Swelling of the area under the eyes is a very common problem that causes a lot of inconvenience. The subcutaneous tissue in these places has a very loose structure and contains almost no collagen fibers. In addition, the skin under the eyes is constantly subject to compression and stretching - when a person closes his eyes, blinks, etc. All this creates the preconditions for the appearance of so-called bags, which give the face a tired and painful appearance and visually add age.
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The immediate causes of fluid accumulation in the under-eye area can be very different - from easily removable flaws in the daily routine to serious diseases of the internal organs.
Power supply errors
People suffering from swelling of the areas around the eyes often attribute this to excessive fluid intake. This reason does indeed occur, but not always. The body only retains excess fluid that was drunk immediately before bed - then the kidneys simply do not have time to remove the water. However, swelling is observed both in “water drinkers” and, on the contrary, in people who limit fluid intake: because of this, the body begins to reduce the activity of the kidneys in order to create water reserves in the tissues.
Fluid retention in the body is also facilitated by excessive indulgence in smoked, spicy and salty foods, and alcoholic drinks.
How to deal with a paint bag?
Not all owners of this appearance feature are happy with their appearance. Especially often, the desire to remove bags arises among women who want to look younger. A lot of different methods of combating sufs have been developed, but most of them have very low effectiveness, and some can cause serious harm to health.
Lymphatic drainage massage. It improves the circulation of fluids in tissues and, of course, refreshes the complexion and increases skin elasticity. But he is unable to influence the accumulation of fat. Although it undoubtedly brings certain benefits, and the appearance of the face will be improved. But since the massage affects very sensitive areas in the immediate vicinity of the eyes, it should only be done by an experienced specialist. Rough and inept actions will cause even more stretching of the skin, enlarge the bags and may even damage the health of the eyes.
Taking diuretics. This is absolutely harmful to health. Sufs are not associated with liquid, and it is impossible to reduce them by squeezing water out of the body. But it’s very easy to destroy the kidneys and heart, develop hypertension, make the skin flabby, saggy and lifeless.
Gel "Troxevasin". An absolutely useless idea that has no effect on the sufas. There is little harm from such activities, but if you overdo it, you can get various complications to the eyes and also cause inflammation of the skin.
Taking medications intended to treat the thyroid gland. An extremely unhealthy activity. Thyroid diseases do often lead to the formation of bags under the eyes, and taking medications prescribed by a doctor significantly reduces them. But if the thyroid gland is healthy, then the medications will not affect the sac in any way, but will greatly disrupt hormonal levels, and the consequences can be very serious.
Biorevitalization. This procedure can only give a good effect when performed by an experienced cosmetologist. There are many cases where the bags increased greatly after biorevitalization, because the volume of drugs was calculated incorrectly. Therefore, if you have sufs, biorevitalization should be done only in good cosmetology clinics, and not in offices huddled in supermarkets or gateways.
Botox. The “beauty injection” will smooth out wrinkles on the face, but it can increase the size of the painting bag many times over, since this drug impairs the circulation of fluids in the tissues.
Household reasons
Puffiness of the undereyes often occurs as a result of the most common life events. It can be caused by:
- fatigue of the eye muscles after prolonged work at the computer, reading, sewing, doing small handicrafts, driving a car;
- lack of sleep or interrupted night rest;
- prolonged crying (especially against the background of severe nervous strain);
- incorrect posture while sleeping. Thus, the habit of sleeping without a pillow contributes to the formation of bags under the eyes;
- being in a smoky room (including active or passive smoking);
- entry into the eye of a foreign body or contact with an aggressive agent (acid, hot fat, caustic vapors).
A bag under the eye can be the result of a head injury (most often in the forehead, bridge of the nose or temple). Moreover, swelling sometimes plays the role of a protective cushion, protecting the eye from force. However, this phenomenon should not be considered positive, since the subcutaneous tissue, oversaturated with fluid, is easily infected.
What do permanent bags under the eyes mean?
The condition of the skin in the periocular area can be used to judge the condition of most internal organs. The cause of persistent swelling is usually a disease. The color of the bags is of great importance.
Cosmetologists conduct a special test to determine the causes of swelling. To do this, use the tip of your finger to lightly press on the lower eyelid and release. If the skin becomes darker, it means that characteristic age-related changes are occurring. A non-changing color indicates exposure to an allergen, and faint circles indicate problems with blood vessels.
Doctors also often look at the shade of the bags when visually examining a patient to make the correct diagnosis.
Blue circles
The most dangerous thing that dark circles under the eyes can indicate is heart disease, including such a dangerous pathology as heart failure.
Additional symptoms of heart disease:
- pain behind the sternum on the left;
- rapid pulse;
- dyspnea;
- constant malaise;
- fatigue.
In this case, you should contact a cardiologist as soon as possible, who will conduct the necessary examinations (ECG, X-ray, ECHO), based on the results of which he will prescribe adequate treatment.
