How to make bags under your eyes go away

Tired of eye bags making you look perpetually exhausted, dull or older than you are? We're talking about the sagging, swelling or "puffiness" in your undereye area that does not seem to go away with natural remedies or after slathering on lots of expensive eye cream. Well, this could be due to common misunderstandings about what actually causes them.

"The eye is surrounded by fat tissue that acts as a cushion for the eyeball. As a person ages, the fat can sometimes accumulate or bulge out in the area just under the eyes, leading to the formation of an eye bag," explains medical director Dr Gerard Ee, co-founder of The Clifford Clinic, which recently expanded its services to include cosmetic and reconstructive surgery, in addition to a repertoire of non-surgical aesthetic and dermatological procedures.

So to help revitalise your eyes and restore a less tired and more youthful appearance, Dr Ee dispels three common myths about eye bags and recommends safe yet effective ways to remove them.

Myth 1: Eye bags are caused by insufficient sleep

"The lack of sleep can cause the capillaries around the eye to dilate. As the skin around the eyes is very thin, the increased blood flow results in the area under the eyes appearing darker," says Dr Ee. However, people often mistake these dark circles for eye bags, and Dr Ee notes that they are not the same thing.

He explains, "While dark circles form due to the dilation of capillaries, eye bags are primarily formed due to orbital (the area around the eye) fat accumulation, decreased skin laxity (looseness) or a tear trough (due to ligament pulling on the skin)." In addition, eye bags can also be hereditary, or caused by the accumulation of fluid under the eyes.

"Therefore, extra sleep may prevent the capillaries from dilating excessively, but it will not stop the accumulation of orbital fat or correct diminished skin laxity."

Dark eye circles or the discoloration under the eyes are instead treated with lasers such as the V beam laser to remove the pink and purple discoloration caused by venous congestion. Pico lasers are used if the skin has brown discoloration caused by skin hyperpigmentation and lastly Fraxel laser or using eye threads to stimulate collagen to improve the skin thickness around the eyes. Undereye fillers can be injected to restore any sunken or depression under the eyes.

Myth 2: Applying cool tea bags or cucumber slices gets rid of eye bags

"Tea and cucumber juice contain antioxidants or possess mild anti-inflammatory properties, which may help to slightly relieve surface level inflammation on the skin," says Dr Ee.

However, as mentioned, the puffiness and sag associated with eye bags are not caused by skin inflammation. "Eye bags are not a circulatory or surface level skin problem, so applying tea or cucumber juice to the surface of the skin will not remove them," says Dr Ee.

Instead, if the eye bags are mild, a non-surgical eye bag removal technique using radiofrequency (RF) treatment is a more effective way to help remove eye bags. This treatment allows the melting of the fat pad under the eyes with just tiny microneedles.

"The RF treatment uses microneedle technology to penetrate deep into the skin's layers. This not only breaks down subcutaneous fat to reduce the eye bags, but also stimulates the production of collagen to tighten the skin around the eyes, correct diminished skin laxity and combat saggy skin," explains Dr Ee. "At The Clifford Clinic, we use three-dimensional approach made possible with the use of a combination of RF treatments - the AGNES and the Secret RF - to result in far superior results than using a single technique alone." Results are said to last between three to five years.

"The procedure works best on individuals who have greater skin laxity or a smaller eye bag size," he adds, while those suffering from more severe eye bags are recommended to undergo eye bag removal surgery instead.

Bags under the eyes, also called eye bags, form when weakened and sagging skin relaxes and creates a pouch. The fat pads under the eyes then slip down to fill the space, giving the appearance of a "bag."

Excess fluid in the body can also pool in this area, making the lower eyelids look even more puffy and swollen. Any shadows or discolored skin under the eyes will make eye bags look more prominent.

Under-eye bags are mostly a cosmetic issue. They're usually harmless, but can sometimes be a sign of an underlying medical condition.

Most eye bags under the eyes are more noticeable in the morning, after the fluid has had all night to settle in.

What causes bags under the eyes?

Aging is the most common cause of bags under the eyes. As we get older, we experience a loss of fat padding and collagen, the major component of connective tissues in skin, muscles and other body parts.

Lower collagen levels cause the skin and underlying muscles all over the body to lose elasticity and tone. This sagging is especially noticeable around the eyes because the skin there is very thin.

