by Colaine Swaby

Created on: November 17, 2008

Our eyes say a lot about us. And if the old adage is true and our eyes are truly the windows to the soul, then unsightly bags under the eyes can't augur very well for our reputation now can they? The eyes are what we notice most about people especially when meeting them for the first time, so we don't want our eyes to say we are tired, sleepy or old even when we are not. Bags, puffiness, sags, whatever we chose to call them, they are all not welcome on our faces.

The skin below the eye is thinner than the rest of the body and does not have an abundance of oil glands. As a result the veins in the lower eye region are more prominent and consequently appear as dark circles and bags under the eyes from time to time.

There are a number of causes for this condition.

Retention of fluids is a common cause of bags under the eyes. Fluids sometime settle under the eyes over night causing them to look puffy in the morning. Fluctuating hormone levels may lead to fluid retention in the body thus contributing to puffiness around the thin skin underneath your eyes.

Imbibing an excess of alcoholic beverages has the effect of lowering our body's anti diuretic hormones allowing fluid retention to take place within the body. Fluid may settle under the eyes, manifesting in puffiness or bags under the eyes. However, this can quickly be remedied by reducing our alcohol intake.

Consuming an excess of sodium rich foods and beverages may also play a role in producing bags under our eyes. When our diet consists of an excess amount of salty foods our bodies tend retain water which can in turn lead to puffiness under the eyes. One simple way to improve this condition is by reducing the amount of salty foods our diet. It helps here to read product labels carefully because we may not realise that many of the foods we consume have such high sodium content. And yes this includes soft drinks as well.

People who suffer from allergies are all too fully aware of bags under the eyes. Allergens sometime make our eyes itch and so we rub and scratch the skin surrounding them creating puffiness and redness. Allergies may be triggered by a number of things in our immediate surroundings including pet dander and pollen. Sinus conditions create discomfort around the eye area as well. Certain foods are also well known allergens for some people. This excess rubbing and pulling of the fragile skin under our eyes cause the area to become red and swollen.

We have all experienced burnout for one reason or another,

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>