Dusk Lace has a question:
I adore your blog! You are my everyday-must-read!
I have a question on puffy under-eye-bags. Almost everyday, I have these terrible puffy bags under my eyes. People tell me to drink more water and use a firm pillow, but the more water I drink everyday (at night), I wake up with a more severe under-eye-bags. I was wondering are there any ingredients that would help to relieve the bags? I`ve been using Benefit`s Depuffy Action Gel and I don`t see the long last effect in this product. This makes me think that is there any real treatment product out there (not temporary relief ones, like Benefit)?
The Right Brain`s Reply:
Thanks for the question, Lacey. We’ve seen over 150 different products that claim to make your eyes look better, but we`ve never seen evidence that any of these depuffers” really work. We’ve even heard of using hemorrhoid cream on under eye bags!
Our favorite is Eyederma because it contains the magic ingredient “Ocupeptide-3. We’ve never heard of this particular chemical but we assume the name comes from “Ocu” because it sounds like “ocular,” “peptide” because EVERYONE knows peptides are good for you, and “-3″ because numbers always give a product that extra-special scientific cache.
Ok, all sarcasm aside, we can’t give you a magic product to make your bags go away, but we can help explain why your eyes puff up in the first place. Once again, we turn to our Guest Blogger Dr. Michael Breus, PhD, author of the book Good Night: The Sleep Doctor`s 4-Week Program to Better Sleep and Better Health. Take it away, Dr. Breus:
Why Your Eyes Get Puffy
Awakening to puffy, swollen eyes is frustrating, especially when you know there’s no simple 10-minute solution that will get you out the door looking brand new. Puffiness or bags under the eyes can be caused by several factors: fluid retention, irritation causing inflammation, loss of skin firmness and elasticity as we age, allergies, eye disorders secondary to medical disorders, fat deposits, and fatigue. Several of these triggers come from poor sleep.
Excess fluid (edema) under the eye is one of the major causes of eye “puffiness,” and an increase in blood pressure is the likely culprit for many as a direct consequence to sleep deprivation. An elevated blood pressure causes vessels to constrict and invite fluid retention. Many of the known sleep disorders can also cause excess fluid or edema to occur not only in the eye area but in several parts of the body.
Is it possible for a person with retained fluid to reduce that baggage and puffiness under the eyes with getting a good night’s sleep over time? Certainly. And if you can reduce the fluid retention, you’ll also change the surrounding tissues for the better, especially since the accumulated excess fluid in the under-eye area may cause additional inflammation and swelling.
Medical conditions can also change the appearance of the eye, particularly thyroid problems like hypothyroidism (which can also be linked to sleep apnea). For most, however, getting enough sleep is all that’s necessary. Avoiding excess alcohol will also alleviate eye bags (as well as disrupted sleep!).
Attention allergy sufferers : Those with allergies typically have issues with puffy, inflamed eyes. They also face the challenge of getting quality sleep when bothered by allergies during the night. Sometimes taking anti-histamines can help to reduce baggy eyes, but this can come with a hefty price-tag because these medications can cause daytime sleepiness. What’s worse, the act of coughing and sneezing itself can cause forced air to escape through the sinuses. This, in turn, pushes air behind the fat pockets under the eyes, which then causes those fat pockets to protrude forward. Ask your doctor how best to manage your allergies so they don’t interfere with sleep, and neither does your medication.
Fat Pockets? Isn`t that one of those microwavable snack foods? Oh, that`s Hot Pockets. Nevermind.But seriously, thanks again to Dr. Breus for the teaching us about puffy eyes. If you’d like to learn more about sleep and beauty, you can visit him at Theinsomniablog and Soundsleepsolutions.
{ 30 comments… read them below or add one }
Hello,
I am 28 and have suffered from puffy bags under my eyes for the last two years now. The right side being much worse.
I get plenty of sleep so this could not be the cause. I recently went on a gluten free diet for my digestion and noticed that my under eye bags temporarily went away. However after being on the diet for 1 month they have come back. Im getting very upset with people teling me i look tired all the time. Do you think its just an ageing
issue? or could i have some sort of fluid retention or allergies? Help
Regards,
Jasmin Latona
It does sound like it could be allergies — you should go see a doctor and if you need to, get a second opinion. Allergy testing may give you some insight into this, too.
Thanks Sleep Doctor. The Beauty Brains agree, maybe you’ve got an unidentified allergy. Go see a doctor.
Thanks again for teaching me about this stuff and I had alot of fun reding it too!
