The eyes are often the first thing that someone notices when he looks at you. They can reveal how much sleep you had the night before or how much salt you had in your dinner yesterday. Your eyes can give an indication of your age, too. While measures such as dietary and sleep changes can alleviate puffiness under the eys, hereditary causes or an underlying medical condition require more attention.
Causes
Skin-care adviser Paula Begoun says puffy eyes generally happen for three reasons: lifestyle, genetics and age. Too much salt, too little sleep and too much fluid can cause undereye puffiness, as can allergies. Puffiness can also develop as you age. Last, some people are born with larger than normal fat pads beneath their eyes, resulting in a puffy appearance.
Diet
Dietary changes will not necessarily help undereye puffiness caused by age or genetics. But changes in diet can help some people. Reduce your intake of salty snacks such as potato chips and pretzels, as they can exacerbate the problem. Limit other processed foods, as well, as they often contain high amounts of sodium. Further, curb your intake of alcohol. Alcohol dehydrates the body, which can cause you to store fluids underneath the eyes.
Home Remedies
A number of home remedies can reduce the appearance of puffy eyes. Getting enough sleep, which is seven to eight hours a night for most people, can help to improve the look of your eyes. Sleeping with an extra pillow or your mattress propped up at the head can discourage fluid from settling under the eyes. Because allergies can be a culprit, avoid exposure to allergens. If you wake up with puffy eyes, cool compresses applied for a few minutes under the eyes while sitting up can reduce the swelling. Begoun also recommends applying cool caffeinated tea bag compresses.
Surgical Treatment
For some age-related or genetic cases of undereye puffiness, cosmetic surgery is the best option. The surgical procedure called blepharoplasty removes excess muscle, fat and skin to repair droopy eyelids and puffy eyes. The procedure is done on an outpatient basis and generally takes less than two hours, according to the Mayo Clinic. Blepharoplasty provides a more youthful and rested appearance that can last a lifetime.
Prevention
It is important to remove all traces of makeup before going to sleep at night, with particular emphasis on eye makeup such as mascara, eyeliner and eyeshadow. Because the skin around the eyes is thin and fragile, do not rub your eyes when removing your eye makeup. Avoid facial or eye-care products that contain a lot of fragrance, as this can irritate your eyes. Last, do not wear contact lenses longer than indicated. If your eyes are getting irritated when wearing contacts, see your eye-care professional.
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