Other causes of bluish bags on the face in women are:
- too thin skin;
- lack of sleep;
- smoking;
- hormonal imbalances in pregnant women;
- alcohol abuse.
Often blue swelling of the lower eyelids appears as a result of head injury. Severe injuries are characterized by the formation of “spectacles” around both eyes. The situation requires a visit to a traumatologist and an X-ray examination.
Brown circles
Bags of a brownish tint bother women with impaired pigmentation and tan lovers.
Dark circles also form with an incorrectly selected diet, which results in a lack of vitamins and nutritional deficiencies.
Red circles
Redness around the eyes is a classic symptom of inflammation. The most common cause is inflammation of the conjunctiva of the eye. The nature of the disease may vary. Experts distinguish: viral, bacterial, gonococcal, allergic conjunctivitis. They have similar symptoms and require treatment by an ophthalmologist.
Another common pathology that leads to red circles is sinusitis. The sinuses are located directly under the eyes, so when one of them (or both) becomes inflamed, a reddish swelling forms in the lower eyelid.
If sinusitis is unilateral, a bag may form under only one eye. Additional symptoms of the disease:
- persistent nasal congestion;
- low-grade fever;
- headache in the frontal region;
- general malaise.
An ENT doctor treats sinusitis. If the disease is acute, antibacterial drugs and physiotherapy are usually prescribed. In chronic cases, a puncture is performed.
Yellow circles
Yellow eyelids in women indicate the likelihood of the following problems:
- liver pathologies;
- increased levels of carotene;
- disturbances in the functioning of the circulatory system;
- constant stress;
- gallbladder diseases;
- prolonged exposure to ultraviolet rays;
- insufficient rest;
- alcoholism and smoking.
If the cause of yellowness is pathology of internal organs, you will need the help of a specialist. When it is caused by everyday factors, it is enough to correct the lifestyle.
Excessive passion for cosmetics
Abuse of cosmetics by representatives of the fairer sex creates additional factors contributing to the appearance of bags under the eyes. The reason may be:
- excessive amounts of foundation, powder or shadows on the eyelids and area around the eyes, as well as incomplete removal of decorative cosmetics before bedtime;
- use of poorly selected or low-quality cosmetics;
- improper use of moisturizers. Each such product contains from 80 to 90% water. When applying too thick a layer of cream to the face, some of the liquid may be absorbed into the skin and create swelling;
- cosmetic procedures. So-called beauty injections based on botulinum toxin (“Botox”, “Dysport”) create temporary disruptions in the lymphatic drainage system and contribute to the appearance of subcutaneous fluid accumulations.
Puffiness under the eyes can occur in women at the end of the menstrual cycle due to excess estrogen. In expectant mothers, swelling is often observed in the later stages of pregnancy, when the kidneys have difficulty coping with the increased load and do not remove water from the body quickly enough.
Why do they form under the eyes in healthy women?
Even healthy women have eyelids that swell from time to time. This could be due to various factors. Most often it is lack of sleep. The recommended sleep duration is 7-8 hours. If you do not get enough sleep regularly, this will lead to exhaustion of the body and weight gain.
Lack of sleep causes overstrain of the eye muscles. As a result, their oxygen demand increases
The body triggers hyperperfusion in this area of the body. Dark circles appear under the eyes. Against the background of pale skin (this is exactly what it becomes due to chronic lack of sleep), the bruises will be clearly visible.
Prolonged wakefulness leads to lymphostasis and venous stagnation. Bags appear under the eyes. Quality rest and correction of sleep patterns help cope with this problem.
In addition, prolonged stay at the computer can provoke the formation of bluish bags in the eyelid area. A high-risk group includes girls who sit in front of a monitor all day. Due to severe eye strain, blood flow increases. As a result, the vessels expand and are more clearly visible through the thin skin. At the same time, swelling is observed.
To get rid of this problem, it is important to take regular breaks from work. During such breaks, I advise you to go out into the fresh air. And don’t be lazy – do eye exercises every day.
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Here are simple gymnastics for bags and circles under the eyes. You can do this exercise every day.
In addition, swelling can be provoked by ultraviolet radiation. The body, wanting to retain moisture, accumulates it in the fat layer. Therefore, sunbathers should think about whether their hobby is safe.
Allergy
If swelling under the eyes is accompanied by lacrimation, pain in the eyes, nasal congestion, sneezing, photophobia and redness of the eyelids, the cause may be an allergic reaction. Tap water, pet hair, plant pollen, food products, and medications often act as aggressive agents.
In this situation, discomfort and bags under the eyes disappear when contact with the allergen ceases. Antihistamines and anti-itching creams or gels will help speed up recovery. But medications must be prescribed by a doctor.
The color of dark circles under the eyes tells a lot
The shade of dark circles under the eyes will help to guess the nature of the disorder in the body:
- If the darkening of the eye area is especially obvious in the morning, it is a sign of lack of sleep or dehydration.
