What are bags under the eyes?
After a night of bad sleep, you may wake up with bags under your eyes. Usually – and especially when we are younger – these recede during the morning. As we get older, the puffiness takes longer and longer to go away, and eventually they become permanent. They often give your face a tired and older look.
It is important to distinguish between puffiness and dark circles. Puffiness is caused by a combination of moving fat compartments, fluid retention and skin sagging, while dark circles are often a result of thin skin or poor circulation.
Causes of bags under the eyes
Puffiness can occur from a variety of causes. In most cases, it is a combination of factors that cause under-eye thickening, sagging and discoloration. The various causes are:
- Lack of sleep and fatigue: sleep deprivation slows the removal of waste products, which contributes to swelling under the eyes.
- Genetic predisposition: heredity plays a big role. If your parents have puffiness, you are more likely to get it too.
- Small eye socket: when the eye socket is relatively small, the fat surrounding the eye can push out more quickly.
- Skin aging: the connective tissue and muscles around the eyes slacken with age, making fat and moisture more prominent.
- Smoking and alcohol: both affect blood flow, damage connective tissue and thus increase the risk of puffiness.
- Volume loss in the cheekbones: this makes the transition from eye to cheek appear deeper, making puffiness more noticeable.
- Fluid retention: poor lymphatic drainage, salty foods, allergies and hormonal fluctuations can lead to fluid puffiness.
- Incorrect fillers: improper placement and/or the wrong type of filler can cause thick puffiness.
Can you prevent bags under the eyes?
Puffiness is largely genetic or age-related. Sleeping well, drinking enough water, eating healthy, lymphatic drainage and not drinking alcohol are a good idea to minimize the risk of puffiness and dark circles. Complete prevention is unfortunately not possible. Fortunately, at Ivy clinics, we have many treatment options for reducing puffiness!
Treatments for bags under the eyes
When puffiness bothers you, there are effective treatments available. At Ivy clinics, we first look at the cause of the puffiness and then advise you on the best solution. Possible treatments may include:
- Filler treatment: corrects volume loss under the eyes and softens the transition to the cheek.
- PlexR Soft Surgery: shrinks excess skin without cutting.
- Surgical lower eyelid correction: removes skin and/or fat; combined, if necessary, with a canthopexy to re-strengthen the muscle.
Want to do something about the bags under your eyes? Then request a
