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How to Reduce the Bags Under Your Eyes

How to Reduce the Bags Under Your Eyes

Your eyes have a major bearing on how you appear to other people. When your eyes look worn out, tired, and older, your whole face does, too.

For many of us, under-eye bags play a big role in that “worn-out” look, but you should know there are solutions that don’t involve surgery or anesthesia. 

At Rostami OPC in Reston, Virginia, Soheila Rostami, MD, and Joseph Davidson, MD, offer custom dermal filler treatments tailored specifically for the under-eye area. Here, explore how these treatments can help and what else you can do to reduce your under-eye bags.

Why eye bags and hollows happen

Under-eye bags are a common “side effect” of getting older, usually appearing as age, gravity, and even genetics take a toll on the delicate skin just under our lower lids. This skin gradually loses its natural elasticity, creating a “baggy” look that’s quick to make us look older and worn out. 

When skin starts to sag, the area under your eyes looks “hollowed out,” sometimes appearing darker than the surrounding skin. Any fatty tissue you have under your eyes creates a “puffy look,” emphasizing that hollowed-out effect.

While they might be unattractive, under-eye bags, hollows, and dark circles are typically cosmetic problems. When sagging is severe, however, it can cause problems with your eyelids. 

As your under-eye bags drag the lower lid downward, the sensitive membranes beneath the lid can become exposed, leading to dry eye or an increase in the risk of infections.

When your lower lids are very droopy, we might recommend eyelid surgery or blepharoplasty to eliminate fat and restore the normal position of your lower lid margin. But in cases where the lower lid isn’t involved, nonsurgical methods can treat those bags and dark circles.

Smoothing out those pesky bags

Sometimes, home remedies can reduce the look of under-eye bags. 

Allergy treatment

If your eye puffiness is associated with allergies, over-the-counter allergy medications may help. You should also consider avoiding cosmetics around your eyes to see if your makeup could be causing mild swelling as part of an allergic reaction to the products you’re using.

Cool compresses

Applying a cool cloth to your eyes helps reduce inflammation and irritation, side effects of allergies and exposure to irritants, like smoke or pollution. Compresses can also help when eye puffiness happens after a night of little sleep.

Work on your sleep habits

Speaking of sleep, if you notice your eye bags and dark circles are worse in the morning, a little more shuteye could be what it takes to reduce their appearance. Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep each night, and keep your head elevated with a pillow or two to improve fluid drainage around your eyes.

Watch your sodium

Sodium causes your skin to retain fluids. Reduce those salty snacks, keep the salt shaker off the dinner table, and read food labels for “hidden” sources of sodium.

In-office treatment

While these DIY treatments may provide some mild, temporary improvement in under-eye bags, dermal fillers could be your personalized solution that yields long-term results. 

Dermal fillers use hyaluronic acid and other components to restore volume in the under-eye area. Fillers can dramatically improve the look of dark circles and elevate hollowed-out areas, dramatically reducing the appearance of under-eye bags.

Because the skin under your eyes is so delicate and thinner than elsewhere on your face, our team uses special techniques to apply fillers, achieving a smooth result that blends with the rest of your face. 

Plus, you can repeat filler treatments as needed to maintain your results, helping you look more alert and more youthful.

Learn more about under-eye treatments

If you’re plagued by under-eye bags or dark circles, stop trying to hide them with cakey makeup. Dermal fillers could be the simple solution you’ve been looking for to look and feel your best.

To learn more, call 571-568-8716 or book an appointment online with the team at Rostami OPC today.

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