Eye Bags or bags under the eyes commonly appear as puffiness or swelling. The effects of ageing cause skin tissues and some of the muscles supporting your eyelids to weaken. This can result in the fat that normally surrounds your eyes to drop to the area under the eyes puffing up the lower eyelids. You may also have an accumulation of fluid in the area under your eyes which will add to the swelling.
The good news is that eye bags are more of a cosmetics issue than necessarily a medical concern and can often be improved by an action as simple as a cold compress being applied to the under-eye area.
There is an option of cosmetic surgery if the problem really concerns you, but try to take action to improve the appearance naturally if you are able.
So what are the most common Symptoms?
These may include:
- A mild swelling under the lower eyelid.
- The appearance of loose and saggy skin under your eyes.
- The appearance of Dark under-eye
Should you see your Doctor for under-eye bags?
Under-eye bags are generally harmless, however, if the swelling is painful and red or severe it would be a good idea to seek medical advice.
It is important that your Doctor can dismiss possible medical reasons you may have eye bags. These may be thyroid disease, allergies or infections.
The likely causes of Under-Eye bags.
With ageing, tissues and muscles around your eyelids may weaken. Your skin can sag, and fat normally located around the eye can drop into the area under the eyes. To explain it simply, if you hold a weight above your head for a long time your arms will lose strength and will not be able to hold it in the original position, eventually you will not be able to hold it above your head at all. This is what happens to the muscles around our eyes, in fact in most areas of our body over time.
This can create a space under your eye where fluid can gather making your under-eye area appear puffy or swollen.
So to recap likely causes of under-eye bags:
- The retention of Fluid. This is most obvious when we wake up or eat a salty meal.
- You do not have enough sleep.
- You are prone to Allergies.
- If you are Smoking you are not doing your skin or your body any favours at all.
- Under-eye bags can be hereditary.
What can I do to help reduce my Under-Eye Bags?
The following tips can help you reduce or eliminate bags under your eyes:
- Use a cool face towel. Dampen a clean face towel with cool water. Lightly press the damp face towel on the skin around and under your eyes for a few minutes. Stand or sit when you do this.
- Don’t drink too much before you go to bed. Reduce your salt intake. Doing these simple steps will help reduce the retention of fluid that can contribute to under-eye bags.
- If you can, STOP smoking. Smoking may contribute to under-eye bags.
- Have sufficient sleep. An average of seven to nine hours per night is the suggested amount of sleep.
- Sleep with an extra pillow. This will raise your head slightly. It may help prevent an accumulation of fluid around your eyes as you sleep. Dark circles, caused by fluid retention when you lay down will generally disappear when you get up and move around during the day.
- If you are prone to symptoms of allergies, check the soaps, hair dyes or cosmetics you use. There are over the counter allergens you can get to help.
- Use a good skin tightening serum for a short term reduction of your under-eye bags and can further mask them with makeup. There are also creams available designed to help lessen under-eye bags over time.
