Under-eye puffiness is usually a dead giveaway that you haven’t gotten enough sleep or that you’ve been bawling your eyes out. Fortunately, it’s nothing to be embarrassed about as it happens to the best of us. But despite how common it is, there’s no doubt that it can be bothersome and affect your confidence. If you often find yourself wondering why your eyes are so swollen, read on to find out how to get rid of puffy eyes.
What’s the difference between puffy under-eyes and eye bags?
Puffy under-eyes are not to be confused with eye bags, another common issue around the eye area. Compared to eye bags that are generally caused by aging and genetics, under-eye swelling is commonly due to the accumulation of fluid. Also, while eye bags tend to worsen with age, under-eye puffiness often goes away on its own. Due to gravity, the fluid that has built up under the eye will eventually drain with time.
What causes puffy eyes?
Puffy under-eyes are likely to appear due to the buildup of fluid under the skin, but that’s not the only reason your eyes may look tired. Here’s why you may have under-eye puffiness:
You’ve been crying
However, when you cry with emotion, your lacrimal system (the gland that produces tears) can’t cope with the amount of tears. The overwhelming amount of tears is absorbed by your under-eye tissue, causing the area to appear puffy. In addition, your blood vessels will dilate when you cry, delivering increased blood flow to the area.
You didn’t get enough sleep
If you’ve gotten tired of Googling “why are my eyes puffy in the morning?”, we’re here to answer that. Puffy eyes in the morning may appear when you don’t get a good night’s sleep. This is because poor sleep prompts your body to produce cortisol, a stress hormone that alters your body’s salt balance. As a result, you may retain more water around your under-eye area.
Your diet consists of salty food
A high-salt diet can trigger your body to retain more water. This can cause puffiness all around your body, but it may be more pronounced in your under-eye area since this location tends to be more delicate.
You’ve been drinking
You may be happy that it’s happy hour, but it’s bad news for your body. When you down too many drinks, your body will become dehydrated, and as a result, attempt to hold onto as much water as possible. The increased fluid retention can lead to puffy under-eyes.
You forgot to take off your makeup
We’re all guilty of forgetting to take off our makeup before going to bed once or twice, but it shouldn’t become a habit. When cosmetic particles become trapped in your tear ducts, they can cause reactions such as puffy under-eyes. Since the skin under your eyes is already so sensitive, try not to give it any reason to get irritated.
You didn’t protect your skin from the sun
How to get rid of puffy eyes
Now that you know what causes puffy eyes, let’s go over how you can remove and prevent them with at-home remedies. It’s worth noting that while you can wait for your under-eyes to depuff on their own, it will likely take an entire day. Do these instead:
Get enough sleep
Drink more water
Try a cold compress
After a sob-fest, you may be wondering how to get rid of puffy eyes instantly so no one will find out that you’ve been bawling. By resting a cooled washcloth on your closed eyes, you’ll be able to reduce the puffiness in minutes as the cold temperature can curb inflammation. You can also use a cooling gel pad to deflate your puffy under-eyes.
Ditch the salt in your diet
Cleanse your face
Apply proper sun protection
Use an eye cream
When to see your doctor
If you’ve been suffering from long-lasting swelling, or if there’s pain and redness around your eyes, it would be best to seek the advice of a medical professional immediately. The puffiness could be a sign of a more serious condition such as dermatitis, blepharitis, or thyroid eye disease.
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