Puffy eyes: causes, quick fixes and when to worry

Why are my eyes puffy in the morning?

Because you have been lying flat. Cleveland Clinic explains that puffiness happens when fluid builds up in the thin tissue around the eyes and eyelids. Lying flat all night lets it collect there, which is why both Cleveland Clinic and the AAO suggest sleeping with your head slightly raised.

What you did the night before decides how much collects. Cleveland Clinic names salt directly: it makes your body hold water, which can show up as swelling around the eyes. The American Academy of Ophthalmology adds a short night, dehydration, alcohol, smoking and allergies, and suggests not drinking much just before bed.

Puffy today, or bags that stay?

The two look alike in a photo. Time tells them apart.

Bags and fine lines often appear together. For lines, hollows and dark circles, see fine lines under the eyes.

How to get rid of puffy eyes fast

1. 1Cold, for a few minutesLie down with a cold, wet washcloth over your closed eyes, Cleveland Clinic's first suggestion. If you use anything from the freezer, wrap it in cloth.
2. 2Rinse with cool waterCleveland Clinic suggests a cool-water rinse, especially if there is any discharge. Pat the area dry instead of rubbing thin eyelid skin.
3. 3Check what you put on last nightA new eye cream, mascara or makeup remover can cause swelling. Cleveland Clinic advises stopping eye products that irritate, and removing contact lenses if your eyes swell.
4. 4Cover what is leftThe AAO notes that concealer and moisturizer can help camouflage shadows while the swelling settles.

How to prevent puffy eyes

The habits that matter, from Cleveland Clinic and the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

• Raise your head a little at night. One extra pillow is enough to keep fluid from pooling.
• Aim for 7 to 9 hours of sleep. Short nights are on every list of causes.
• Go easy on salt in the evening. A salty dinner is often tomorrow's puffiness.
• Limit fluids right before bed, without cutting back on water during the day.
• Treat your allergies. If your eyes itch and your nose runs, puffiness is likely part of the same reaction.
• Stop smoking. Both sources list it among the causes of puffiness and bags.

Do eye creams work for puffy eyes?

Some can help a little. Cleveland Clinic says products with caffeine or retinol may help reduce puffiness. Neither one moves fat, so a cream will not change a true bag.

Skip the hemorrhoid cream trick. Cleveland Clinic dermatology resident Angela Wei, MD, says it may give temporary relief but she does not recommend it near the eyes, because its ingredients can thin the skin, irritate the eyes or burn.

Puffy eyes from allergies, and what changes on darker skin

Allergies can cause both swelling and darkness under the eyes. Cleveland Clinic calls the dark part allergic shiners: when the lining of the nose swells, blood flow in nearby veins slows, and the skin under the eyes looks darker and puffier. It lists the color as black, brown, dark gray, gray-blue or purple. Once the allergy is treated, shiners usually go away within a few weeks.

On deeper skin tones those shadows can be mistaken for dark circles that will never fade, when an untreated allergy may be part of the cause. If you have darkness under the eyes that lasts longer than a few weeks, Cleveland Clinic suggests seeing a healthcare provider. An allergy plan may do more for the area than any product.

Can a facial help puffy eyes?

A facial is not a treatment for eye bags, and Karisma Esthetics does not sell one. Karisma also does not offer lymphatic drainage. What a facial can do is calm and hydrate the skin around the eyes, and a consultation can sort out whether your puffiness is fluid, a bag, dryness or an allergy pattern that needs a doctor.

The Signature Facial at Karisma in Melbourne is $125 for about 60 minutes, consultation included. If your skin reacts easily, the sensitive skin facial page explains how a visit is adjusted. [TO CONFIRM: whether Kay includes a cooling or de-puffing step around the eyes in the Signature Facial, Kay] For a bag that stays, a dermatologist or oculoplastic surgeon can talk you through filler, laser or eyelid surgery.