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Last Updated On: February 1, 2024

What are Puffy Eyes (Swollen Eyes)? Causes & Treatment

Published on: Oct 1, 2018

*Disclaimer:  Information on Maylips.com is provided for informational purposes only. Self-medication is strictly prohibited. All aesthetic procedures should be provided by the licensed healthcare specialist after the consultation with the personal therapist. The information in this article should not be used for prescribing any medication for the beauty injections.

All brand and medication descriptions in the article are based on the personal opinion and are not endorsed by Maylips.com. The article content was not reviewed for medical validity. Use this article for information and not for a final decision on the procedure.

What are The Causes and What are the Best Ways to Get Rid of Them?

What are puffy eyes?

Puffy eyes, also known as periorbital puffiness, is the appearance of abnormal swelling in the tissues around the eyes. Though the puffiness is usually observed in the areas below the eyes, it can actually extend all around the eye region. Under this circumstance, this condition is then referred to as eye bags.

What are the causes of puffy eyes?

For most cases, puffy eyes are caused by accumulation of fluid around the eyes. Many underlying conditions like pregnancy and menstruation can result in retention of fluid, especially in the subcutaneous tissues. Fluid retention is usually exacerbated by excessive sodium intake. Too much of sodium in the diet disrupts the delicate balance of sodium in the body cells, resulting in water accumulation and subsequently swollen eyes. Besides that, puffy eyes can be caused by fatigue and inadequate sleep. Adults need about 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night and a disrupted sleep cycle can make a person look tired with prominent swollen eyes. In addition, allergic reactions triggered by allergens can also cause puffy eyes. The release of histamine leads to leaks in the subcutaneous capillary beds which manifest as red, itchy and swollen eyes. Another undoubtable cause of puffy eyes is crying. This is because emotional tears have a lower salt composition compared to basal tears; hence, water flows into the saltier ocular tissues via osmosis leading to swollen eyes. The ageing process also contributes to puffy eyes because the skin around the eyes becomes thinner while the suborbicularis oculi fat pad diminishes.

How to get rid of puffy eyes?

The best way to reduce the severity of swollen eyes is through a number of treatments and lifestyle changes. Patients can start by adopting a healthier diet. Patients should reduce eating processed and junk food as they are laden with salt. Potassium-rich food items like fruits (e.g. banana, watermelon, prune, honeydew, etc.) and vegetables (e.g. spinach, broccoli, mushrooms, peas, etc.) can help to excrete excessive salt from the body. Besides a healthy diet, patients must also try to get adequate sleep every night to ensure proper rejuvenation of bodily tissues and systems. If patients experience swollen due to allergic reactions, they must visit their physicians, so that they can be prescribed with suitable oral medications or anti-allergic eye drops. Patients can also apply eye creams containing with anti-ageing ingredients (e.g. Zo® Olluminate® Intense Eye Repair) that can help to strengthen the delicate skin around the eye area as well as to slow down and repair ageing signs.

*Disclaimer:  Information on Maylips.com is provided for informational purposes only. Self-medication is strictly prohibited. All aesthetic procedures should be provided by the licensed healthcare specialist after the consultation with the personal therapist. The information in this article should not be used for prescribing any medication for the beauty injections.

All brand and medication descriptions in the article are based on the personal opinion and are not endorsed by Maylips.com. The article content was not reviewed for medical validity. Use this article for information and not for a final decision on the procedure.