What the Bags Under Your Eyes Say About You

As time passes, many people look in the mirror and notice that they have developed bags under their eyes that make them look tired and older. This loose skin under the eyes may be because of a genetic predisposition or it may be because of certain lifestyle habits. Unfortunately, these heavy pockets of skin often make others think you are not getting enough sleep, are working too hard or that you aren’t taking good care of yourself. A recent study even went on to say that sagging and drooping eyelids might influence what people think of you.

Here are a few tips you can implement to help reduce the appearance of saggy pouches under the eyes.

Eye Creams

The aisles in the cosmetics department of any store offer a wide variety of creams and lotions to help reduce the look of dark circles and bags under the eyes. Some of these are formulated to tighten the skin under the eyes and do a good job of reducing the looseness. Some people swear by hemorrhoid cream to tighten skin in the under-eye area.

Keep Sinus Problems in Check

If you have allergies or sinus trouble on a regular basis, these problems can contribute to the puffy, baggy appearance under the eyes. Treat your allergies on a daily basis and ensure your sinuses are clear and moisturized with water from a neti pot or saline nasal spray.

Get Better Sleep

Make an effort to improve your sleep habits. Try to sleep the same number of hours and at the same time each night. Develop a pre-sleep ritual to help train your brain to prepare for sleep. Listen to soothing music and lower the lighting in the room to get ready for sleep. Sleeping on your stomach or side increases bagginess under the eyes. You may even see more bagginess on the side on which you sleep. Try another pillow or sleeping on your back to reduce eye puffiness.

Non-Invasive Procedures

If you have tried other methods of reducing the appearance under the eyes and are dissatisfied with the results, consult with a plastic surgeon for your options. Not all cosmetic procedures require invasive cutting of the skin. Dr. Pinsky now has a number of “filler” products such as Juvederm or Restylane that are simply injected under the skin of the under eye area to correct the shape and contours of the eye socket. These techniques often provide the younger, fuller look that younger eyes have at an inexpensive cost.