Thanks Again,
Carly
Umm I was wondering about the bags under my eyes,I am only 12 but I am trying to find salutions on the internet that I could try. Ok heres my story!
I have had bags under my eyes ever since I was about three I guess it runs in the family but as time went by and I got older I just started putting base makeup over the puffyness and the problem was solved! And now that Im 12 I want the bags under my eyes to go away before the 7th grade!
Please please help me!
Carly
I wake up with puffy eyelids. I look like I have been on an all nighter. I also have the black and blue look underneath. I remember growing up and mom saying to me that my bags were packed. What can I do to get rid of this extreme puffiness?
Check with your doctor to see if it is the result of some allergy.
I recently saw a plastic surgeon about the bags under my eyes. He said there was absolutely nothing that could be done about it that it is fluid. I can’t remember the name of the condition but would like to know what he called it. Is there really nothing at all that works ?
I am 27 yr. old female & have been suffering from under eye environmental allergies as well as puffy under eye lids every morning. Some days I’m not sure if it’s allergies or just fluid under my eyes. Either way, the doctor said beside my nasal spray for allergies, the under eye puffiness & bags are from other reasons. I still can’t get rid of looking so tired under my eyes. I am feeling stressed over this because nothing is getting rid of it. Any suggestions? My doctor said to sleep with a high pillow & lay on my back but its not helping.
thanks for the input..anything is helpful
I know this isn’t a solution, but when i wear glasses you can’t really see the puffyness under my eyes, and nowadays glasses have become more fashinably accepted, so try getting some gucci or chanels. Other thenn that I recommend more sleep.
Hey, I have had baggy eyes all my life, and have had a major complex about it most of my life b/c I was teased about it in middle school and told often (too often) after that that I ‘looked tired.’ I’m not in my 30′s and recently had lower transcunjuctival blepharoplasty. It helped A LOT, my eyes are by far much less puffier and the increase to my self esteem is amazing. However, I still suffer from occassional puffiness still, but it is from allergies…. and sometimes PMS. I have discovered that diuretics help a lot, but I don’t know if it is safe to have on a regular basis. I only take them when I have PMS, which is when I notice I have bad puffy eyes. Nonetheless, every little bit helps. Lower bleph helps a lot, and after that, if you still have puffy eyes, figuring out what you are allergic to, as well as knowing when you have fluid retention helps you know how to get rid of the rest.
Other issue with having the lower transconjuctival bleph (laser procedure that simply removes fat), if your skin does not resiliate, you will have saging skin but no longer the fat that made you have fat protruding… You may benefit from having the skin tightened. My Dr. and I are going to have a laser procedure to tighten the skin sags which will help.
Other than that, just pay attn to you body and what it is telling you. Some days I have no bags anymore at all… other days they are there. Much better than having them there every day… It could be a multi step process to get ‘em gone for good. Just know you aren’t alone and chances are you notice more than others do.
I don’t know exactly what causes puffy eyes. I know that people swear by many different treatments. I notice that when I’m tired or I’ve had too many glasses of wine my eyes look awful. What I have found to work best for me is an aromatherapy eye pillow. They come in varied scents but the one I like is peppermint. It seems to open up my sinuses and helps me breath much better. You keep them in the freezer and when you need them, you take it out and place it over your eyes. The cold flax seed just seems to surround your eyes and temples.
I looked at a lot of different websites to see what was available. You can find them online and in specialty stores. I decided on A Touch Of Satin. They had just so many different patterns to choose from and I couldn’t find what they have anywhere else. They use organic ingredients, including organic flax seed and that was inportant to me. They also had a page on the website that talked about the benefits of their aromatherapy scents. You could even order them unscented. Their website is http://www.atouchofsatin.com if you want to see their selections or read what they have to say. Well, I hope this helps you out. Let me know!
i just woke up one day with slight a bag under one eye. then it went away. a week later i woke up with a bag and lines under one eye. the next day there are bags under both my eyes. i get sleep, i drink lots of water, it’s not hereditary, i don’t have allergies. i don’t know what’s wrong with me!
oh, and under my eyes feel like i wiped off make up without cream. and it’s not bloating or anything they listed. please i need help. this has never happened!!
anybody who knows anything please email me at sommersstarrynight@yahoo.com!!!!! Thank You!!
would be great to be a designer
I get very puffy eyes from eating wheat or anything containing gluten. After 3 days off gluten my puffy eyes are completely gone. But within hours of eating even a small amount of gluten they start to puff up again. By the following morning they are completely swollen. I’ve asked doctors and they say they have never heard of it.
