The Reasons you have Puffy Eyes

The Reasons you have Puffy Eyes & how to Get Rid of Them.
Everyone suffers from puffy eyes from time to time, but what could be causing them? Whether you’re stressed or just losing sleep in anticipation of the best beauty advent calendars 2020 hitting shelves, puffy eyes are extremely common. They are caused by a variety of different factors, but most are easy to counteract once you know-how. Even if you don’t have particularly sensitive skin, chances are your eyes and the skin surrounding them is fairly reactive – something as small as not using the best eye cream for your skin type can cause a reaction.

Why? Because the skin in this area is thin and less resilient against irritants. Fluid retention also shows up more prominently here than other areas of the face, particularly if it has built up overnight as you lie flat on your pillow. We look at the common causes of puffy eyes and how to get rid of them…

Common causes of puffy eyes
Many causes of puffy or swollen eyes can be tackled with small changes to your skincare routine or lifestyle. But there is a minority of reasons that are indicative of underlying health issues, too, so it’s important to identify the cause of your puffy eyes so you can rule out anything more serious.

Here are some common causes of puffy eyes that you may not have considered…

Central heating
Turning the central heating up in winter can make eyes dryer and more sensitive than usual, as heat causes dehydration of mucus membranes in the eyes, leading them to thicken and become more inflamed.

Lack of sleep
A bad night’s sleep can lead to puffiness around the eye area in the morning as your body hasn’t efficiently cleared fluid and toxin build-up overnight. This can be even worse if you’re stressed, which causes changes to the salt balance in the body – and if salt balances are off, your eyes can retain water as a result and swell.

Allergies
Seasonal allergies can cause swelling of the eye area. When your body is faced with an allergy, it releases histamine into your system, which can sometimes lead to inflammation of the eye area.

Phases of your menstrual cycle
Just like the rest of your body swells during certain times of the month, your eyes can actually do the same. They should go down after a few days, as with abdominal bloating.

Too much salt
Too much salt in your diet can cause your eyes to puff, as excess sodium levels can lead to fluid retention. If you think too much salt may be the cause of your swollen eyes, simply cut back on foods that contribute to fluid retention. There is hidden salt in condiments and pre-packed, frozen or canned goods (sodium is often added as a preservative), so eat those in moderation.

Too much alcohol
Your eyes are extremely vulnerable to even small changes in your diet, so the dehydration caused by drinking too much alcohol can lead to puffiness around the eye area. Yes, sadly, white-wine eyes are definitely a thing.

Thyroid problems
Although it is probably more likely to be an environmental factor, puffy eyes can also be a symptom of an overactive thyroid, so if you are concerned, always check with your GP. But once you’ve identified the cause, what can you do to reduce a flare-up of puffiness around the eyes? We consulted some expert.

How to get Rid of Puffy Eyes
“Puffy eyes are caused by age-related changes that occur around the eye area,” explains Dr Aoife Turner, aesthetic and plastic surgeon at AT Harley Street. “Loosening and stretching of the skin and underlying tissues leads to a bulging of the fat pads around our eyes, which can be exacerbated by environmental factors. Common triggers include dust mites and food products containing lactose, or alcohol.” To combat the problem and reduce swelling, she says, “identify which substance is irritating the eyes and reduce exposure, while simple tricks like sleeping with an extra pillow and using a cool eyepack will help to reduce puffiness”.

If you prefer a more holistic approach, Chinese medicine practitioner Katie Brindle explains that it may be that some of your organs are out of balance. “In Chinese medicine, puffy eyes are a sign of weak kidney and spleen Qi,” she says. As founder of the Hayo’u Method, Katie recommends a gua sha massage tool. “Hold the cool jade or rose quartz over the eyes,” she explains. “Rose quartz is cooling, and jade emits FIR rays, which are healing at cellular level. Then press-stroke the tool to encourage lymph drainage. Make sure you work on the neck first to open the lymph channels.”

To read more about how to get rid of puffy eyes, visit the source of this posting at Woman & Home.