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 Do you wake up looking more tired than when you went
to bed? Do people tell you it's time for a vacation the day you get
back? If so, it's a safe bet you've got some under eye
"baggage" -- puffy eyes, eye bags, dark circles, and
shadows. It's also a safe bet they're making you look more tired and
older than you really are.
It's not unusual to
see women and men in their 20s and 30s who have this problem, and it
only gets worse as time goes on.
Although cosmetic
surgery is certainly an option -- and we'll tell you more about that
below -- there are other ways to treat under-eye bags and sags, dark
circles, and puffiness.
Before looking at
the remedies, though, it's important to know a little something about
how and why these eye problems occur -- and how you might avoid them
to begin with.
Puffiness and under-eye bags: Why they occur and what
you can do
The problems with
eye bags usually start small. You may notice a barely visible
"pillow" of puffiness just below the lower lid. If you
leave it untreated, it can billow out further. Then, over time, it
gives way to a full-blown bag.
But how and why
does the puffiness start? One cause, experts say, is the natural
aging process. There is a certain amount of fat naturally in the
under-eye area. It's held in place by ligaments. As you age, the
ligaments get weaker, allowing the fat to push forward, forming that
little puffy pillow under your eye.
As time goes on,
the puff gets bigger, then skin loses elasticity, allowing the
formation of those loose wads of skin we call "bags." How
soon that happens, however, depends a lot on how many bags your
parents had -- and when their problems began.
A lot of it has to
do with heredity, It can be a structural, anatomic, genetic issue
that simply causes some people to develop this problem sooner than
others.
But it's not just
heredity. Lifestyle factors matter too. Do you consistently cheat
yourself of sleep? Do you eat a lot of salty food snacks and retain a
lot of water? Are you getting enough exercise? All these things can
cause bags to form a lot sooner.
Sometimes, a
chronic sinus condition or a nasal allergy can result in under-eye
puffiness. The continual swelling and deflating that goes on can
contribute to loose skin and eventually bags. So, if you find
yourself with a stuffy nose, pain over the brow or cheek bone, or
watery, itchy eyes at the same time your eyes look the puffiest, it's
important to see an allergist. Sometimes the puffiness can be
substantially reduced once you treat the underlying allergy or sinus
condition.
What also may help
is using an extra pillow when you sleep, or a wedge that props your
head up higher. This can help create some drainage, and that might
make the eyes look less puffy in the mornings.
Under-eye bags: Treatment options
Folklore is filled
with temporary fixes for puffy eyes. One of the most popular
treatments -- covering the puffy area with frozen tea bags, cucumber
slices, or the back of an ice-cold spoon -- may actually provide some
temporary relief. In all these instances, it's really the cold that
is working. It's temporarily taking down the swelling.
Green tea bags may
work particularly well. That's because they contain a natural
anti-inflammatory chemical known as EGCG, which can reduce fluid
build-up that contributes to puffiness.
There is also some
truth to the rumors that the hemorrhoid treatment Preparation H can
help deflate under-eye bags. It helps tighten and smooth skin on a
very temporary basis, but be certain to use only the cream form, not
the oil form, which can make the bags look worse. Use it with
caution. You don't want to get this into your eyes, so be very
careful when you apply it.
If you're looking
for a temporary fix that lasts a bit longer, experts say the new
injectable wrinkle fillers, can help.
The filler is
injected just under the puffy area to even out the look and remove the
indentation caused by the puff, and then, frequently, Botox is used
to smooth out the lines. The overall effect is a younger looking eye.
Although it can work for early stage puffiness and bags, the result
lasts only about 8 or 9 months before it has to be repeated --
costing up to a couple thousand dollars each time.
For more permanent
results that last up to 20 years or more, nothing beats a surgical
eyelift. This involves inserting a tiny electronic probe directly
into the "puff" to melt the fat. In younger people, all you
may need is the fat melting. If you're older and the skin in this
area does not have good elasticity, a tiny tuck just inside or below
the lower lash line may be needed, and pulling up of the excess skin.
