Bags under the eyes are a common occurrence as you grow older. They are also referred to as puffy eyes. This condition is scarcely a sign of a serious deep-seated condition, but does warrant some concern for a number of individuals. The cause of the bags under the eye can be attributed to the weakening of the tissues that surround the eyes. In addition, the loss of elasticity in the skin as one ages can also be pointed to be a cause of the puffy eyes.

girl with flower by her eyes

Failure to get enough sleep also creates the puffiness that characterizes these eye bags. In some cases, hereditary factors make some individuals more likely to get these bags than others.It is important to mention that the loss of skin elasticity causes the fat beneath the skin to collect on the lower parts of the eye lids, hence giving the puffy appearance. The accumulation of fluid also compounds the occurrence of bags under the eye. The good news is that there is a wide range of home remedies that you can use to reduce the size of the bags under the eye, hence improving the overall appearance of the eyes.

Just as the name suggests, this condition manifests as saggy skin under the eyes, mild swelling and may sometimes be accompanied by the formation of dark circles. These bags do not normally require any special medical attention. When they, however, are accompanied by redness, severe pain and an itch that will not go away, it is important to see a doctor in order to rule out any other plausible causes.If your puffy eyes do not exhibit any of the causes for concern, natural remedies can easily manage the condition.Here are some of the top natural remedies for dealing with bags under the eyes.

1. Used Teabags:

Time Required: 15 Min
What You Need: Used tea bags, and cold water to rinse eyes.
Difficulty: Easy

 

Tea bags, regardless of the type of tea contained, are one of the oldest remedies used for soothing and treating bags under the eyes at home. Their efficiency is attributed to the presence of caffeine and anti-inflammatory compounds. The tannins in caffeinated tea help sooth puffy eyes and effectively reduce the swelling around the eye.

Herbal teas such as chamomile tea have anti-irritants that provide relief for swelling and inflammation, both characteristics of bags under the eye. The next time you use your teabag, you may want to preserve the tea bag for mornings when you wake up with those unsightly bags under your eyes.

Directions:

  1. Place your used tea bags (either caffeinated or herbal) in the refrigerator for about an hour.
  2. Lie down on a flat surface, tilt your head slightly and place the cold tea bags on your closed eyes.
  3. Let the tea bags stay in place for about 10 minutes and rinse your face with cold water.Repeat this twice a day until you start noticing an improvement in your eyes.

 

2. Cucumbers:

Time Required: 30 Min
What You Need: Chilled cucumber, knife, and cold water to rinse eyes.
Difficulty: Easy

 

Chilled cucumbers are one of the oldest remedies for bags under the eye. When chilled, the cucumber also creates a soothing effect on the eyes. Cucumbers have astringent properties – what this means is that cucumber causes tissue to contract. In the case of puffy eyes, this contraction works perfectly well to counter the saggy skin. Cucumbers offer dual benefits for users as it also helps eliminate dark circles around the eyes.

Directions:

  1. Clean the cucumber well, and cut it into thick slices.
  2. Place the rings in a bowl and put the bowl in a refrigerator for about 15 minutes.
  3. Put the chilled slices on your closed eyes for about 15 minutes.
  4. When the slices become warm, dispose them and repeat this two more times. This remedy used thrice a day.

 

3. Egg Whites:

Time Required: 5 Min
What You Need: Egg whites from 2 eggs, three drops of witch hazel, a clean washcloth, and warm water for a face rinse.
Difficulty: Moderate

 

Egg whites, just like cucumbers, boast astringent properties that have been shown to be effective in getting rid of bags under the eye. They also have dual benefits as they are great natural remedies used in eliminating wrinkles under the eyes. Witch hazel on the other hand, is popular for its efficiency in tightening and toning the skin. This may sound like one messy home remedy, but you can be sure that the results are well-worth it. Below are the directions to follow when using egg whites.

Directions: 

  1. Beat two eggs and carefully get rid of the yolks before transferring the egg whites to a separate bowl.
  2. Whip the egg whites until you get a fairly consistent mixture.
  3. Add two drops of witch hazel to the egg whites and whip some more to ensure that the two mix evenly.
  4. Dip two fingers into the mixture and scoop some of the egg white-witch hazel mixture before applying on the area around the eyes. If you feel this is a little messy, you could opt to use a wash cloth instead of your bare fingers.
  5. Allow the mixture to dry on the skin for about 15 minutes.
  6. Rinse your face using the warm water, and dry with a clean towel.Repeat this procedure once daily until you start to notice improvements.

