Puffy eyes are in fact swollen eyes and they can have a multitude of causes. In most of the cases they go away in while without you necessarily doing anything. If they are also accompanied by other symptoms, puffy eyes might signalize a medical condition and it is best to see a doctor. Knowing the factors that lead to puffy eyes can help you prevent them.

• Fluid retention – this is a condition that can also have a multitude of causes. It is enhanced by dehydration because when your body feels like it doesn’t have enough liquid, it starts storing it. Fluid retention is often caused by hormonal changes, especially in women.

• Salt and alcohol – these are the main culprits for fluid retention and often cause puffy eyes if consumed frequently or excessively.

• Lack of sleep.

• Aging – in time the skin loses its natural elasticity and this becomes more visible under the eyes, resulting in puffy eyes.

• Allergic reactions – they cause the eyes to swollen and they might be produced by all sorts of things from your cosmetic products to your linen.

• High blood pressure – the blood vessels under the eyes dilate and they cause puffy eyes.

• Some medical conditions – kidney infections, inflammations or irritations of the eye, hypothyroidism, etc. They are usually accompanied by other symptoms than the puffy eyes.

• Genetics.

There are some methods of getting rid of puffy eyes or of making them less noticeable:

• The best eye cream often contains ingredients that help reduce puffy eyes. Keep them in the fridge because when they are cold they act faster and apply them with gentle massage movements.

• Cold water or ice – if you apply something cold on your puffy eyes, this will reduce swelling. Either dip a cotton pad in cold water or wrap an ice cube in a paper tissue and keep it on the eyes for a couple of minutes. You can also use a spoon that you have previously kept in the fridge.

• Milk – use in the same way as you would use cold water. Make sure that the milk is also cold. Keep the pad dipped in milk on the puffy eyes for 10-15 minutes. If it gets warm in this time, remove it and soak it again in cold milk. The point here is to always keep something g cold in contact with the eye in order to reduce swelling.

• Apply cucumber slices on your eyes and these will reduce puffiness. You can easily imagine that the cucumber needs to be from the fridge. If you don’t have cucumber, you can also use potato or apple slices. Apples are helpful because the pectin they contain is very rich in anti-oxidants.

• Take used green or black tea bags and apply them on your eyes. Keep them for at least 10 minutes. Make sure they are not hot and if you can, keep them in the fridge before using them. Green and black tea contains tannic acid and this reduces the inflammation of the eye and also makes blood vessels constrict.

If you know that you often get puffy eye bags, it might be best to also take some preventive measures:

• Avoid fluid retention by keeping your salt intake under control, by not consuming alcohol and by drinking plenty of water. You can also drink diuretic teas, but keep in mind that these reduce blood pressure.

• Sleep eight hours every night. Don’t sleep without a pillow because if you keep your head higher than your feet you will prevent fluid retention in the face area.

• Don’t forget to always remove your makeup before going to sleep because makeup products can irritate the eyes.