- A bluish lower eyelid indicates problems with blood circulation.
- Dark blue circles are a companion for heavy smokers.
- Black circles under the eyes are a sign of chronic intestinal disease.
- Blue circles with a greenish tint are often observed with inflammation of the kidneys, a sign of intoxication of the body.
- A grayish tint to the lower eyelids may also indicate gynecological pathology or endocrine disease.
- Yellowish lower eyelid - appears with liver diseases and biliary tract pathologies.
- Reddish bags under the eyes - an allergic reaction should be ruled out.
- Red and blue circles most often indicate heart problems.
Intervertebral hernia of the cervical spine
When the cause of swelling is a herniated disc, the cosmetic defect is accompanied by:
- impaired coordination of movements;
- weakness;
- persistent headaches and other pains;
- feeling of “goosebumps” all over the body;
- pain in the cervical spine;
- stiffness;
- disruption of the peripheral nervous system. This is manifested by a change in the sensitivity of certain areas of the body.
The listed symptoms appear gradually, and in the initial stages of the disease, puffiness under the eyes may be its only sign.
Common Causes
The appearance of edema is caused by the accumulation of a large amount of fluid, which is not distributed evenly, but accumulates in one place. There can be many reasons for this phenomenon: from the most harmless to the serious and pathological. Therefore, if skin swelling does not go away within a few days and cannot be removed with simple folk remedies, it is better to consult a specialist and undergo an examination.
Many people don't see the difference between bags and swelling. Although in everyday understanding these two concepts have the same meaning, in fact there is a difference between them. Edema is an abnormal accumulation of fluid under or above the eyes. And bags are a dermatological problem. They are formed folds of skin.
There are dozens of pathological and non-pathological reasons for the development of edema. The defect usually appears on the right and left. First, let's look at the list of harmless reasons.
Non-hazardous
If a person drinks little water throughout the day, the body will begin to lack fluid, which is why it will store it. This may manifest itself as swelling. The body reacts in a similar way to stimuli, such as crying. Increased blood flow to the eyes causes fluid to accumulate in the fiber tissues. Water bags can appear for other reasons:
- Smoking.
- Reading.
- Car driving.
- Binge eating.
- Stress.
- Prolonged headaches.
- Stay in the wind, sun.
- Excessive physical activity or, conversely, a sedentary lifestyle.
- Frequent changes in ambient temperature.
- Working at the computer.
IMPORTANT! The condition of the area around the eyes is negatively affected by lack of sleep.
Many people are familiar with how bruises and swelling appear under the eyes after a sleepless night. If a person leads a nocturnal lifestyle, then this certainly does not contribute to a healthy appearance. When you don't get enough sleep, dehydration occurs and your body tries to retain fluid.
Puffy circles under the eyes also appear if the person cried the night before. Tears contain salt, a substance that retains fluid. In addition, salt irritates the skin, causing inflammation and swelling.
Some women make a serious mistake when they don't wash off their makeup before going to bed. No matter how tired you are, you should not go to bed without washing your face. If you ignore this rule, the skin stops breathing and swelling occurs the next morning.
In addition, you should not apply too much makeup to the eyelid area, as this can cause clogged pores and irritation. And the point about what to remove makeup with is also important. Do not use toilet soap for this purpose. You must have special makeup remover products. Soap dries out the skin a lot.
What causes swelling after sleep? If you drink a lot of fluids before bed, you are more likely to experience morning swelling. The kidneys simply do not have time to remove excess alcohol from the body, so the liquid is directed to the tissues. It is not recommended to sleep without a pillow, much less with your head down. Because of this, normal lymphatic and venous outflow from the head is disrupted.
Kidney diseases
Edema due to dysfunction of the urinary system is sometimes called free-floating due to the ability to move from one area of the body to another. At the same time, bags under the eyes regularly appear in the morning. Uniform swelling of the face is also observed (patients notice imprints of the folds of bed linen on the skin after sleep).
As the disease progresses, other symptoms develop: a decrease in the amount and change in the color of urine, dysuria, and increased blood pressure. “Renal” edema is considered particularly difficult to treat.
Reasons for appearing in the morning
This problem can be caused by the following factors:
- Accumulation of fluid in the body . Usually the eyelids become puffy in the morning if you eat salty food at night. As you know, salt retains water inside the body, which is why edema occurs. The same effect is observed after drinking alcohol before bed. By eliminating the consumption of salty foods and alcohol, you can prevent the development of this problem.
- Incorrect position of the head during sleep . When you sleep, your head should be slightly higher than your body. Otherwise, in the morning you will be looking at a swollen face in the mirror. To avoid this, take your choice of pillow seriously.
- Not drinking enough water during the previous day .
As paradoxical as it sounds, to avoid bags under your eyes, you need to drink enough water. If you don't drink enough, your body begins to store fluid in reserve, like a camel.