Your eyes say it all! The appearance of unhealthy eyes can make you look ill, sick, older, sleep deprived, sad or depressed. If you have ever experienced puffy eye, bag or dark circles, you are not alone, in fact these issues are so common that many luxury cosmetic companies offer high priced creams that promise magical results. 

But why do your eyes show all these multiple signs of aging, especially puffiness? Why does puffiness age your eye area fast? 

Fluid retention – is one of the contributing factors for under eye bags. Without proper circulation, lymph fluid begins to accumulate in your body. One place it loves to chill out is underneath your eye area. As this fluid pools into the space under your eye area, they can take on a puffy and swollen appearance.

Sleeping habit– If you don’t have a good sleeping pattern, you might end up having puffy eyes and dark circles. Notice if you have weird lifestyle habits such as sleeping facing down your face, you will wake up with puffy eyes. If you are used to sleeping down on your stomach, the gravity can cause excess fluid to pull under your eyes causing them to droop and sag. It is often said that the dark circles may be proportional to one’s sleeping habits. That is – products you use may not work if you do not sleep right; and if you do sleep right, you may not even need products. 

Weakening tissues and fat prolapse -as you age, the tissues and the muscles that support your eyelids naturally begin to weaken. When this occurs, the skin around your eye area begins to slacken and sag. The loss of skin tone allows the fat that is normally confined to the space around your eye area to shift (comes down), and then slides into the lower lid. This fat can now push forward giving you unsightly bags below your eyes leading to droopiness and puffy looking eyelids that resemble bags. I am sure you would hate what you see in the mirror- a worn out, even more tired and much older you! 

In addition to weakening tissues, the fragile skin surrounding your eye is one-third thinner than on other parts of your body.

It has fewer oil glands and they are less active, so the skin gets drier. And as a result, it is one of the first places to show signs of aging. 

Skin manhandling – the condition can be accelerated by poor or harsh facial skin care products. And even a lot of times when applying creams, washing the face or wiping off makeup, you tend to be too harsh on your skin. You rub the skin too hard and that can affect the structure of the skin, which over time, causes it to lose elasticity and appear saggy. Manhandling your skin may also cause micro tears which might lead to inflammation. 

Inflammation-some of the aging is triggered due to the inflammation that results from excessive salt and sugar intake, pollution and toxins all of which cause collagen, elastin, and fat cells to decrease. As the collagen and elastin breakdown, the skin underneath the eyes loses its suppleness, tensity and strength leading to droopiness. The fat cells also change in volume and shape, causing a more raised area to form underneath the eyes.

Dehydration– 70 per cent of skin is made of water. Without adequate intake of water and fluids, the skin will not function properly. Dehydration will cause your body to hold water in the wrong places. Water will always find its way from parts of your body that are low in sodium to those that have the most. And the area around the eye is a prime example. 

There is no doubt puffiness under eyes can be very frustrating. We have established that they can make you look unduly tired, ill, and of course much older than you really are.

 

Related News

To prevent/treat puffiness and wrinkling of the delicate skin around the eye, nature has provided us with a miracle gel in flaxseeds.

Linum usitatissimum L

Family linaceae or the flax family;

Common names: flax seed, linseed, common flax, rejuvenation of life seed.

The fruit is a capsule, composed of five carpels and may contain up to 10 seeds. The seed is oval, lenticular, 4-6 mm long with a smooth, shiny surface, and is brown to golden colour; with a mucilaginous substance in their outer layer that makes them sticky when wet.

Documentations show that seeds contain 35-45 per cent oil and 20-25 per cent protein. Flax has been a source of food, feed, fiber, and medicine for thousands of years. Flaxseed oil provides health benefits mainly due to its high content in omega-3 alpha linolenic acid (55-57 per cent).

The lignans and antioxidants contained in linseeds have been shown to have beneficial properties against breast, colon, prostate and thyroid cancer, and in lowering relative risk factors for heart disease. The seeds can be eaten raw or roasted and can be ground or added whole to salads, cereals and smoothies or incorporated into baked goods.

Flaxseeds are not only amazing internally, but also for your skin. They help in skin tightening and preventing sagging, thanks to its lignans and antioxidants. And to say the least, flaxseeds provide an inexpensive/noninvasive recipe to get rid of bags under your eyes with ease.

See how to make this miracle gel: 1cup flaxseed (golden or brown); Jar, bowl, spoon and cheesecloth; water-about 4 to 6 cups (depending on desired consistency).

Wash thoroughly. Bring the flaxseeds and water to boil in a pot over medium heat. Let it boil for about 20 minutes and stir occasionally to prevent the flax seeds from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Once the water has attained a slimy, mucilaginous consistency, remove from heat and let it cool. Using cheesecloth, carefully squeeze the flaxseeds to strain out the gel. Store in the fridge or refrigerate in ice cube molds.

Anti age your eyes in minutes with this gel: Wash and dry your skin, start with a very small amount of the flaxseed  gel on your finger tip, about the size of a pea and gently apply a thin even layer to targeted areas, being careful to avoid contact with your eyes. Allow the gel to set and dry before you apply any form of cream on top. It can take anywhere from two minutes to 10 minutes for optimal results. Right in front of your eyes this gel will give you what expensive serums will! Apply 2X daily.

Remember the skin around your eyes is thin and so sensitive; the slightest change in your diet or sleep schedule can cause puffiness and dark circles. So careful attention should be paid to your habits and routine to prevent them from occurring. Drink lots of water to stay hydrated; the more hydrated the skin is, the better it functions. Always massage gently and go very gentle on your facial skin. It will soothe your skin. Have a good sleep routine, diet and include some facial exercises to your skin care routine.