Beauty & Skincare Tips – What Causes Bags Under the Eyes, Puffy Eyes & Dark Circles?

Many people have bags under their eyes, puffy eyes, or dark circles under their eyes. These can cause a person to look very tired, unhealthy and even older than their true age. If you are one of the many people that have this condition there are steps you can take to rejuvenate your skin and diminish those bags and circles to give your face a more healthy and youthful appearance.

The most common cause for puffy eyes and dark circles is a lack of sleep. When you do not get sufficient sleep each night, including interrupted sleep cycles or sleep deprivation, your eyes will show it. Make sure you get at least eight hours of sleep a night. Not only is good sleep essential to your skin, but it is also key to good mental and physical health. Try lavender oil to provide gentle relief to the skin around your tired or strained eyes. Simply mix a few drops of lavender essential oil with two and a half cups of water. Dip a cotton ball into the solution, squeeze out the excess, and place over your eyes.
The skin under your eyes is very thin and when tiny amounts of blood leaks through the slender capillaries close to the surface of that skin, the result is dark circles under the eyes. A short-term remedy for this issue is to apply a cold compress to the area. This will constrict the blood vessels and tiny capillaries and prevent blood leakage.

If you are battling a cold, including sinus congestion and nasal inflammation, you may notice dark circles under your eyes. This is because the inflammation and congestion slows the blood flow through the tiny capillaries in the face and traps it. When blood pools in the area under the eyes it shows through the skin as a purplish circle. The dark circles and puffiness will go away when your cold does. Place addition pillows under your head at night. This will elevate you head and can relive some of the pressure and sinus congestion, which can help reduce any puffiness under your eyes.

Another culprit to bags under the eyes, puffy eyes, and dark circles under the eyes is fluid retention. This is especially true in the morning because fluids can build up in the delicate area under your eyes while you sleep. A diet high that is high in salt will cause you to retain fluids, which can make your eyes appear puffy, especially if you are prone to these types of skin conditions. Retention of fluids is also common during pregnancy or hormonal variations during menstruation, causing swelling and skin discoloration around the eye area to be more prominent. Elevating your head with an extra pillow or two can also help in this situation because fluid will not sit in your eye area. Instead, gravity will help any fluid move out of that area. Reducing or eliminating foods with lots of salt will discourage fluid retention and can eliminate puffiness in your eye area or other locations on your body.