Your eyes can become puffy and red as a result of heredity, fatigue, allergies or illness, and can make you appear more tired and sallow than normal. If your eyes are chronically puffy and red, it can affect how well you feel during the day, and can even add years to your appearance. Luckily, there are a few ways you can treat red, puffy eyes that will soothe irritations, reduce swelling, and shrink the size of the capillaries under the skin.
Step 1
Refrigerate a cucumber for one hour. Cut two slices off of the cucumber, each around 1/8 inch thick. Looking upward with eyes closed, place the cucumber slices over your eyes. Leave the slices on the eyes for at least 15 minutes, then remove them and allow the eyes to air dry. Repeat up to three times per day.
Step 2
Soak two black tea bags in water, and squeeze out the excess water with your fingers. Looking upward with eyes closed, place one tea bag onto each eye. Let the bags rest on the eyes for at least 10 minutes, then rinse off the skin with warm water. Repeat up to twice a day.
Step 3
Wrap two ice cubes in a thin towel. Place the ice cubes over closed eyes, one for each eye. Leave the ice on your eyes for up to five minutes, removing them if the ice is uncomfortable. Allow the eye area to air dry if it became damp from the ice. Repeat up to twice a day, preferably once when you first wake up.
Tips and Warnings
- Cucumber contains anti-inflammatory properties that reduce swelling when applied to the skin. Black tea contains caffeine, which reduces the size of the capillaries in the skin, thereby reducing the appearance of redness. Ice cubes can be used on the skin to reduce swelling and inflammation, but should be wrapped in a thin cloth to avoid any pain that may result from extended contact. Looking upward with the eyes closed allows the cucumbers and the black tea bags to reach the area of the eyes that are usually the most affected by redness and inflammation.
Things You'll Need
- Cucumber
- Black tea bags
- Ice cubes
- Thin cloth
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