How to Reduce Puffiness Under Your Eyes

Puffiness under your eyes can be caused by the accumulation of fluid underneath your eyes or allergies. Puffy eyes can make a person look tired or older. While puffiness under your eyes is usually nothing more than a temporary annoyance, nobody wants to go to work or an event with puffy, tired looking eyes. Fortunately, there are several things you can do to remedy this problem.

Instructions

1. Try to sleep with your head slightly elevated. This will keep fluids from gathering beneath your eyes. To do this, place an extra pillow beneath the pillow your normally sleep on.

2. Be sure to get a good amount of sleep each night. This can naturally reduce the puffiness under your eyes. Roughly six to eight hours of sleep a night should suffice.

3. Tap the puffy areas underneath your eyes with your index finger. Doing so may actually get rid of the fluid that has accumulated under your eyes, which would reduce the puffiness. Tap the skin very gently when doing this so that you don't cause pain.

4. Use a cold dessert spoon or tablespoon to reduce puffiness under your eyes. Place the spoon in your freezer for about 30 minutes. Then, lay down with your head elevated (as in step one) and place the spoons over your eyes. Let the spoons sit over your eyes for 5 to 10 minutes and then remove them.

5. Put cold pieces of cut cucumbers over your eyes. Slice two thin cucumber pieces (roughly 1/4-inch in width) and place the pieces in your refrigerator for 30-60 minutes. Remove the slices and lay down as in steps one and four. Place the cucumber slices over the puffy areas of your eyes and let them sit there for anywhere between 10-20 minutes. This will help to alleviate the fluid under your eyes that is causing the puffiness to occur.

6. Drink six to eight glasses of water every day. Puffiness under the eyes can be a sign that your body is retaining water, which can occur when you're not properly hydrating yourself.

Tips & Warnings

• Contact your doctor if puffiness under your eyes continues for several weeks, if your eyes begin to hurt or swell even more or if you notice swelling anywhere else on your body.