How to Reduce Puffy Eyes

Co-authored by JoAnn Solomon and Eric McClure

Last Updated: September 2, 2024 Approved

While puffiness, circles, and discoloration around your eyes can give the impression that you need a good night’s sleep, a lack of rest is rarely the main factor when it comes to puffy eyes. The good news is that puffy eyes aren’t anything to worry about, and you can typically tackle this problem at home. Unfortunately, puffy eyes are often the result of genetics and the natural aging process. In these cases, you can minimize how visible this puffiness is, but you probably won’t be able to remove it entirely. If you want to figure out what’s causing your puffy eyes and learn more about how to treat them, read on to see if you can get to the bottom of it!

Question 1 of 7:

What causes puffiness under eyes?

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1
If the puffy skin is slightly darker, it’s almost certainly genetic. If you’ve got “bags” under your eyes and the color of the skin is slightly different than the rest of your face, you’ve likely got a common condition known as periorbital hyperpigmentation.^{[1]
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Go to source} This sounds scary, but it’s perfectly harmless. It’s also exceptionally common across the globe.^{[2]
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Research source} Unfortunately, it’s hereditary and you may not be able to totally get rid of it. There are still plenty of things you can do to minimize the puffiness, though!^{[3]
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- If your parents both have pronounced puffy eyes, you’re likely going to have the same feature regardless of what you do to your skin.^{[4]
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Puffy eyes can be a natural part of getting older. Another common cause for puffy eyes is your age. The skin under your eyes is naturally much thinner than the rest of the skin on your face.^{[5]
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Go to source} As you get older, the fat under that thinner skin moves around easily, and you end up with tiny gaps under your eyes. Fluid can accumulate in those gaps, which makes it seem like your eyes are puffy.^{[6]
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- If you notice this puffiness getting more noticeable over time, it’s probably just an unfortunate side effect of getting older.^{[7]
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Allergies and salty food are likely the culprit if this happens randomly. If you find that your puffy eyes get worse when your nose is stuffy or it’s pollen season, your puffy eyes are probably the result of an allergy.^{[8]
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Go to source} Diets that are high in salt can also cause puffy eyes since excess sodium can make your body retain more fluids, and fluids have an easy time accumulating under your eyes.^{[9]
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Go to source} If this is the case, dealing with your puffy eyes may be as simple as treating your allergies or avoiding salty food.
- In some cases, there may be an underlying condition triggering the bags around your eyes. There are a handful of thyroid problems can cause this, for example. If you have any other symptoms popping up alongside your puffy eyes, go see a doctor just to be on the safe side. It’s unlikely you’re sick, but it’s best to be sure.^{[10]
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Question 2 of 7:

Will the puffiness go away if I get more sleep?

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It is true that a lack of sleep can cause bags under your eyes.^{[11]
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Go to source} However, these sleep-related bags often go away after you’ve gotten enough rest. If the bags are persistent and you’re getting plenty of sleep, the odds are low that getting more sleep will solve your problem.^{[12]
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Counterintuitively, extra sleep may make the problem worse. Gravity pulls the loose skin under your eyes downward during the day, so when you lie down to sleep, there’s extra slack in that part of your face. This gives the fluids in your face an unfortunately convenient place to accumulate. The longer you’re lying down, the more time this fluid has to build up under your eyes.^{[13]
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- This is why you may notice that your puffy eyes are the most noticeable when it’s early in the morning.^{[14]
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- The fluids accumulate in this space partly because of the shape of your skull. If you picture your head when you’re lying down, your eye sockets kind of form these little valleys in your head. As a result, all of that fluid slowly trickles down to the area under your eyes.
The puffiness can be a result of too little sleep or too much sleep, so what’s the answer? All things considered, you might as well just get a healthy amount of rest! Regular sleep is important when it comes to maintaining a healthy immune system and metabolism. It also plays a major role when it comes to your memory and your ability to retain information. Do your best to get 7-9 hours of sleep every night.

Question 3 of 7:

How do you get rid of puffy eyes fast?

