Soothing Tired, Puffy Eyes
Eliminate Dark Circles, Puffiness and Redness with These Cures
Nov 4, 2009
The eye area is the most sensitive on the face, protected by half the layers of dermis as everywhere else. They are prone to dryness, since they have fewer oil glands, but also to redness and puffiness from inflammation, since they are full of blood vessels. Treating the eyes is a delicate business. For those that suffer from swollen, puffy, or red eyes, relief can come in different forms, depending on the cause.
Why Eyes Get Puffy
There are many causes of eye puffiness, some of which are behavioral and can be corrected with basic lifestyle changes. Others are more difficult to eliminate, but can still be cured.
- Bloating. Too much alcohol or salt can cause your body to retain water everywhere, including the soft tissue surrounding the eye. Because the area is so delicate, the effects show up here sometimes overnight.
- Crying. The production of lots of tears can strain the eyes, leading to swelling or broken blood vessels.
- Blood Pressure. High blood pressure pushes fluids into the tissues around the eye area.
- Stress. Hormones released from stress can irritate the eyes.
- Allergies. Sneezing, congestion, and watery eyes can lead to under-eye swelling.
- Heredity. Sometimes a predisposition to puffy eyes is inherited and nothing more.
Finding Relief from Swelling
Whatever the reason, steps can be taken to soothe and relief the unpleasantness of puffy, swollen eyes. Once the cause is identified, the right treatment method can be chosen.
- Hydration. For almost every cause, particularly bloating, drinking plenty of water daily can help flush toxins from the eye area and relief water-retention from the face.
- Cold treatments. The best way to fight inflammation is to soothe it with cold. Cold cucumber slices, cold tea bags, wet cottonballs, or a cold washcloth all work well. Washing the face with ice cold water can also help relieve redness.
- Antihistamines. If the cause of puffy eyes is allergies, eliminating the source of the reaction and treating the symptoms with natural or medicinal remedies should provide quick relief.
- Eye Creams. Specially formulated moisturizers for the eye area, especially those containg caffeine, cucumber, yeast, aloe, or vitamin E are the best at reducing swelling and soothing redness.
- Surgery. If puffiness is hereditary and other treatments have not worked, there are surgical options available. Blepharoplasty is a common procedure, where excess skin and fat are removed from around the eyes. This can be a very expensive option.
It's important to note that eye puffiness should be a temporary condition, which will eventually go away on its own even without treatment. In cases where the eyes are persistently swollen or painful, consult a physician as this may be a symptom of a more serious underlying condition.
References:
- Anonymous. (2009, July). "Puffy Eyes: What Causes Puffy Eyes?" EyeCare Source. Retrieved November 4, 2009 from http://www.eyecaresource.com
- Anonymous. (n.d.) "Soothe puffy eyes: expert tips on how to refresh tired-looking eyes - Beauty RX." Shape. Retrieved November 4, 2009 from http://findarticles.com
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