Other factors that can contribute to bags under your eyes include:

• Fluid retention

• Lack of sleep

• Allergies

• Stress

• Eye fatigue

• Inherited facial features

• Infections

• Smoking

• Chronic medical conditions (such as thyroid disease)

If the swelling becomes severe, painful, itchy, red or persistent, see an eye doctor.

How to get rid of bags under your eyes

To get rid of eye bags, you need to find out what's causing them in the first place.

When the bags under your eyes are a result of environmental or health issues, simple home remedies and lifestyle changes may help reduce their appearance.

Remedies include:

• Get plenty of sleep; the CDC recommends at least 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night for adults, depending on your age.

• Sleep with your pillow elevated a few inches to keep fluid from pooling around your eyes.

• Drink enough water. Common guidance suggests adult women drink 2.3 quarts of water a day and adult males drink 3.2 quarts a day. But Cleveland Clinic recommends talking to your doctor to get the most accurate amount.

• But avoid fluids before bedtime — and excess salt throughout the day.

• Use a cool, damp washcloth as an eye compress, preferably while you're sitting upright. You can also use cucumber slices or cold, damp tea bags to help reduce swelling.

• Keep your allergy symptoms under control by avoiding triggers and taking prescription or over-the-counter allergy medications, as directed by your doctor.

• Use cosmetic concealers to cover up dark under-eye shadows.

One popular home remedy for reducing bags under the eyes is the use of hemorrhoid cream. (Yes, really.)

Hemorrhoid creams contain phenylephrine, which constricts blood vessels and can temporarily tighten the skin under the eyes. This can temporarily reduce some of the swelling, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. But be very careful not to get the cream in your eyes.

If you're a smoker, make every effort to quit. Avoiding smoking is not only good for your general health and eyesight; it will also slow the collagen loss that thins the skin.

If you choose cosmetic surgery to remove the bags under your eyes, you'll also heal quicker if you don't smoke.

There are also wrinkle treatments and skin therapies designed to tighten under-eye skin and reduce puffiness. These include options such as:

• Chemical peels

• Laser resurfacing

• Injectable dermal fillers

The benefits, side effects and risks associated with these options should be discussed with your ophthalmologist, oculoplastic surgeon or plastic surgeon.

SEE RELATED: Eye cream: Does it really work?

Surgical options

If you've tried some or all of the remedies listed above and aren't satisfied with the results, surgical procedures are available to help get rid of eye bags.

Cosmetic eyelid surgery, also known by the medical name blepharoplasty, can tighten and smooth out the skin under the lower eyelids. It can also be used to treat puffy or drooping eyelids.

If you're considering cosmetic eye surgery, keep in mind that procedures will not be covered by medical insurance when they're done solely to improve appearance.

Lower-eyelid blepharoplasty is usually done as an outpatient procedure under local anesthesia with sedation. In some cases, the surgeon will choose general anesthesia instead.

After surgery, you can expect some swelling, bruising and eye dryness in the days following the procedure. Most people find that swelling and bruising decreases significantly in about 10 to 14 days.

Complete recovery from eyelid surgery takes about six weeks or more.

FAQs

Q: Are eye bags permanent?

A: “Bags under eyes” are sometimes caused by acute inflammation — such as an insect bite or infection of the soft tissue — though these tend to happen on just one side. These cases usually resolve on their own, but more severe cases may require a doctor to prescribe medication. The more common under-eye bags result from a loss of firmness of the skin, a natural part of the aging process.  

Several non-invasive techniques can help reduce the appearance of under-eye bags, ranging from cool compresses to topical creams (though results can vary). If you want to remove eye bags more permanently, a cosmetic procedure called blepharoplasty can tighten and smooth out the skin under your eyes. 

Q: What foods can cause eye bags?

A: Foods that are high in sodium, such as canned meats and vegetables, cheese and processed foods, can cause puffiness under the eyes. Drinking caffeine and alcohol can also cause dehydration, which may lead to under-eye bags.

Q:  Does Vaseline help eye bags? 

A: There is no medical proof that applying Vaseline under the eyes will help eye bags caused by the natural aging process. The Vaseline website encourages applying a thin layer to help heal and protect dry or chapped skin around the eyes. However, they do not recommend the product as a means of reducing under-eye bags.

If you're considering surgery for the bags under your eyes, your surgeon will be able to lay out the process in detail, explain the risks involved, and answer any questions you have.

LEARN MORE about blepharoplasty and other eyelid surgery

Adam Debrowski also contributed to this article.