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Lay a cold compress over your eyes for a few minutes. Grab a cold compress and wrap it in a cloth. Lie down and rest the compress over your eyes. Keep your eyes closed and just relax for 10-15 minutes or so. The cold compress will soothe any inflammation and reduce the blood flow under your eyes; this should minimize the overall appearance of the bags.^{[15]
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- You can use cold cucumber slices, tea bags, or refrigerated spoons if you’d like. These things may help your skin rehydrate or relax, but it’s probably not going to make a huge difference. The key thing is that whatever you’re putting over your eyes is cold.^{[16]
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Question 4 of 7:

How do you get rid of puffy eyes naturally?

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Instead of lying perfectly flat with your head on a small pillow, stack a few pillows on top of one another so that you sleep with your upper body at a raised angle. This can make it easier for the fluids that accumulate under your eyes to drain at night, since gravity will help pull them down away from your face.^{[17]
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Drink more water and consume less alcohol. Dehydration can cause blood to build up under your eyes, so drinking plenty of water during the day may reduce this puffiness.^{[18]
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Research source} In addition, since alcohol causes you to urinate more often, it can leave you dehydrated after a long night of drinking.^{[19]
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Research source} As a result, drinking more water during the day and cutting back on alcohol before bed may make your eyes less puffy over time.
- Cutting down on the amount of fluid you consume in the hour or two before bed may help as well. Don’t avoid drinking water if you’re thirsty or anything like that, but just be conscious of how much fluid you’re consuming.^{[20]
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On top of the fact that smoking is harmful for your health, smoking also happens to be bad for your skin. If you’re an avid tobacco user, quitting may be the best thing you can do for the bags under your eyes.^{[21]
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Question 5 of 7:

How do I permanently remove eye bags at home?

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You can’t remove them at home permanently, but a doctor can! There are several medical procedures that will permanently solve this issue, although you won’t be able to do any of them at home. Visit a dermatologist and ask them to take a look at the skin around your eyes. They’ll be able to recommend the best procedure based on your age and the health of your skin.^{[22]
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Go to source} Potential treatments include:^{[23]
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- Laser resurfacing. These laser treatments can tighten the skin around your eyes to reduce inflammation.
- Botox. These injections can relax the muscles around your eyes so that the surrounding muscles don’t pull on the areas around your eyes.
- Fillers. Plastic surgery can fill in the gap between your skin and the fat underneath your eyes.
- Eyelid surgery. Also known as blepharoplasty, a surgeon will perform this procedure to remove excess fat and reshape your eyelids and skin.^{[24]
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Question 6 of 7:

Will cucumbers and tea bags help?

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So long as the cucumber slices are cold, they’ll help! Cold cucumber slices will help soothe the inflammation around your eyes.^{[25]
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Go to source} It’s unclear if the cucumbers will give your skin an “extra” boost, though; in all likelihood, the cucumbers are interchangeable with a cold compress when it comes to the impact on puffy eyes.^{[26]
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- These home treatments and natural remedies are probably going to have very little impact if your puffy eyes are hereditary. They won’t hurt anything though, so if you want to have a self-care spa session with some cucumbers over the eyes, go for it!
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Tea bags might help too, but again, probably because they’re cold. A lot of people use tea bags to treat eye issues because tea contains caffeine, which can constrict blood vessels. In theory, caffeine will reduce the puffiness under your eyes. However, there’s no scientific evidence that the caffeine has much of an impact, and it’s likely that cold tea bags simply work because they’re cold. Still, they will work if you want to use some tea bags instead of cucumbers or a cold compress!^{[27]
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- This is another one of those things that won’t cause any harm, so feel free to give it a shot if you’d like.

Question 7 of 7:

Which eye cream is best for puffy eyes?

