How to Get Rid of Undereye Bags and Dark Circles

Please Help Me With These Dreaded Undereye Bags!!!

No matter how strong or minor undereye puffiness or darkness appears, it can be frustrating and unsightly. The thing with undereye issues is that they are rarely due to one factor or underlying cause. In fact, undereye bags and undereye darkness can be two entirely different issues!

So, the first step in eliminating your undereye bags issue is to figure out why you might be experiencing one or both of them. Let’s take a moment and briefly explore the factors that lead to either problem:

Genetics – Here’s a simple, and often very frustrating, truth: Some of us have undereye issues because we have inherited them. If one or both parents seem to have chronic undereye darkness or puffiness, it could be something you also develop. Your family may all have thinner skin beneath the eye, inherited issues like thyroid problems, and so on. The good news is that there are still ways to improve the condition.

Fatigue – Being tired or even oversleeping can cause you to develop dark circles or puffiness. This is because fatigue can lead to fluid build up in the body, including under the eye. Being deprived of sleep may also dull the complexion, causing a general paleness to the face, exasperating undereye discoloration. Eye strain is a form of fatigue and those who stare at computer screens my cause the blood vessels around the eye to swell, enhancing the appearance of undereye darkness.

Age – As we age our skin loses its natural fat and collagen levels and this can make it thin and sag, both of which will cause the blood vessels beneath the skin to be apparent, especially around the under eye region.

Allergies – Blood vessels dilate as part of the histamine response in the body. This is often a response cued by allergens. Allergy season might cause a runny nose and red eyes, but the season might also lead to darker circles beneath the eye.

Dehydration – Inadequate levels of hydration in the body can lead to dry skin, a dull complexion and the appearance of sunken eyes. Drinking a lot of caffeine and skipping the daily half gallon of plain water will also contribute to dehydration. Live chronically dehydrated and you’ll also have chronic dark circles around the eye.

Sun – Changes in pigmentation can make your undereye circles more obvious and easily seen, including getting sun exposure without any sort of UV protection.

Diet – If you consume a lot of sodium in your diet, it can cause water retention throughout the body, including around the eyes, which can lead to bags. If you drink a lot of alcohol (more than one alcoholic beverage daily), it can also cause dehydration, worsening the amount of darkening around the eye. If your diet is low in nutrients, particularly vitamins A, C and E, your skin and hair can pay the price. Those whose diets are low in natural sources of vitamin C may find that they are not producing adequate collagen and this can lead to delicate, paper-like skin beneath the eye, as well as dark circles. Iron deficiency is also a major cause of under eye darkness. While vitamins are helpful, the best thing to do is ensure your diet is high in natural iron, vitamins A, C and E, copper and amino acids as these are all skin boosters.

As we said earlier, it is typical for most of us to have multiple reasons behind undereye discoloration or puffiness. Even if your family does have a long history of darker circles around the eye or everyone seems to develop bags beneath the eye, it doesn’t mean you are stuck with the issue.

Additionally, you might also be failing to drink at least half a gallon of water daily, consuming a few cocktails almost each day, not sleeping enough and so on. All of this will definitely add up, and by making a few simple changes you can start to reduce or alleviate the issues.

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Can Undereye Bags and Issues Be Prevented?

Once you recognize the potential causes for your undereye bags and darkening or puffiness, you can start to make changes. For example, it could be as simple as cutting back on the caffeine, using sun screen to prevent overexposure, and creating a better level of sleep hygiene (i.e. setting a bed time, creating an evening ritual and getting at least seven or eight hours of sleep each evening).

Naturally, it is not always so easy as some changes to things like sleep habits, diet and so on. It is also usually something that involves addressing the underlying cause to see if that might be changed, i.e. lack of collagen. It is also, often, necessary to try to reduce the appearance of undereye circles and bags by concealing them.

There are many ways to begin remedying the situation, and they include:

Addressing allergies – If you have seasonal allergies or even an allergy to something you are exposed to daily (i.e. you own a cat but are actually allergic), it is a good idea to use medical intervention in the form of allergy treatments to help reduce the inflammation and histamine reaction. Not only will you feel better, but you will look better, too. Many people also swear by the use of neti pots that rinse out the sinuses naturally, eliminating irritation and swelling.

Reconsider sleep – If you are getting at least seven or eight hours of good sleep each night, that’s great. However, you can also help to reduce eye puffiness and darkening by trying to sleep on your back. Why? This position forces fluid away from the eye and can ensure that optimal circulation occurs around the eye area. Also, as part of a good sleep routine, try to cut out caffeine at least six hours before bedtime, always wash the face fully (eliminating makeup) but also doing some gentle massage with moisturizing and anti-aging (vitamin C) oils to ensure the skin is deeply conditioned before sleep.

