How to Reduce and Prevent Bags Under the Eyes

When you look into the mirror do you see puffy pouches under your eyes? Do you know what causes these bags that so many have? With a little care, you can eliminate these bags and prevent them from reoccurring.

It is a common misconception that bags under the eyes are caused by lack of sleep. While this may contribute to the darkness of the bags it does not account for the bags themselves.

There are many factors that can contribute to puffy bags under your eyes. These include aging, fluid build-up, allergic reactions, fat accumulation, genetics, and illness. Any one or combination of these factors can result in extra baggage under your eyes.

Fluid build-up is a common source of bags under the eyes. This build-up is usually related to what you may have had to eat or drink the previous day. This could be from a high sodium intake or a large liquid intake before bed. This source of bags under the eyes is the easiest to get rid of as nature takes care of it for you by reabsorbing the fluid back into the body.

Bags under the eyes can be caused by an allergic reaction to foods that you have eaten or products you have come in contact with. These bags will disappear as the allergen leaves your system.

Aging and fat accumulation go hand-in-hand in being a source for creating bags under the eyes. As you age your skin becomes thinner and produces less collagen. As the collagen decreases your skin loses its elasticity. This allows the outer layer of fat to bulge out causing the area under your eyes to be puffy. These types of bags do not go away by themselves.

While most bags under the eyes are only a cosmetic nuisance some are of a more serious nature. Some illnesses, such as thyroid and kidney problems, can cause puffiness under the eyes.

Bags under the eyes caused by fluid retention and allergies can be prevented with a little care. Avoiding foods high in sodium and staying away from allergens will reduce the frequency of bags under your eyes. You can even minimize the effects of aging on bags under your eyes by maintaining a diet high in antioxidants.

Unfortunately not all bags under the eyes can be prevented. If you are genetically predisposed to getting these bags under the eyes then there is very little chance that you will be able to avoid them.
Look to your parents and grandparents to see whether genetics will play a part in whether you will have bags under your eyes. Chances are if they do so will you.

Even if you are genetically predisposed to bags under the eyes there are things you can do to minimize the appearance of bags under the eyes. Doctors can remove the fat that creates bags under the eyes. Facelifts also can aid in reducing the effects of bags under the eyes while reducing fine lines and wrinkles. Botox shots are also given to minimize the effects of bags under the eyes.

Fortunately there are also ways to reduce the appearance of bags under the eyes without resorting to surgery and injections. While most home remedies work on puffiness caused by fluid retention and allergen irritation there are some that do temporarily help reduce the effects of bags under the eyes caused from aging. The easiest, and most common, of these is the use of tea bags. Simply moisten two tea bags and place them over your eyes for fifteen minutes. The tannins in the tea help tighten your skin to reduce the appearance of bags.

Even when you are not able to prevent or reduce the appearance of bags under the eyes you can conceal them. Use a concealer that is lighter shade than your foundation. When you highlight the area the puffiness becomes less noticeable.