The result is a smooth, even, very young looking eye.
The eyelift is an
outpatient procedure that takes about an hour. It requires only local
anesthesia and light sedation and takes about two weeks to heal. Many
people can go out with a little make up after 8 days.
Although the cost
of an eyelift can be high, results are definitely lasting.
Dark circles and deep shadows: What to do
With or without eye
puffiness or eye bags, many folks do daily battle with "raccoon
eyes." They have varying degrees of darkness that appear under
the lower lid and can make even the peppiest person appear dragged
out, tired, and older than her years. This is a problem that experts
say is frequently misidentified, which is one reason it can seem so
difficult to solve.
There is a true
condition known as dark circles, but it's actually not that common.
What is far more common, and often mistaken for dark circles, are
dark shadows that frequently develop as part of the same aging
process that causes puffiness to appear.
Muscles and ligaments
close to the eye on either side of the bridge of the nose -- an area
doctors call the "tear trough" -- can weaken over time.
With its support structure gone, the skin begins to collapse, causing
a kind of indentation or "gutter" effect. When the adjacent
area becomes puffy, that "gutter" casts a shadow on skin
making it appear as if there is a dark circle.
If you pull the
lower eyelid skin taunt, and the darkness goes away -- then you know
it's purely an illusion. It's not a true dark circle. And when
this is the case, treating the puffiness, particularly with a wrinkle
injection, will often make the shadows disappear.
If, however,
pulling your skin still leaves you looking at a dark discoloration,
you have true dark circles. A frequent cause of these circles is a
thinning of the skin that occurs naturally as part of the aging
process. When it does, it exposes a netting of reddish-blue blood
vessels underneath. This is what you see as a dark circle.
The most
common solution is to use certain types of laser or IPL -- intense pulse
light -- treatments. These treatments use heat to vaporize the extra
vessels so the color is less noticeable under the skin.
If, on the other
hand, your under eye darkness is the result of pigmentation issues,
then skin-lightening treatments can help. Treatments with
hydroquinone or kojic acid will help even out the skin tone so the
darkened areas aren't as noticeable.
And what about
vitamin K cream, once believed to be the topical treatment of choice
for eradicating dark circles? Sadly, there is scant research pro or
con. In one study of a vitamin K based gel published in 2004 in the
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 47% of the women said they saw mild
to moderate improvement. However, since the gel also contained
vitamins C and E and retinol, experts say it was hard to tease out
just what ingredient was responsible for the good results.
Dark circles, shadows and puffiness; The great
cover-up
Although medical
treatments can usually offer the most lasting solutions, there are
some things you can do with the simple art of "cover-up."
Make-up and skin care can help improve the look of some of these
problems.
Here are some tips for looking your best:
When covering dark
circles caused by a reddish or bluish cast, choose a salmon- or
peach-colored concealer for best results. Don't use a beige or white
concealer, It's only going to make the darkness look gray."
When looking to
conceal puffiness, don't apply a light color or light-reflecting
concealer on the puffy area. Light brings volume out, so it will make
the area look puffier. Instead, use a nylon (and not natural hair)
concealer brush to apply a thin layer of lighter product in the
crease below the puff, and into the tear trough. Then use a concealer,
one to two shades darker than your foundation on the puff to reduce
the appearance of volume.
Always put on
foundation before concealer. First, you might not need as much
concealer as you think; second, the foundation will only wipe it off.
Do start your cover
up with an eye primer. This will help smooth the area and give
whatever other products you apply a gripping foundation that will
keep them in place.
If your eyes become
puffier or your dark circles darker or redder after applying makeup
or skin care products, remember that it could be the products
themselves causing or exacerbating the problems. If this is the case,
look for unscented products (fragrance is often the culprit) and
avoid those containing glycolic acid or salicylic acid. Both can be
irritants to delicate skin around the eyes and cause swelling or
redness.
Sources:
www.women.webmd.com
www.maybelline.com.au
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