Stop smoking – One way to prevent undereye issues is to give up on smoking of any kind. Not only does it help heal the entire body, but it halts all of the premature aging that smoking can cause. It is horrible for the mouth and lip area, causing many lines and wrinkles, but is just as bad for the eyes where all of the toxins in cigarettes and tobacco will irritate the skin and create a saggy, discolored appearance.

Boost the diet – We already noted that diets high in natural sources of amino acids, copper, vitamins A, C and E, and iron are ideal for the skin. If you eat foods rich in such nutrients, consume plenty of water throughout the day and cut out processed foods, you’ll see a lot of changes.

Skip the salt – The body needs sodium, but most of us eat far more than is necessary. Try to use less processed forms of salt, like Himalayan sea salt, to support bodily health, but really track how much sodium you eat each day. Even a small amount more than is necessary can lead to fluid buildup. This causes eye darkening and bags to appear or worsen.

Facials – This is a great way to help prevent and reduce undereye issues. First, by enhancing circulation you can help to eliminate fluids that build up and cause bags around the eye, as well as helping to drain any blood that has pooled in the area. You always want facials to aim at boosting natural collagen production, circulation and skin health. You will also want to have specialized treatment to improve the look and feel of the eye area. Cold compresses, natural eye creams that lock in moisture and promote skin health, and anything that helps with regeneration are ideal.

Exercise – They say that exercise is one of the key steps to overall health, and this includes your skin health. However, there are actual exercises for the face that can improve the look of the area around the eye. There are many facial workouts that will help with undereye darkening and bags. Known as yoga facelifts, they work all of the muscles of the face, improving circulation and causing the skin to lift and tighten. You can do a basic Google search for suggestions and create a program that meets your needs.

Product – There are, obviously, lots of products on the market that can provide the kind of help you need for undereye discoloration or bags. The key, though, is to first understand why you might have bags or dark circles, and only then invest in the best products to alleviate the problem. A major trick for using products described as undereye correcting, perfecting, soothing, or improving is to always keep them in the refrigerator. Applying a cooled or chilled product often greatly improves skin response and effectiveness. Also, don’t overlook the benefits of the many easy to use masks now available. You can find masks targeting the eye area and using one on a regular basis (two to three times each week) followed by a hydrating or healing eye cream can work wonders.

Of course, you may find that you cannot eliminate these issues naturally. There may be something as strong as genetics working against you, and it can mean that you’ll have to take more aggressive steps. These include covering them up with makeup or visiting a skincare professional or cosmetic surgeon to have something done about them.

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Covering Undereye Issues

We recommend using the following makeup tips to help make the eye area brighter and/or less puffy:

Go for orange or red – Did you know that concealers with orange or red undertones may be more effective. While there are some who swear by an application of red lipstick and then a concealing product, also consider using products that have orange to red tones to counteract the bluish tones of under eye circles. The Dermablend concealer comes in more than 20 shades and is also a good choice.

Apply to the shadow – If you have only undereye bags, you’ll want to only use concealer on the shadow along the bottom of the baggy area and not on the puffy part of the bagginess itself

Pops of white – Applying nude or white eyeliner and adding a pop of it in the inside of the eye (near the tear duct) can make the eyes appear brighter and the dark circles less distinct

Practice applications – Using different methods of application can also boost the effect of makeup. Try applying with the pad of different fingers to see the outcome, try applying concealer in a wedge beneath the eye rather than as dots along the bottom and try different hues to find which works best with your makeup routine

Related: Eye Makeup Tips for Mature Skin

Overcoming Undereye Issues with Expert Help

If all else fails and the changes you make to your diet, sleep routine, makeup applications and all of the rest don’t improve things, it could be time to visit an expert. There are several surgical and non-surgical options that you can only get from trained professionals.

Laser therapy is one option and it can target dark circles where blood vessels and natural pigment are improved by exposure to the laser. You’ll see the skin resurfaced and lines faded. You will also see circulation and collagen boosted, improving the look of the circles. Microneedling is also a good way to cue collagen production. This will tighten the skin, eliminating sagginess and pigmentation problems. It creates microscopic injuries to the skin and takes around six sessions for the fullest effect.

You might also want to speak with an expert about blepharoplasty which eliminates under eye fat deposits responsible for bags as well as tightening the skin. Consider, though, that this is a final method to be considered only after you have tried everything else that we’ve listed here. After all, you might find that you don’t consume enough water, get enough sleep or apply cosmetics properly, and that is all it takes to get rid of the puffiness or darkness around the eyes. Naturally, it could be a genetic trait, and that is when a skin expert or plastic surgeon may be your best bet in finally, fully eliminating the issue.

The good news is that you can look and feel your best even if you have struggled with undereye issues, and today is a great time to get started.

More Great Resources on How to Get Rid of UnderEye Bags and Dark Circles:

27 Ways to Get Rid of Dark Circles and Bags Under Eyes

5 natural ways to get rid of puffy eyes and dark circles

This 30-Sec Eye Massage Will Lighten Up Your Dark Circles