 

4. Raw Potatoes:

Time Required: 20 Min
What You Need: medium-sized raw potatoes, grater, and a clean washcloth.
Difficulty: Easy

 

Raw potatoes are another great remedy used in the home treatment of puffy eyes. The starchy content of the potatoes, and indeed many other types of tubers has been shown to be effective in reducing pain. In the case of puffy eyes, the potato starch reduces redness and inflammation.It also has the added benefit of reducing the occurrence of dark circles around the eyes.

Directions:

  1. Peel the raw potato before washing it and drying it.
  2. Using a grater, grate the potato into small pieces and place this shavings on a clean washcloth.
  3. Tie the washcloth tightly and put it on your eyes for about 10 minutes, allowing the juice that seeps through to sit on your eyelids.
  4. This procedure can be repeated twice daily. The remedy on the other hand, can be used for as long as the bags under the eye are present.

 

5. Salt And Hot Water:

Time Required: 10 Min
What You Need:  A cup of warm water, quarter teaspoon of salt, and cotton wool balls/eye pads.
Difficulty: Easy

 

Salt is a handy home remedy for a myriad of conditions. When used in the case of puffy eyes, it helps eliminate the swelling that is associated with bags under the eye. The mode of action of this simple remedy revolves around the osmotic pull of the salty water from the saggy skin under the eyes.

Directions:

  1. Place the quarter teaspoon of salt in the cup or warm water and stir to dissolve.
  2. Dip the cotton wool balls into the saline solution to soak them up and then place the balls on your closed eyes. Repeat this process on the other eye. Make sure you do not open your eyes during this procedure simply because if the salt water trickles to the eye membrane, it can easily cause irritation. This eye irritation triggers itching which makes it easy to get the bags under the eyes.
  3. Repeat this procedure for about 10 minutes.

 

6. Strawberries:

Time Required: 30 Min
What You Need: Fresh strawberries
Difficulty: Easy

 

Strawberries are not only a delicious fruit, they are also one of the ways in which you can ensure that your skin remains healthy. This property is attributed to the presence of an active ingredient known as alpha hydroxy acid. The presence of this acid effortlessly reduces the bags under the eye by smoothing the skin. The fruit also contains antioxidants that help get rid of free radicals, therefor improving the overall health of the skin.

Directions:

  1. Wash your fresh strawberries and place them in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes.
  2. Remove the fruits from the fridge and get rid of the top section before cutting the strawberries into thick pieces.
  3. Lay flat and press the strawberries against the bottom section of the eyes. Do this for about 10 minutes. The strawberry juice excreted will help smooth the area around the eyes. You can repeat this procedure twice daily.

 

7. Aloe Vera:

Time Required: 20 Min
What You Need: Freshly cut aloe vera leaf.
Difficulty: Easy

 

Aloe vera is, without a doubt, one of the best home remedies, thanks to its natural ingredients. When cut, the gel that oozes from the leaf is integral to the proper circulation of blood in the area around the eyes, and indeed anywhere else the gel is applied. The aloe vera gel also has prevents fluid retention, thus getting rid of the saggy skin under the eyes. The aloe vera’s smoothing effect on the skin enables you to get rid of wrinkles around the eyes.

Directions:

  1. Cut the leaf of the aloe vera plant, and let the gel-like substance pour unto your hands.
  2. Using your forefinger, scoop some of the gel and apply it to the location of the bags under the eye. Do this very cautiously to make sure that the freshly squeezed aloe vera gel does not get into your eyes as this could cause itchiness, redness and eye irritation.
  3. Let the gel stay on for about 15 minutes before washing off with warm water. Use this remedy daily for best results.

 

The next time you experience bags under the eye, you can use any of the aforementioned home remedies to treat the condition. These natural remedies all use ingredients that are easy to source for at the grocery store. If, however, you get puffiness in the eye region for no apparent reason, and you experience inflammation, severe itchiness or blurred vision, make sure you consult a medical professional urgently.

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