Are There Alternative Treatments to Plastic Surgery for Puffy Eyes?

Puffiness under your eyes can occur due to a number of reasons, including lack of sleep, allergies or water retention. The skin beneath your eyes is thin and sensitive, and because of this, it swells easily. For more persistent eye puffiness, there is the option of surgical correction. However, if you wish for something not quite so drastic, there are a number of ways to combat eye puffiness at home.

Diet

• Reduce the amount of salty foods you consume. Salt helps you retain water, and if your eye puffiness is due to water retention, reducing your sodium intake can help. Drink plenty of water every day. Water retention may be a result of dehydration. Add more fatty acids into your diet, especially fish oils.

Topical Treatments

• Cooled tea bags placed on your eyes can help reduce the swelling. According to Total-Health-Care.com, the best ones to teas are Indian, chamomile or red raspberry leaf tea bags. You may also lay cool cucumber, cut fig, or raw potato slices on your eyes to soothe irritation, or you can take a pint of hot water and add in a pinch of salt. Soak some cotton wool makeup pads in this mixture, then apply beneath your eyes to help with puffiness. You can also soak your cotton pads in witch hazel or a honey water solution. To make the honey water solution, pour a pint of boiling water of a handful of eyebright, strain and add 3 tbsp. honey. Leave the cotton pads against your lower eyelids for 20 minutes.

  You can make several face washes to soothe your puffy eyes. Mix a drop each of lemon and lavender to a teaspoon of boiled water and apply to your eyes. You can dilute some elderflower in water and use that as a face wash for your eyes. To reduce eye swelling, mix chickweed, tansy or watercress to create a lotion to reduce eye swelling. Mix any of those herbs with 1 c. water or milk and let it simmer. Let it cool, then apply to your eyes. You can also strain the herbal parts of this solution out, dry them, and put them in cheesecloth or muslin and apply them directly to your eyes. A simple face wash in cold water can also help soothe your eyes.