How to get rid of under eye bags

You can spend huge amounts of money to get your skin tightened, remove the wrinkles and puffy free skin below the eye. But the charm of natural remedies can never be denied. Yes, you heard it right. The secret to vanish under eye bags lies in the kitchen. If you are someone who doesn't want to spend your hard earned money on cosmetic treatments, just follow any of the below-mentioned remedies religiously to see the magic:

Green tea

There's a lot of commotion about the benefits of green tea in losing weight. It certainly affects your weight in the long term, but it does a lot more than that. Do you have any knowledge regarding this? Well, here you will know.

Green tea has an abundant amount of antioxidants along with potential anti-inflammatory properties. Simply put, it helps reduce the swelling and redness from your eye bags and fight against ageing signs to make your skin look younger, reduce the puffiness under your eyes. To utilise the perks that green tea offers, you need to apply it topically under your eye bags for at least 10 minutes. Lay down on the bed, put used and strained bags over your eyes and relax a little bit letting the tea bags do wonders.

Cucumber

Cucumber slices are probably the most popular remedy for under eye bags and puffy eyes.

Just by putting a slice of cucumber over your eyes can give you a rejuvenated appearance. You must have seen girls with two slices of cucumber over their eyes in ad or movie. Today you will know the reason behind it. Cucumber is super rich in water content, it contains approximately 70% of water. It helps provide adequate hydration and soothes under eye puffiness.

Furthermore, cucumber has a cooling effect on your skin, which facilitates the reduction in inflammation and swelling when applied topically. To improve its therapeutic potential you can apply it in the form of a face mask by mixing mashed or grated cucumber with a teaspoon of honey. Honey will add to the anti-inflammatory potential of cucumber and also helps promote skin rejuvenation and reduction in wrinkles.

 Also, you should encourage yourself to eat cucumber a lot while in summers or even in winters to gain all the benefits from it. 

Caffeine

Grabbing a cup of coffee just after waking up for the much-needed dose of caffeine is very common but little do we use this compound for cosmetic purposes. Some people use coffee as a face mask or scrub but probably no one uses it as under eye mask to get rid of puffiness. The caffeine content in coffee and tea is proven to exhibit antioxidant properties thus preventing you from developing wrinkles. It constricts blood vessels around the eye and increases the blood flow rate beneath your skin. This helps reduce inflammation under your eyes and also improves the nourishment of under eye muscles, making them stronger and rejuvenated. Interesting, right?

So next time, if you are applying a face mask of coffee, don't leave the under eye area as people usually do while applying the mask as skin under eye is the most sensitive of the lot.

A clinical study demonstrated significant action of caffeine pad when used with emulsion oil-based vitamin K, on the rejuvenation of the skin below eyes. Mechanism of action of vitamin K is quite similar to caffeine in increasing blood circulation to the concerned area. The ultimate combination of these two also helps in getting rid of stubborn dark circles, which do not want to vanish, no matter what you do.

Vitamins

Vitamins are essential micronutrients, meaning your body does not make them and hence consumption of vitamins through diet or supplements is essential. They can also provide several benefits when applied topically. Multivitamins have been widely used as a home remedy for shiny and lustrous hair, soft and bright skin. Along with all these usefulness, they also help in getting rid of puffiness and dark circles around eyes. Few vitamins you should definitely consider using are:

• Vitamin A: You probably may have heard about retinoids in cosmetics and dermatologic products. Well, these are derivatives of vitamin A. They work through several pathways but the visible result/outcome that you would appreciate is a reduction in the swelling and dark circles under eyes. Vitamin A has the ability to stimulate collagen production along with regulating its reorganisation, thereby increasing skin quality and function in the under eye area. Vitamin A can be obtained from green vegetables, beetroot, carrots and tomatoes. Make a face mask out of them or chop them in a salad to reap their benefits.
• Vitamin E: Vitamin E is an antioxidant and has been used in dermatology since ages. This compound has a tendency to reduce ageing changes in the skin along with oedema (swelling) in the under eye area, especially that produced by the harmful ultraviolet radiation. Some vitamin E rich foods include avocado, nuts, seeds, and green veggies. You can either consume them or add them in your face masks.
• Vitamin C: Another vitamin in the list of antioxidants is vitamin C, also commonly known as ascorbic acid. It has striking benefits for skin due to its antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, photoprotective, and depigmentation abilities. Vitamin C is an important part of collagen biosynthesis, which makes it an excellent remedy for puffy eyes and other ageing related skin problems. The best way to add vitamin C to your diet is through citrus fruits. Eat lots of citrus fruits such as lemons and oranges. You can also take supplements of this vitamin as it is water soluble and the extra amount will safely flush away with urine. However, most of your body’s demands for vitamin C get fulfilled with food, so, it is best to check in with a doctor if you are considering supplements intake.
• Vitamin K: It is a fat-soluble vitamin mainly acting on blood circulation and coagulation pathways. This action of vitamin K could potentially reduce the puffiness and oedema under your eyes by increasing blood and nutrient flow in the concerned area. A study indicates huge success in alleviating under eye aesthetic problems when 1% of vitamin K is applied with 0.15% retinol. 93% of patients got a satisfactory result in reducing hyperpigmentation. A lot of vitamin K rich creams are available in the market, you can just buy one as per your liking. Make sure you check labels and buy from a trusted brand.

