Puffy Eyes & Tea

Late nights of studying, working or staying up with a newborn, along with toxins in the environment and aging, can lead to dark, puffy circles under your eyes. One natural remedy to reduce the puffiness around your eyes is tea. Tea contains anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that can help reduce the signs of stress on the fragile skin underneath your eyes.

Puffy Eyes

MayoClinic.com indicates that puffiness or swelling under your eyes -- bags under your eyes -- is a common part of the aging process. As you become older, the tissue and muscles surrounding your eyes begin to weaken. As a result, fat that would otherwise help to support your eyes travels toward your lower eyelids. This causes a puffy appearance underneath your eyes. Puffy eyes are rarely the sign of a medical condition. The main concern most individuals with bags under the eyes have is the cosmetic appearance.

Other Causes

Aging is not the only reason for developing puffy eyes. You may develop puffy eyes if you do not get enough sleep or if you sleep lying flat on your back. Heredity, allergies, eating salty foods, and hormones -- during pregnancy -- may also lead to the appearance of puffy eyes. Eye puffiness is most often a temporary condition.

Treatment

Puffy eyes do not require any treatment at all -- unless you are concerned amount cosmetic appearance. Getting enough sleep, sleeping with your head propped up with a pillow, reducing salt intake and using compresses can help reduce puffy eyes. Skin treatments and cosmetic surgery can also help to tighten the skin around your eyes. Another means of reducing puffy eyes is by consuming tea or placing tea bags on your eyes.

Tea

Tea can help improve blood flow and act as an anti-inflammatory agent. There are a variety of different teas. White and green teas contain higher levels of antioxidants, according to the University of Michigan Health System. Oolong and black teas contain higher levels of caffeine. Antioxidants can help to stop damage to your cells and help cells repair -- including the cells in the tissues surrounding your eyes. Caffeine can help to reduce puffiness around your eyes by causing the blood vessels around your eyes to shrink. Tea also contains tannins, which work to constrict blood vessels and capillaries underneath your eyes. The University of Michigan Health System recommends two to four cups per day.

Tea Bag Treatment

You can use tea bags to help reduce puffiness around your eyes. Prepare two tea bags by soaking them in a cup of hot water. Wring your tea bags out and allow your tea bags to chill in your refrigerator overnight. Lie down and position the tea bags on your eyelids for five to 10 minutes. This can help to reduce swelling and tightness around your eyes, which can lead to less puffy eyes and can also eliminate dark circles, according to Audrey Kunin and Bill Gottlieb, authors of "The Dermadoctor Skinstruction Manual." Tea bags contain anti-inflammatory properties as well as tannin, which serves as an astringent.