Cure those puffy eyes (without photo editing!)

Mild puffiness under the eyes is usually only a temporary (unless it is hereditary) cosmetic concern and rarely a sign of a serious underlying medical condition. Nevertheless it can be annoying and embarrassing, and it's the last thing you want captured on camera.

 

Puffy eyes or bags-under-the-eyes can be caused by many factors. These include fluid retention, stress, allergies, hormonal changes, advancing age, environmental irritants, wrong cosmetics or other factors such as a weepy session, a bad cold, sleep deprivation...

 

Here are a few home remedies to treat puffy eyes:

- Get your sleep — there is no substitute. Seven to eight hours is considered the apt amount of sleep an adult needs.
- Drink plenty of water to clean out your system.
- Have yourself checked for allergies.
- Limit salt / sodium intake (check with your doctor first).
- Sleeping with the head slightly raised is recommended. Use an extra pillow or prop up your mattress. This will prevent fluids from accumulating around your eyes while you sleep.
- Wash your face with cold water.
- Place cool cucumber slices over your eyes.
- Place damp and refrigerated-cooled tea bags over closed eyelids for several minutes.
- You can even cool two spoons in the refrigerator and then hold the curved side over the puffiness.
- Apply a layer of toothpaste (that contains menthol) over the puffy areas. It is instantly cooling.
- Apply aloe vera and vitamin E creams over affected areas. It may help.
- Don't cry. The body reacts to emotions and causes more blood to flow through the eyes, which leads to swelling.
- If you consume excessive alcohol that could very well contribute to the condition of puffy eyes. Home remedy: Reduce intake, or better still, just give it up.
- Stay calm, think happy and smile.

 

Try the above remedies, and you should be done with puffy eyes. Save your photo editing requests for other things!