This may seem contradictory, as fluid retention is one of the primary causes in the development of under eye bags, but an adequate amount of fluid only helps in mobilisation of fluid from tissues. So, don't fall in the trap by believing that puffy eyes are due to excess intake of fluid. An optimally hydrated body has a lesser tendency to retain fluids.

(Read more: How much water to drink in a day)

Drink at least 2 to 3 litres of water daily to keep the body functioning smoothly. You could also have water-rich fruits like cucumber, watermelon and tomato.

To make it more effective, avoid excessive consumption of dehydrating drinks like tea, coffee and alcohol.

Salt is an important condiment that provides flavour and taste to bland recipes. However, excessive salt in your diet has adverse effects on your health. It is a major culprit for fluid retention along with the increased risk of cardiovascular problems, kidney diseases, cataract, asthma and many more. Needless to say, it is important to keep tabs on your daily salt intake and stop over-consumption of salty foods. When it comes to getting rid of under eye bags, salt restriction can play a vital role. Decreasing daily dietary intake of salt can reduce water accumulation and hence puffiness around eyes making them appear more pleasant and aesthetic.

American Heart Association recommends, 2300 milligram of salt as the maximum limit of daily salt intake and for adults, it should be as low as 1500 milligram per day.

Few tips that can help you reduce the amount of salt intake are:

• Avoid adding salt in salad dressings
• Decrease consumption of pickles
• Avoid eating processed and packed foods, they usually have a lot of salt that is consumed unnoticeably
• Avoid snacking on chips and crackers all the time

Allergies and infections are one of the major causes of puffy eyes in young people. Most common allergies that could cause under eye bags are allergic conjunctivitis, allergic rhinitis or hay fever. These allergies could be caused by pollen, dust or fungal spores present in the surrounding air. They manifest in the form of watery, itchy, red and swollen eyes.

So, if you suddenly got under eye bags in a particular season or after visiting a particular place, chances are you were exposed to an allergen. In such cases, it is important to identify the said allergen and keep yourself away from it in order to avoid puffiness around eyes. For more help, you could use some over the counter medicines for topical application to get rid of it.

If you have a tendency to consume alcohol or bear daily, it may be the culprit behind your puffy eye problem. The science behind this is quite simple. When you consume alcohol, they pull out water from your body, making your under eye bags more noticeable. Studies have proven that alcohol intake may lead to mild to moderate dehydration. Moreover, drinking alcohol could interfere with your cognitive abilities.

Even if you consume alcohol daily, limit it to only one drink per day for women and two for men. Apart from preventing puffy eyes, it will also help reduce other health risks associated with alcohol intake.

(Read more: Effects of alcohol on the body)

You may have encountered waking up with puffy eyes when you sleep late or did not get adequate sleep. Taking a beauty sleep is a daily habit that you should definitely consider developing, not just to get rid of under eye bags but for other health benefits as well. Good sleep is an essential component for developing good memory and elevating your mood. But as people age, their sleeping hours decrease and tendency to develop under eye bags increases.

So, if you want your skin around the eye to stay healthy and fresh, increase your sleeping duration. Make sure to get your beauty sleep in.

(Read more: How to fall asleep)

As a person ages, collagen (connective tissue) degradation increases along with a decrease in the production of new collagen fibres. The skin underneath your eyes also follows the same rule, making it appear saggy, loose and puffy with age. To keep it simple and clear, collagen is the main component of your skin that makes it viable.

The collagen content of your skin tends to decrease by 1% per year. In order to maintain the balance, you need to increase collagen consumption in your diet. You could also ingest collagen powders by adding a scoop of it into your smoothie bowl or fruit juices. Additionally, vitamin C is essential for the synthesis of collagen. Encourage yourself to eat more vitamin C rich food to boost collagen metabolism. Some of these foods are:

• Orange
• Kiwi
• Red and Green Pepper
• Grapefruit
• Broccoli
• Strawberries

(Read more: How to tighten face skin)

Always apply a generous amount of sunscreen before going out in the sun to protect yourself from photoaging. You already know by now that skin under your eyes is the thinnest and most sensitive, thereby it is more prone to damage from harmful radiation coming from the sun. Long term exposure of skin to sun radiation could lead to various adverse effects like wrinkles, discolouration, age spots and even skin cancer. For maximum protection opt for a sunscreen with at least an SPF 30. 

Coming to the final alternative for getting rid of under eye bags, dermatologists and cosmetic industry advocate certain treatment options like:

• Chemical peeling: This option is performed in isolation and also in combination with other treatment modalities like a laser. Chemical peeling removes melanin and improves collagen content, providing a younger look and an even tone to your skin. The process involves the use of chemicals like salicylic acid that removes the damaged layer of your outer skin and let the new layer regrow naturally to replace it.
• Laser resurfacing: As the name suggests, laser resurfacing incorporates the use of a laser to remove loose and irregular skin,  leaving you with a tightened and regenerated skin. Moreover, laser treatment also helps in improving collagen functioning.
• Eyelid surgery: Lower eyelid surgery or blepharoplasty is done to remove the dull, saggy skin below the eyelid and for contouring it to give an appropriate appearance. It may also include excision of excess volume of fat from lower eyelid and elevating soft tissue over the cheek to provide a tightened and young skin tone.

You can try whichever options work best for you but always remember to be consistent with your diet and fluid intake, rest and recovery. Give enough time for your body to heal itself. In case the problem persists or gets complicated, always seek expert medical opinion.