Not only am I plagued with horrible genetic dark circles that won’t go away no matter what I do, but very often in the morning I wake up with puffy eyes too! Thank goodness the swelling tends to subside pretty soon, but still this prompted me to research what causes eyes to become puffy and what can be done to fix them.
There can be several factors that can make the skin around the eyes to swell and, even though there are no magical products that can treat puffy eyes (don’t believe the claims these products make, it’s just marketing hype!), once you understand what causes the problem for you, you can take the appropriate measures to prevent it. Here’s how:
What causes puffy eyes?
Lymph buildup
Lymph is a fluid that circulates through the body’s lymphatic system picking up bacteria, fats and other unwanted substances. It then gets rid of them, thus helping to prevent infections and other diseases. However, sometimes lymph flow gets stuck and starts to buildup, which causes puffiness. In this case, all you have to do is get the circulation going again by massaging your lotion around the eye area. Start gently from the outer corner of your eyes moving inwards. This follows the natural direction of the lymph flow, so don’t do it the other way around!
Sleep with your head elevated
A lot of people think that puffy eyes are caused by lack of sleep and while that is a factor, it is a very small one. Lack of sleep is more responsible for bloodshot eyes than puffiness. What actually causes your eyes to swell is the position you sleep in. Sleeping flat or on your belly will cause fluid build-up in the area around your eyes, which leads to swelling. To prevent this from happening, you need to sleep with your head slightly up.
Diet too rich in salt (and alcohol too)
Another cause of water retention, is a diet too rich in salt. Of course I’m not suggesting you stop using salt when you cook. That would make most food taste, well, tasteless and bad. Just don’t exaggerate and use it in moderation if you wanna prevent your eyes from becoming puffy. And the same applies to alcohol. Too much of it will cause swelling.
Contact Lenses & Makeup
Doesn’t matter how tired you are at night, removing all your makeup before going to bed is important to avoid it getting into your eyes and cause irritation. And if you are a contact lenses wearer, make sure they are the right type for your eye vision problem and that they feel comfortable on or they may lead to irritation and swelling as well.
Other causes
Other factors that may cause puffy eyes are allergies, in which case you should consult a doctor for the appropriate prescription, and dryness around the eyes. In this case, a good lightweight moisturizer will do the trick.
Sometimes eyes are naturally puffy
If you’ve tried all of the above but to no available, then your eyes may be naturally puffy. Or maybe that’s simply due to aging. If that’s your case, I’m afraid there’s nothing you can do about it.
In the meantime, fix them up
Ok, now that we know what causes puffy eyes, we can prevent them. But if our eyes are already swollen, what can we do in the meantime to reduce their appearance?
Tea Bags & Compresses
There are several things you can put on your eyes to help reduce swelling. Some people use wet tea bags, while others prefer cucumber slices. I also heard of people that apply potatoes or apple slices on their eyes to help with puffy eyes. Or you could buy gel eye pads, keep them in the fridge and apply them whenever you need them.
Thick Cat Eyes
A few months ago, I came across this tip on one of my favourite beauty blogs, Makeup And Beauty Blog. Poor Karen was suffering from a sever case of puffy eyes so she used a black eyeliner to draw a thick cat line on her upper lashline which helped to draw attention away from the puffiness. So, next time my eyes were puffy, I tried this too and it worked pretty well. Thanks Karen!
Do you suffer from puffy eyes too? Do you have any more tips on how to prevent or reduce them?
{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
Those are helpful tips! Tea bags help reduce swelling when I have a sty. For puffy eyes I use a cold spoon (refrigerated)
.-= Connie´s last blog ..Short Hiatus =-.
This photo really made me laugh but I guess tea bags can be a solution. I have a gel mask with a blue liquid inside that I keep in the fridge and try to use it when I need it, but I guess I only used it 1 or 2 times. My mother uses more often.
)
.-= Tavia´s last blog ..Smashbox Naked Beauty Collection for Summer 2010 – Preview, Photos, Swatches =-.
The teabag remedy is awesome. Works for sties, too.
Connie, I use tea bags for sties too, they’re very helpful
Tavia, I thought the photo was funny too and appropriate as well. I love those gel masks but I haven’t used them in a while. I tend to use tea bags or cucumber slices cos I’m lazy and I already have them at home. But I’m glad to hear you don’t need to use them often, lucky you.
All Women Stalker, it really does. I’m glad tea bags work well for you too.
*sigh* I need to do all those!!! I have puffy eyes! Thanks for this post
.-= Nikki´s last blog ..Nail Art Tutorial: "A Splash of Color" Nails =-.
Nikki, I feel your pain! I hope these tips help hun
Oh yeah, I have this syptom when I have the typical “lady’s malady”. The only way that helps is a massage and tea bags (thank God, I love to drink tea). Besides, my glasses hide this annoying blemish, so I can cope with it. But hon, I’d love to see a bold cat eye look on you someday. *yeah, I’m a pain in the neck sometimes* XOX
.-= Mylanqolia´s last blog ..I feel like a millionaire or My Sleek Make Up prize =-.
Mylanqolia, I’m sorry to hear that, it must be a real pain. But I’m glad you found something that helps.
And you’re not a pain the neck! I like it that you encourage me to try new things, it makes me become better at applying makeup, esp eyeliner which is something I only started to use this past year. I’m not sure how a bold cat eye will look on me since I have small eyes but I’m always willing to try something new, you never know. I have a couple of requests to fulfill first (one of which I’ll post tomorrow and it’s a look with a pink eyeliner) but I’ll get working on it as soon as possible so stay tuned.
My eye doctor recommended Prep-H ointment. In the past, I tried it in the morning with little immediate effect. He told me to use it at night before bed. It made a HUGE difference! Now I use it whenever I need to look fresh in the moring. (PS…LOVE your website!)
Pamela, thank you for your recommendation. I’m glad you’re getting such great results with this ointment.
Im turning 14, i kinda do have a badd diett but im eating healthy now and drinking the right amount of water i excercise about 5 times a week. and im pretty healthy. But every morning i wake up and have puffy eyes and there small it makes me look tired messy and ugly. its pretty annoying so ive tried everything cold things cucumber but it makes it a whole lot worse im sick of it any more tips
angelalouise_, if your eyes are always puffy even if you exercise, eat healthy and sleep well at night then you might be allergic to something. It would be best to visit an optician to know if an allergy or irritation can be the cause. Hope this helps.