How to Say Goodbye to Puffy Eyes

Nothing says old and worn out better then puffy eyes with or without dark circles, yet swollen eyes afflict young people as well as old. Many women begin having the problem in their teens, and some unfortunate people begin having swollen eyes during childhood. It is said that eyes are windows to the soul, and puffy, dark eyes can make a person appear years older. So, if you are looking to rejuvenate your appearance and attain a more youthful looking face, one of the most important things that you can do is banish your under eye bags.

There are many pricey 'miracle' creams and products on the market that promise to do just that, but few deliver any meaningful results. The few that do have a beneficial effect are often overpriced products that anyone could create a low priced, yet equally beneficial equivalent to in their own kitchen. You can save quite a bit of money and most likely see better results by making your own eye treatments. Perhaps more important than external creams or ointments is addressing the internal problems that cause swollen eyes.

In order to remedy the problem of swollen eyes, one must first understand what causes them. Contrary to popular belief fatigue is not the only cause, nor even the leading cause of puffy eyes. It is one of the major causes, however fatigues effect on eyes pales in comparison to other factors.

Sinus Problems

So you get enough sleep but still cant get rid of your under eye problems. There may be a solution for you because unbeknownst to most people sinus problems are the main cause of swollen eyes and dark circles. Our sinuses drain just below our eyes; a process that mostly occurs while we are sleeping. This drainage does not occur as much as it should when we do not sleep enough, which is why fatigue can cause our eyes to swell and have dark circles underneath.

However, congestion and other sinus problems can interfere with the drainage process. This will cause swelling and dark circles in the afflicted person regardless of how much sleep they get. People whose sinuses are in good working order, who also get enough sleep have much fewer eye issues than people who have sinus problems or are routinely fatigued.

If you routinely suffer from puffy eyes, a good first step to alleviating this symptom is to see your doctor. Your doctor can test you for allergies (another key factor) or other factors (such as swollen adenoids or even infected teeth) that interfere with your sinus drainage. Many people find that they have quick, and quite noticeable results when they begin taking a regular sinus decongestant medicine such as Allegra D, or Claritin D. In addition to conventional approaches to caring for your sinuses using breathe right strips and / or elevating your head while you sleep will promote sinus drainage and ease the appearance of under eye circles and swelling.

Hydration, Hydration, Hydration

We have all heard about how important water is to overall health, what few people know is that adequate water intake is the best beauty treatment that money can buy. This is particularly true with the face. Inadequate water intake will cause skin to basically deflate, making wrinkles look deeper and eyes appear sunken. The appearance of sunken eyes and deeper wrinkles makes swollen, under eye circles look even worse. The affect of dehydration is especially obvious in the morning because of the lack of water intake during the night. So drink two big glasses of water in the morning to make up for lost time. Making sure you are very well hydrated before bed will help also.

New Age

Eye pillows and sleep masks containing flax seed or rice and herbs are available in nearly every large store. Some of these masks/pillows claim that the rice or seed provides gentle acupressure to the under eye area, helping ease under eye swelling. Others claim that essential oil blends used in the pillow are equally responsible for giving under eye swelling and dark circles the boot. The masks can generally be refrigerated and used cold or micro waved and used while warm. Other proponents of new age healing claim that acupuncture around the sinus area can alleviate under eye problems.

Old School

Just as modern technology has greatly contributed to our self-care, their are some old school classic beauty treatments that will never go out of style. There are several that can greatly contribute to improved under eye appearance. The first is cucumbers. The simple act of slicing medium thick circles of cucumber and reclining with the cucumber slices over the eyes was the first form of the eye pillow. The slight weight of the slices is beneficial to the area, but the cucumbers themselves will help reduce swelling. Results appear to be best if the cucumbers are used in the evening before bed.

Castor oil, that thick bad tasting stuff that many a person has been spoon-fed by worried grandmothers has a good effect on the eye area. Results appear to be best if the oil is rubbed around the eye area just before bed. The oil will help swelling issues and will also help minimize the appearance of fine wrinkles.

Aloe Vera gel is another home remedy that works wonders on the under eye area. Keep it stored in the refrigerator and apply around tired eyes for a cooling, relaxing treat. Aloe works so well that many companies have made commercial eye gels containing it, occasionally coupled with cucumber.

They say an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, but what do you do when you wake up in the morning to get ready for a big job interview or a special occasion and under eye bags and / or dark circles make you look tired and sick? Using aloe will help, but first try this home remedy to reduce under eye swelling in a snap. Keep several teaspoons or tablespoons in your refrigerator (some store them in the freezer but I have found this too be too cold) for mornings like this. Then you simply remove two cold spoons from the refrigerator and hold them against your eye area, making sure they cover your entire under eye area. The cold spoons will feel wonderful and quickly reduce swelling. I keep multiple spoons refrigerated because I have found that they warm up quickly and I often need more than one for each eye.

Multiple Approaches

The best under eye care regimen for you depends on your specific needs, but I have found that a combination of all of the above approaches works the best. If you pick several of these options to try and use them regularly you should quickly see improvement and finally say goodbye (or at least see you later) to puffy eyes.