Aside from calling it the “dark circles under the eyes,” what do you call these dark skin underneath your eyes called? Well, it may not be essential at first, but identifying the right terms will help you explain the right words to your doctor next time you pay for a visit.
Some people call it “baggy eyes” and “dark circles.” Those sagging skin under the eyes is what expert doctors call as Periorbital dark circles. These are dark blemishes around the eyes, which may occur because of various conditions like aging, unhealthy lifestyle, and genetics.
Whatever may experts call it, what if there is something that you can do to remove those baggy eyes and dark circles around it? Well, if you’re willing to do everything to eliminate those baggy eyes – sit down, learn, relax, and read this article.
What Causes Bags Under the Eyes?
See, there are various reasons why baggy eyes and dark circles around the eyes happen. First of all, aging. The tissues around our eyes will gradually weaken and get saggy as we start getting older. It will eventually lead to loss of skin tone that allows the fat around your eyes to move forward, going to the lower eyelids. When this situation happens, the eyelids will make them look puffy and swollen.
In some cases, dark circles start to form in this stage. The fluid can also pool in the same area, which adds more puffiness to the appearance of baggy eyes. Aside from aging, several factors contribute to eye-bag formation. These components include lack of sleep, heavy smoking, frequent drinking of alcohol, allergies, retaining fluids after waking up, fluid retention after eating salty food and inherited condition.
Baggy eyes with dark circles around it are harmless. However, what most people complain about is that they look tired and old wearing those bags. If, in the case when the swelling of the eye becomes painful, itchy, gets color red, or doesn’t go away after trying several methods – it’s best to consult with your ophthalmologist.
What Can You Do for Under-Eye Bags?
Speaking of methods in removing dark circles under your eyes, what can you do when it happens to you? Fortunately, there are ways that you can do to resolve this issue. You can do some of these steps to remove dark blemishes around your eyes.
- What are the Home Remedies for Baggy Eyes? Some home remedies can help you relieve, lessen, or eliminate the puffiness of under-eye bags as well as the appearance of its shadows.
- Cold Compress. You can start applying a cold compress on your eyes. Wet a clean washcloth overrunning cold water, or wrap around some ice. Then, place the damp washcloth around your eyes for a few minutes while applying very gentle pressure – you don’t want to hurt your eyes. It would be better if you can do it while sitting upright since water pooling happens when you’re lying down.
- Get Enough Sleep as Much as Possible. Making sure that you have enough sleep every night. For adults, experts recommend having a complete rest of at least 6 to 9 hours daily.
- Sleep with a Pillow. When you’re sleeping, raise your head slightly so that the fluid keep from settling around your eyes during sleep. You can prop up the head of your bed, or add an extra pillow under your head.
- Don’t Drink Fluids at least One Hour Before Going to Bed. Avoid or limit your water intake at least one hour before going to bed. Limit your salt diet as well to reduce fluid retention overnight. This process will help you eliminate the occurrence of bags under your eyes.
- Quit Smoking. We all know that this practice is easier said than done, but you have to do it if you want to eliminate your baggy eyes and dark circles around it. Heavy smoking contributes to faster collagen loss, which makes your delicate skin under the eyes thinner. As a result, it will lead to more visible blood vessels.
- Know Your Allergies. You can also reduce your allergy symptoms that trigger baggy eyes or dark circles under the eyes if you know that things that cause it. Talk to your doctor to understand your allergy medications.
- Skin Therapies. Some skin therapies can resolve under-eye bags and dark circles under the eyes. There are various skin treatments for reducing puffiness of your baggy eyes, such as laser resurfacing, fillers, and chemical peels. These treatments help in tightening your skin, improving its tone, and reducing the appearance of bags and dark circles under the eyes. Before undergoing any skin therapy or treatment, always consult a medical expert. You must be sure that there are no allergic reactions to your health.
- Eyelid Surgery for Eyebags. Blepharoplasty is a type of eyelid surgery that eliminates bags under the eyes, depending on the degree of its cause. It is an outpatient procedure wherein the surgeon creates an incision under the lashes. This process helps in removing excess fat through the incision and extra skin. Then, the surgeon closes the incision with tiny stitches. Blepharoplasty is beneficial in correcting bags under eyes and repairing puffy upper eyelids. However, it would help if you underwent a series of assessments about the benefits, risks, and side effects of eyelid surgery.
Dark Circles vs. Shadows Under the Eyes
After a long and sleepless night, you may discover dark circles under your eyes. However, more often, these are just shadows cast by puffy eyelids. These shadows are not the same as under-eye dark circles. So, here are some facts that you need to know about dark circles under the eyes.
- Older people often have dark under-eye circles because of the loss of fat and collagen, thinning of the skin, and the reddish-blue blood vessels that become more obvious under their eyes.
- Periorbital hyperpigmentation is dark circles under the eyes.
- Those people that have darker skin tones are most likely to have dark circles under their eyes.
- Allergies and hay fever may lead to dark circles under the eyes.
- Prolonged exposure to the can make the body produce more melanin than the standard amount, which may lead to dark circles under the eyes.