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Anything with retinol and vitamin C may help, but only temporarily. Moisturizing eye creams that contain retinol, vitamin C, caffeine, or antioxidants may help curb any discoloration or inflammation you’re experiencing around the eyes.^{[28]
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Go to source} Unfortunately, the results are likely going to be temporary. Follow the instructions on the label of your eye cream to apply it.^{[29]
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JoAnn Solomon
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Expert Interview. 8 September 2020.} It may not solve the problem forever, but it should help reduce the puffiness for a bit.^{[30]
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- Retinol and vitamin C are acidic. Spot test these ingredients on some less sensitive skin first, and don’t use them on your eyes if they irritate your skin.^{[31]
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Don’t use hemorrhoid creams under your eyes. Hemorrhoid creams, like Preparation H, are regularly suggested as a hack for eye circles. These creams contain ingredients that do reduce puffiness by shrinking blood vessels, but they will also irritate your sensitive facial skin. On top of that, they can make the skin turn red, which may make your circles more noticeable.^{[32]
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- There may be a temporary benefit, but these creams simply aren’t designed to be used on your face, and there are no scientific studies that demonstrate it’s safe to use these products this close to your eyes.^{[33]
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How should I store eye cream?

JoAnn Solomon
Master Beauty Consultant & Celebrity Makeup Artist
JoAnn Solomon is a Celebrity Makeup and Hair Artist, Beauty Consultant, and Founder of JoAnn Solomon Beauty, a beauty service in New York, New York. With over 15 years of experience, JoAnn specializes in beauty consulting and writing, makeup and hair artistry, product training, and creative directing. She is a licensed cosmetologist and esthetician and is certified in Airbrush Makeup. JoAnn has been published in Glamour Magazine and Lipstick.com. She is also a beauty contributor for Condé Nast, The List, Essence, Style Bistro, Family Circle, and Nylon Magazine. Her looks have been showcased in editorial, fashion, television, and red carpet events. A few of JoAnn’s celebrity clients include Beyoncé Knowles, Dr. Joe Biden, Alicia Keys, and Quincy Jones.

JoAnn Solomon

Master Beauty Consultant & Celebrity Makeup Artist

Expert Answer

I generally recommend putting eye cream in the fridge. It won't always make it last longer, but when you apply it the cream will have this cool, refreshing feeling. Since the cold can help reduce puffiness, it's sort of an easy way to improve the efficacy of the product.

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How long will eye creams last?

JoAnn Solomon
Master Beauty Consultant & Celebrity Makeup Artist
JoAnn Solomon is a Celebrity Makeup and Hair Artist, Beauty Consultant, and Founder of JoAnn Solomon Beauty, a beauty service in New York, New York. With over 15 years of experience, JoAnn specializes in beauty consulting and writing, makeup and hair artistry, product training, and creative directing. She is a licensed cosmetologist and esthetician and is certified in Airbrush Makeup. JoAnn has been published in Glamour Magazine and Lipstick.com. She is also a beauty contributor for Condé Nast, The List, Essence, Style Bistro, Family Circle, and Nylon Magazine. Her looks have been showcased in editorial, fashion, television, and red carpet events. A few of JoAnn’s celebrity clients include Beyoncé Knowles, Dr. Joe Biden, Alicia Keys, and Quincy Jones.

JoAnn Solomon

Master Beauty Consultant & Celebrity Makeup Artist

Expert Answer

On cosmetic boxes, there is normally a little number somewhere on it (usually 12, 24, or 48). That number is how many months the product should be good for. So, if you see a little 24, it means the cream will be good for 2 years!

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Can young people get eye puffiness? How can they treat it without surgery?

Chris M. Matsko, MD
Family Medicine Physician
Dr. Chris M. Matsko is a retired physician based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. With over 25 years of medical research experience, Dr. Matsko was awarded the Pittsburgh Cornell University Leadership Award for Excellence. He holds a BS in Nutritional Science from Cornell University and an MD from the Temple University School of Medicine in 2007. Dr. Matsko earned a Research Writing Certification from the American Medical Writers Association (AMWA) in 2016 and a Medical Writing & Editing Certification from the University of Chicago in 2017.

Chris M. Matsko, MD

Family Medicine Physician

Expert Answer

Yes young people can get eye puffiness — it can happen at any age. This is usually due to a lack of sleep. You can treat it with creams and other home remedies, like putting cucumber slices on your eyes.

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While you may find them unsightly, rest assured that puffy eyes are rarely anything to be worried about.^{[34]
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Many people develop these puffy eyes as they get older, but it may only be noticeable because of your ethnicity. Indian people, for example, tend to have deeper-set eyes so any puffiness and discoloration tends to be more noticeable.^{[35]
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