Most men and women experience unwanted puffiness or so-called bags under their eyes at some point in their lives. It can be stubborn and difficult to get rid of, but it’s not impossible to conquer, if you understand the cause of the problem.
In the natural ageing process the tissue structures and muscles that support the area under the eye weaken, and as a result the skin starts to sag. The fat that is usually located below the eye moves lower down and the area may also accumulate fluid. In some cases, this is completely out of our control, and in others, lifestyle factors may cause or contribute to the problem.
What can cause or worsen puffiness and bags under the eyes?
- Family genes – genes play a major role and could be the cause of yours.
- Lack of sleep – though lack of sleep doesn’t cause puffiness, it can make it worse.
- Fluid retention – largely due to too much salt or alcohol in your diet, when the body retains water, it may cause puffiness in the face and around the eye area.
- Allergies – if you suffer from allergies like hay fever, you may find your puffiness is worse when your allergies are worse due to a build-up of fluid in your sinuses and around the eyes.
- Smoking – causes puffiness by irritating the eyes (even if you are not the one smoking).
- E-ageing – is caused by exposure to electro-magnetic radiation (cell phones signals, radio and TV waves, Wi-Fi, wireless connections etc) and high energy visible / blue light (digital screens, computer screens, laptops, TVs, smart phones etc). We literally swim in in a sea of these waves 24 hours a day.
What about dark circles?
Bags and puffiness around the eye area are often accompanied by dark eye circles but may also occur on their own. The biggest cause for this is sleep deprivation. When you don’t sleep enough, your skin becomes dull and pale, allowing the dark tissue and blood vessels beneath your skin to show. They may also occur naturally when you age, as the skin becomes thinner and the fat and collagen around the eye area decreases. Allergies, dehydration, overexposure to the sun, genetics and e-ageing also play a role. Dark circles can also be due to pigmentation that forms around the orbital area, this is normally due to genetics.
How to address the problem?
- Lifestyle changes that may help improve appearance and alleviate the swelling.
- Giving up smoking and cutting back on salt and alcohol may help.
- Drink more water.
- Get more sleep.
- Invest in a good dermoceutical eye cream or gel. Identify the main cause you would like to address and then look for the specific characteristics when choosing a product:
- Always – A formulation suitable for the delicate skin around the eyes which absorbs easily and well
- A formulation that is anti-ageing
- A formulation that specifically combats e-ageing
- A formulation that treats the microcirculatory system around the eyes
- A formulation that treats hyperpigmentation
- A formulation that hydrates the eye area throughout all the levels of the skin
- Remember to apply the product very gently, and not to stretch the skin.