I had the same thing with gluten. I had wondered for the last 3 years or so why my eyelids seemed to sag and were puffy. I thought I was just aging, and hated it. I was still in my 30′s. I recently learned I am gluten intolerant, and like the above post within 3 days off of gluten my eyes seemed to have gone back to normal. It makes sense since your body reacts to gluten like allergies.
Don’t want to worry you, but verify your T4 and other Thyroid levels as puffy eyes is a symptom of a problem. This can be done by a blood test.
okay–i have the puffy eye problem but some days are worse than others–sometimes i think it’s sinus related and seems to be at it’s worst in the fall and the spring(okay, so allergies!) but one of my friends told me that if your eyes are puffy you have had too much salt in your diet the day before–for what it’s worth–at times i have tried to cut the salt and it seems to alleviate some of the puffiness–give it a try
Hi all, I am almost 40years old and I have suffered with puffy eyes for as long as I can remember. I was always told I looked tired and honestly I think they were right I did look tired or sad. I finally went for surgery. Horror there was only a slight change and if I did have a late night or disturbed sleep my eyes would look tired again, but now I feel the insults are very expensive after paying for surgery!!!!
I do not drink often so I can rule that out. I do not have a high intake of salt, and that is included in my cooking too. Allergies are not known I will go and have a few tests done. I will l00k at the gluten free days and see if that helps me. If this brings me any luck I will update, and l00k f0rward t0 reading anym0re suggesti0ns! x
I have had thyrold cancer and sleep apnea. I sleep with a machine and take synthrold daily along with high blood pressue medicine. The last couple of months I have wake with bags under and sometimes above the eyes and throughout the next couple days the water works down to my cheek and eventually goes away. This has been happening lately , like I said the recent months and I have had the other conditions for about 9 years. Can you give me any advice or suggestion. Thank you S
I am 34 and I woke up with a puffy under eye this morning, this has never happened before and it is only under one eye. I did have a salty meal last night and I have been under stress and I have not been drinking enough water. I will try to get better sleep and drink more water and limit salt intake and see if anything changes and if not will go for blood tests. Thanks to all for your comments and suggestion, I was feeling pretty stressed at the sight of the eye this morning.
It all comes with age, face it and except it if you live long enough you realize it all comes with time. All that plastic surgery and facelifts are only temporary. And it makes you look funny after so many are done. GOD IS in control of it all, he has the 1st and the last say so, AMEN.
I wake up almost every morning with extreme pUffiness under both of my eyes. I’ve read that elevating your heard helps, I’ve purchased creams, rollers, expensive and quite simply useless products. I’ve cut alot of salty foods out of my diet hoping that would help, but still see no results. I’ve used cold cucumbers, spoons, tea bags… Some days i’ll just look “normal” and not get the, “late night last night?” remarks. But I’m honestly at a loss for things to do. I’m 21 years old and can’t even stay at my boyfriends house because I’m embarassed for him to wake up next to a “Dreckle&Hyde” situation (spellings off I know). I know it’s not allergies, so I’m just at a complete loss. Any information would help so much! I know I should just accept myself but NYC is filled with beautiful people who simply don’t have this problem and it makes me even more self concious than I already am.
Please can you give some help. Halfway down my cheeks I have blue bags. I have tried everything but nothing helps. Even makeup and concealers don’t cover it. I don’t drink, get plenty of sleep and eat a low salt diet. I do however have an underactive thoroid problem and take medicine for it. I am 57 but have this problem for years. Is there a solution or am I wasting my money. It causes me so much embarassment. I know there are worse things in life and don’t want to appear petty but I really hate the blue look.
Everyone:
I am with you — have same problems, and worked extensively with dermatologist this year on them because I got fed up (I’m 42, and this is the only thing, these under eye bags, that give my age away!).
I have allergies and they get worse in high-wind times — when I was out of the country this summer, I had almost no problems with it, so I think having an allergy screening makes sense.
For those of you over 39, everything is working against you, at that age, the tissue under your eyes becomes thinnner through aging process, making visible or more visible bags that may have already beeng there.
Mesotherapy, injection of fat dissolvers into the eye area, works well for many people — please google this, and go to a licensed, experienced dermatologist if you want to pursue this. It has made my eye bags less noticeable, though not banished them forever — but it cost a fraction of what the under eye plastic surgeries mentioned above cost.
I hope this gives new hope or new perspective for some of you here!
Best,
Tracey
Can anyone give any ideas regarding velasmooth compared to lipodissolve or mesotherapy? I am contemplating having these treatments but am not sure which will be most beneficial
Try tea bag compresses or cucumber slices.
{ 2 trackbacks }