Whether you are going through a tough situation or have a difficult situation that is bringing you down, crying becomes a part of life. It is an emotional response from humans. It may even help with survival. Still, the red, puffy eyes you get after crying does not have to bring your mood down any further. Keep on reading to find out a few tips to reduce eye puffiness. When you start crying, fluid collects in the eyelids as well as around your eyes. Reducing the swelling is all about cooling and moving fluid away from the eyes.
What causes dark circles and puffy eyes?
Ordinary swelling around your eyes means you have too much accumulation of fluids, known as edema, in the surrounding skin tissues. As the skin around the eyes is the thinnest in the body, discoloration and swelling can be prominent.
But why does fluid accumulate to form puffy eyes? Generally, puffy eyes result from a variety of factors like:
- Overconsumption of salt, which results in fluid retention.
- Allergies can cause swelling and inflammation.
- Dehydration
- Sinus problems
- Stress
- Fatigue or lack of sleep
- Aging
- Crying
With growing age, eye puffiness can be caused in parts when fatty tissues that usually protects the inner part of the eyes starts to push forward and fill the gaps under the eyes. This happens because aging procedures cause thinning of the membrane of the “septum” that usually holds back in both the lower and upper eyelids. As the membrane starts getting thin, the fat herniates and pushes ahead. This is when bulges or bags start forming below the eyes.
Reasons that Causes Puffy Eyes in the Morning
While we sleep, our eye does not blink. And this is part of the reason why eye puffiness develops. Blinking eyes is just like walking for legs. You must have observed when you keep your legs idle, it starts swelling. The same is with our eyes.
The non-blinking, closed eyelids during sleep can cause swelling. So, in the morning, you might wake up with unusually swollen and puffy eyelids. After you open your eyes and start to blink, some of this swelling can lessen in an hour or so.
Tips to reduce eye puffiness
- Apply a cold compress- One of the best tips to reduce eye puffiness is to apply a cold compress. Application of cold compress can reduce swelling. Just grab a clean washcloth and make it wet with cool water. Sit up in bed or a comfy chair. Then, apply the wet washcloth to the skin around your eyes for a few minutes, using gentle pressure.
- Apply tea bags or cucumber slices- Cucumber slices can also assist in soothing puffy eyes and at the same time, it helps in reducing swelling. For this, you must have a refrigerated cucumber with you. If you want to treat the puffiness around your eyes, then what you need to do is wash your cucumber before cutting it two ¼ inches slices. You can save the rest of the cucumber of later use. Keep the cucumber slices on the eyelids until they remain no longer cool. The idea behind utilizing tea bags is all about caffeine. Most varieties of black tea contain caffeine, and there is some proof that it can penetrate the skin, ease puffiness and at the same time increase blood circulation. To follow this method, wet two tea bags, keep it inside the fridge for 20 minutes and then place them over your eyes for half an hour.
- Massage or tap the area gently to stimulate blood flow- You can work to increase the flow of blood to the affected area by gently massaging or tapping around your eyes. For doing this, work the pressure points in your eyebrow for a few seconds before sweeping your fingers from the inside corner of the eyes to outward. This helps in draining out the area that is inflamed. Then, tap at your sinuses using two fingers on each hand, starting on either side of your nose and working outwards. You may even feel that fluid moving in this area. It is everything about moving fluid, so you may also want to massage the lymph nodes present in the neck. Always massage downward from your face. Continue this for 3 minutes and repeat as required.
- Apply witch hazel- You may have witch hazel inside your medicine cabinet. This astringent helps in treating redness and inflammation, making it the right choice for treating puffy eyes. To apply, take a cotton pad and apply witch hazel in it and then keep it on your eyes for about 5 to 10 minutes.
- Use eye-rollers- Inflammation can also be treated by using eye cooling gels that are applied using a metal rollerball. A massage with eye-roller hydrates as well as cools the eyes. Hold it like an eye pencil. Move it back and forth on the affected area and massage.
- Clear out your sinuses using a neti pot- Some people swear that using a neti pot can help to remove your dark circles and under-eye bags. A neti pot is a device which is filled with a saltwater solution. You keep the spout in your nose and irrigate your sinuses, which helps in removing mucus and other waste.
For doing this:
- Fill your neti pot with a saltwater solution- Take ½ teaspoon of salt and mix it in 1 cup of water. Heat the water to disperse, then cool the mixture to body temperature before using. Warm or lukewarm is considered the best.
- Turn your head sideways over the sink. Keep the spout of the pot on the upper nostril, the one now closer to the ceiling.
- Repeat this procedure with your head turned the other way
- Make sure you wash out your pot after every use with distilled, filtered, and sterile water
- Allow the pot to dry before storing
You can buy inexpensive neti pots online. If you are planning to try this method at home, then be sure to use sterilized or distilled water to create your saltwater solution. You may also use boiled tap water after cooling it down to a safe temperature.
- Keep yourself hydrated- Water makes up nearly 60 percent of your body weight. It may not be surprising that dehydration can cause under-eye bags. Increasing your water intake will help.
How much is sufficient? Experts recommend drinking nearly 13 cups of fluids a day for males, and nearly 9 cups of fluids for females, every day.
You do not like to drink water? The good news is that all fluids count towards your daily total. Still, water is a low-calorie alternative. You can try sparkling waters, flavored waters, or water infused with fruits. Cold or hot herbal decaffeinated tea is a good option.
- Apply sunscreen every day- Protecting your skin against the sun’s harmful rays can help to treat a lot of dermatological problems, like:
- Premature aging
- Discoloration
- Skin cancer
As a result, applying sunscreen may also help you to get rid of dark circles and under-eye bags.
- Consult your dermatologist about micro-needling- Micro-needling is also known as collagen induction therapy. Proponents say it helps in reducing scar, wrinkles, and even pigmentation issues, like under-eye bags and dark circles.
This procedure involves fine needles that are used to penetrate the skin. This makes a controlled injury of sorts that, in turn, rejuvenates the skin. This process is not for those who want immediate results. It is generally completed within six sessions in a month. Micro-needling is less costly when compared to traditional laser processes.
Though there are some risks involved in this process, the recovery time is fast. People may experience:
- Bruising
- Bleeding
- Scarring
- Infection
By following these tips to reduce eye puffiness, you can not only treat your puffed eyes, but also dark circles.