes, alcohol, etc.
- Sedentary lifestyle, slower metabolism.
- Heart, blood system, kidney, thyroid disorders.
- Overexposure to the sun, not providing enough protection.
Remedies for under-eye circles and puffy eyes
There are two ways out. We can either treat ourselves to professional procedure to remove unwanted puffiness and bags or reach for home remedies. Each option has good and bad sides.
A pro procedure uses laser which is an effective tool letting you stop wondering how to get rid of puffiness. Once and for all. Too bad, you need to pay big bucks for this kind of treatment, much more than for an eye cream. How does it work? A light beam emitted by laser stimulates cells to intensive repair. Capillaries and skin tissues are strengthened, the synthesis of collagen and elastin is accelerated so skin under the eyes gets a nice color and is no longer swollen. Pricey yet effective. Nevertheless, I haven’t gone for the procedure.
The other option you’ve got is using various home methods and I’m going to talk you into choosing them as they’re cheaper and equally effective yet you might need to wait longer for the effects. And you need to be systematic too. I’m not but I do try!
Here are (in my opinion) the best ways to get rid of dark under-eye circles and puffiness:
- Cosmetics
I recommend oil-free products e.g. cooling gels. Ideally, they should contain ingredients stimulating circulation of blood and lymph e.g. caffeine. Make use of eye gels with vitamins C and K, eyebright, ginkgo, parsley, cornflower or arnica. How to apply an eye cream when you fight with dark circles and puffy eyes? As usual, pat it with your fingertips; pressing the skin gently will do good too. This mini-massage unblocks lymph nodes and prevents swelling. - Cool compresses
A cool compress under the eyes works wonders. When you wake up with heavy eyelids and circles so dark that even the best foundation won’t camouflage, try cooled cucumber slices, crashed ice cubes wrapped in a cotton cloth or steel spoon taken out of the freezer. You press them to the skin and feel a nice touch of freshness. These remedies reduce swelling and bluish skin thanks to constricting the capillaries. - Tea bags to eliminate under-eye bags
Do you enjoy a cup of hot tea in the morning? Don’t throw away the tea bags after making the tea as they can help you fight the swelling and puffy eyes. Simply put slightly warm bags on the eyes and lie down for a few minutes. Caffeine constricts capillaries so the dark circles will be reduced and less visible. Ordinary tea is able to be your biggest ally when doing away with the unwanted under-eye bags.
If you know some other ways to fight the puffiness, please let me know. I use the above said and like the effect but I’d love to test something new! 🙂