The Differences Explained Between Puffy Eyes, Dark Circles, and Bags
Dark circles under the eyes, baggy eyes, and puffy eyes – we’re confident that you’ve heard some of these terms for quite some time now. Do they have differences, or are they all the same? The answer is that, yes, they are all somehow different. However, one thing is for sure – these problems under the eyes can make anyone look tired and old.
- Dark Circles – The primary causes of dark circles under the eyes are genetics, skin tone, and an unhealthy lifestyle. The area under our eyes can look purple or bluish because we have super thin and translucent skin in that area. Therefore, you can easily see the veins that underlie in that part. More often, the seams are more evident in people with fair skin, also, to those that have very little subcutaneous fat that supports the area under the lower lid. Aside from the mentioned causes, lack of sleep also increases fluid build-up that will eventually lead to pooled blood in those superficial blood vessels.
- What Can You Do About Dark Circles Under the Eyes? Fortunately, if it’s not genetic, there are ways that you can do to eliminate these spots. For example, Topical retinoids may be beneficial in lightening the look of dark circles under the eyes. A prescription retinoid helps the thickening of the skin and increasing cell turnover. As a result, it makes the underlying darkness less visible. Experts also suggest applying creams and serums with hyaluronic acid, ceramides, and peptides. These elements help in hydrating and stimulating collagen and elastin production. These elements plump up the skin while pushing away the pooled blood.
- What are the Vitamins for Dark Skin Under the Eyes? Generally, antioxidants like vitamins A, C, and E are beneficial in lightening under-eye circles. Those items that have caffeine can “wake up” those tired-looking eyes by squeezing visible blood vessels.
- Puffy or Swollen Eyes– These situations are the result of temporary swelling that usually happens due to seasonal allergies. Puffiness on the underneath area of the eyes also occurs when you have too much salt and alcohol intake. Therefore, it will make you feel dehydrated, which leads to water retention – and that’s when swelling in the face happens. Lack of sleep can also make baggy eyes worse because of the pooled fluid in the area. If this is the case, puffiness is often worse in the morning after waking up and slowly gets better by the afternoon. However, if it’s because of aging – that is another story. You may need another skin treatment to remove it.
- What Can You Do About Puffy and Swollen Eyes? Prioritizing a good sleep every night is the best way to minimize the occurrence of puffy eyes. Also, drink enough water of about, you know the rules, eight glasses of water every day. If you have enough water in your body, it keeps the fluid move through your veins. The vasoconstriction from products with caffeine can also help in reducing baggy eyes. On the other hand, cooling products are beneficial in reducing inflammation while promoting proper blood circulation. However, keep in mind that these methods only offer temporary benefits.
- Can a Metal Roller Ball Help in Resolving Puffy and Swollen Eyes? Somehow, gently massaging your eyes with a metal roller ball can help you relieve baggy eyes. It is because it can gently distribute lymphatic build-up that helps in draining the pooled fluid underneath the eyes while cooling down the inflammation. You can also mix it with creams that have peptides, antioxidants, and hyaluronic acid to help in reducing puffiness and plump the skin underneath the eyes.
- Baggy Eyes – From its name, you can safely conclude what it looks like physically. These distinct under-eye pouches are somehow different from puffy or swollen eyes. Baggy Eyes are structural puffiness often caused by a combination of skin laxity and fat herniation. These elements are standard signs of aging. Some people in their late-20s to 30s may start seeing the signs and symptoms of baggy eyes.
- What Can You Do with Baggy Eyes? When it comes to baggy eyes that come with aging – there’s nothing much that you can do. A filler may help in raising the skin to counteract the sagginess of the skin, but it may not be the solution at all times. These fillers elevate the surrounding skin to the level of the fat so that its texture becomes smooth and uniform. Another solution that you can try, if your budget allows, it Radiofrequency treatment. This alternative method tightens and smoothens the affected area by heating the skin to induce collagen and elastin formation. However, it may be quite expensive to maintain it for every session.
What is Heroin Eyes?
Heroin eyes are a result of overdosage and abuse of prescription painkillers. Some of the physical symptoms of heroin eyes involve nodding off, breathing that is slower than usual, flushed skin, and runny nose.
People that have heroin eyes scratch their surface, have poor grooming or hygiene habits and vomits a lot. When it comes to eye appearance, people that have heroin eyes have smaller pupils, and their eyes may appear to be droopy. In some cases, the eyes appear to be redder in color.
Final Words
Whether you call it baggy eyes, puffy, swollen, and dark circles under the eyes – all of them can make you look and feel old. Periorbital dark circles are the term experts use to refer to the sagging and darkening skin under the eyes, which usually occurs because of various conditions like aging, unhealthy lifestyle, and genetics.
There are multiple ways to help you resolve these issues, but only if it’s not genetic. Well, if there’s no way to remove those puffy, baggy, and dark circles under your eyes – why not just love them? Enjoy their presence, and don’t stress too much. If you’re that bothered, put on some makeup to cover those blemishes away.