Health and Beauty Articles for Women

Combating Puffiness and Under-Eye Circles

April 30th, 2008

by Skincare-news.com team
We’ve all experienced them: Whether you spent the evening in front of a computer screen scrambling to meet a deadline or enjoyed a long night out with the girls, puffiness around the eyes can strike, making you appear older, tired and worn out. Not only are under-eye circles common among women, but you might be surprised to learn that there are numerous factors besides lack of sleep that contribute to your under-eye dilemma. Luckily, treatment is fairly simple; all you need is a little knowledge and a few remedies.

How do you get them?

Lack of sleep: You might assume lack of sleep causes under-eye circles, but this is only part of the story. Lack of sleep affects blood flow around the eyes, which can cause swelling and dark circles. So, just get more sleep and problem solved? Surprisingly, getting enough sleep might influence dark under-eye circles, too. Because we lay down when sleeping, fluids can pool under the bottom eyelid due to gravity, causing puffiness and dark circles.


Genetics: You might have inherited your dark under-eye circles from your family. Try Hylexin For Dark Circles, an excellent product that doesn’t mask the problem but actually treats under-eye circles.

Other factors: A host of other sources can cause puffy eyes, including stress, high blood pressure, crying, increased salt intake, too much alcohol and even chronic skin disorders like atopic eczema.

Menstruation and pregnancy can result in skin looking pale, which only enhances the under-eye area, drawing more attention to puffy dark circles. Sun exposure is another culprit. Being outside in the sun affects our skin pigmentation and can deepen our skin tone, especially under our eyes.

Also, blame your allergy symptoms, like itchy eyes and nasal congestion. As you itch or rub around your eyes, the skin under the eyes can darken. Nasal congestion can cause the eyes’ veins to become larger and darker, because congestion prevents fluid in these veins from draining down to the nose.

How do you get rid of them?

Dark under-eye circles can be treated in a variety of ways. Follow these simple steps to keep your eyes beautifully bright and puffy-free.

Lifestyle changes: The first thing you should pay attention to is your diet and sleeping habits. Get around eight hours of sleep per night. When life intrudes and early days call, reach for an eye cream with antioxidants and caffeine, which will protect the skin and kick-start your circulation, helping to ease any puffiness around the eyes.

When it comes to diet, watch your salt intake. Consume at least eight, eight-ounce glasses of water each day. If heading out for a night on the town, limit your alcohol intake; just one night of overdoing it with wine or cocktails can cause water retention.

Also, always apply sunscreen around the eyes to prevent skin pigment from darkening. Before going to bed, remove your eye makeup with a gentle, oil-free eye makeup remover.

Control your allergies: Because allergy symptoms can also affect dark under-eye circles, it’s important to treat these symptoms. Don’t rub or scratch your eyes, as this can cause irritation. Treat any nasal congestion to allow fluid from under the eyes to drain down to the nose. For reducing mild under-eye puffiness, the Mayo Clinic suggests raising the head of your mattress or adding an extra pillow, which prevents fluids from accumulating around your eyes as you sleep.

Home remedies: If your eyes become swollen, you can try a number of at-home remedies. Chilled cucumber slices or even potato slices, both natural astringents, are known to reduce swelling. Also for swelling, try tea bags. Rich in tannins, tea helps to tone the eye area and improve circulation. While cool tea bags are most commonly used, experts are now saying that warm tea bags will also do the trick. Whichever you choose, keep the bags on your eyes for about 10 minutes.

Product picks: Don’t have time to cut cucumber or potato slices? According to the Mayo Clinic, products that contain vitamins C or K, alpha hydroxy acid or kinetin can keep bags at bay. Combination products that target dark under-eye circles as well as fine lines and wrinkles around the eyes are also great.

For reducing dark circles and puffiness, reach for Revision SkinCare Teamine Eye Complex. For age-related wrinkles and circles around the eye area, try SkinCeuticals Eye Balm, a multi-tasking eye cream that contains an advanced combination of phytochemicals to stimulate collagen production and protect against free radical damage.

Special considerations: In more extreme cases, puffiness or swelling under the eyes and dark circles might be a sign of kidney or thyroid problems. If you’re experiencing these symptoms along with swelling in other parts of your body (fingers, toes, ankles) visit your doctor immediately.

Remember, taking care of yourself on the inside is just as important as the products you use to protect your skin on the outside. Strive to get enough sleep, take time out for yourself to relieve stress, keep hydrated, baby those peepers and you’ll be dropping your eye-baggage in no time.

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