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Ask A Dermatologist: Can You Get Rid Of Under-Eye Bags?
Sometimes, no matter how much sleep you’ve had, you still notice some pesky puffiness under your eyes.
Not to be confused with dark circles, under-eye bags can be a real annoyance for those of us with them. While dark circles are patches of darker skin under the eyes, under-eye bags are raised areas of skin that just don’t go away, even after a good kip.
It’s totally normal for the skin below our eyes to droop as we age, and under-eye bags can be pretty difficult to get rid of entirely. However, there are some avenues you can explore – so, today our in-house derms are chatting about the causes of under-eye bags and the range of treatments available.
What causes under-eye bags?
Under-eye bags are a small protrusion of fat beneath the eyes. Due to a combination of gravity, fine lines and loss of collagen, they gradually become more visible with time. But why do they occur there specifically?
“The skin around your eyes is the thinnest skin anywhere on the body and also has less oil-producing glands,” explains Dr Jason Thomson, Head of Medical at Skin + Me. “This means this area comes with its own specific problems such as dark circles, puffiness and bags, as well as often being the first place that fine lines and wrinkles develop.”
Your genetics, facial structure and lifestyle may also play a part in your under-eye bags, so there’s not a huge amount you can do to stop them developing. At Skin + Me we’re of the opinion that they’re a part of life – however, if you’d rather minimise their appearance, then there are a few options you can look into.
New to Skin + Me? Get your first month of personalised skincare for £4.99 with promo code DOSE – complete our quick consultation here
How can I treat my under-eye bags?
While much of the beauty world wants to convince us that expensive eye cream is the solution, the reality is that under-eye bags are stubborn.
However, there are ways to decrease swelling or make them much less visible, if that’s your goal. Some treatments are cheap and simple, but aren’t as effective, while the most drastic solutions also have the highest price point.
Lifestyle changes
Ensuring you get enough sleep is a big help when it comes to mitigating under-eye bags. Sleep helps the body recover more quickly, and you’re more likely to wake up with puffy eyes when you haven’t given your body time to rest. Ensuring your head and shoulders are slightly elevated while sleeping on your back can also help.
A healthy, balanced diet might sound boring, but it’s a solution to a lot of problems, including under-eye bags. Avoid eating too much salt and consider reducing your alcohol consumption can help improve overall skin health, which in turn decreases the appearance of under-eye bags.
And, we’ll never stop shouting about the importance of staying hydrated. “Dehydrated skin on the face can appear dull often with more prominent fine lines and surface wrinkles. Other clues include more prominent shadows under the eyes as well as sunken appearing eyes,” says Dr Ben Esdaile, Consultant Dermatologist at Skin + Me. Keep filling up your water bottle and you might notice your under-eyes looking a little smoother.
However, it’s important to remember that once you’ve developed prominent eye bags, changing elements of your lifestyle won’t get rid of them entirely – it might just slightly reduce them.
Skincare
When it comes to under-eye bags, there aren’t many skincare products that can help erase them. Some people swear by eye creams containing caffeine, which, when used in the morning, might temporarily reduce the swelling under the eyes.
A skincare routine that prioritises building collagen may also help strengthen the skin under your eyes, but beware of extreme claims from products that promise to totally remove bags. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
New to Skin + Me? Get your first month of personalised skincare for £4.99 with promo code DOSE – complete our quick consultation here
Cosmetic treatments
If you’re really invested in minimising the appearance of under-eye bags, professional cosmetic treatments do offer more impactful results.
Dermal fillers are an injectable gel that can help add volume to specific areas of your face. A trained professional will be able to assess your skin and plump up target areas, to minimise the appearance of under-eye bags.
Just remember that injectable fillers are not strictly regulated in the UK, so make sure you do plenty of research before booking a treatment and only go to a licensed aesthetician or dermatologist.
Cosmetcic surgery
A lower blepharoplasty is a surgical procedure where excess muscle, skin and fat is removed from the under-eye area, effectively removing the bags. It will take a few weeks to fully recover, and you’ll need to be prepared to spend a significant amount of money to have the surgery.
A cosmetic surgeon will be able to assess your skin and advise whether this semi-permanent solution is right for you, before explaining the risks and expected outcome.
However, bear in mind that your under-eye bags are likely to reoccur with time, especially if you’re genetically predisposed to them, as they are a natural consequence of time and gravity.
Final thoughts
Under-eye bags are nothing to worry about, but if you want to minimise their appearance then there are a few different routes you can take. As always, make sure that you set your expectations and only ever book an invasive procedure with a licensed professional – safety should be your number one priority.
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