Eye puffiness can occur in the eyelids, under the eyes or in both areas. Common causes of eye puffiness are dehydration, lack of sleep, sleeping position, diet, hormone levels, allergies or fat deposits related to aging. Puffy eyes are usually harmless, even if unattractive, and only rarely are caused by serious conditions such as cellulitis and cavernous sinus thrombosis, according to Merck. Home treatments and lifestyle changes can successfully treat most types of eye puffiness.
Step 1
Prop yourself up in bed with an extra pillow. This keeps your head slightly elevated above the rest of your body, which helps stop fluid from pooling around your eye areas.
Step 2
Sleep seven to eight hours. Getting the proper amount of sleep each night may reduce the occurrence of fatigue-related eye puffiness.
Step 3
Splash your face with cold water. To reduce swelling and encourage circulation, rinse your face in the morning.
Step 4
Lay a washcloth dampened with cold water over your eyes for 10 minutes to reduce swelling. Or, if you drink green tea, refrigerate your used teabags to use as eye compresses. Use the cold green teabags in place of the washcloth to treat morning eye puffiness. Green teabags contain caffeine, which applied topically, may increase circulation in the eye area and reduce swelling. The effects of topically applied caffeine are short term and there has not been any scientific studies on using caffeine on the eye area, warns Dr. Jennifer Linder in the International Association for Physicians in Aesthetic Medicine's press release, titled The Latest Trend: The Use of Caffeine in Aesthetics.
Step 5
Pat an eye cream that contains caffeine gently under your eyes. This temporarily reduces puffiness and freshens your appearance. Look for caffeine eye creams at high-end cosmetic counters and beauty supply stores.
Step 6
Drink water. You should have six 8 oz. glasses of water a day to keep your body hydrated. Dehydration can cause your body to store fluids, resulting in puffy eyes.
Step 7
Eat a low-sodium diet. Salt causes your body to store fluids and can increase eye puffiness.
Step 8
Take over-the-counter allergy medicine. Eye puffiness may be related to seasonal allergies.
Step 9
Talk to your doctor. If home remedies fail to relieve eye puffiness, discuss treatment options with your doctor. If you wish to receive surgical treatment for eye puffiness caused by fatty deposits, visit a plastic surgeon, who can perform a surgical procedure to remove the fat deposits and tighten the skin.
Things You'll Need
- Extra pillow
- Washcloth
- Green teabag
- Undereye cream containing caffeine
- Over-the-counter allergy medicine (for allergy sufferers)
References
- Mayo Clinic: Bags Under Eyes: Causes
- "Fit and Fabulous After 40"; A 5-Part Program for Turning Back the Clock; Denise Austine; 2002
- International Association for Physicians in Aesthetic Medicine: The Latest Trend: The Use of Caffeine in Aesthetics
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