Bags Under Eyes: Sleep, Salt and Other Everyday Causes

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Bags under the eyes are usually caused by fluid collecting in the soft tissue below the eyes and, with age, by the tissues that support the lower eyelids becoming weaker so that fat shifts forward. Short nights, salty evening meals, alcohol, allergies and smoking make them more noticeable, while a cool compress in the morning, enough sleep and a little less salt help most people. Sudden swelling, swelling on one side only or puffiness that comes with other symptoms should be checked by a GP.

This article goes through the everyday causes one by one, the morning tricks that work in a few minutes, make-up tips for the days when puffiness will not go away, and the signs that something else is going on.

What causes bags under eyes?

Mayo Clinic explains that bags under the eyes form when the tissues and muscles supporting the eyelids weaken. The skin may start to sag, fat that normally sits around the eye can move down into the area below, and fluid can collect there too. The skin under the eyes is also very thin, so any swelling shows quickly.

Some causes you can influence and some you cannot. The table sorts them so you know where your effort is best spent.

Cause	What happens	What you can do
Lack of sleep	Fluid collects and the eye area looks puffier and darker	Aim for roughly 7 to 9 hours a night.
Salty food in the evening	The body holds on to more water overnight	Eat less salt, especially at dinner, and go easy on takeaways late at night.
Alcohol	Disturbs sleep and fluid balance	Keep to low-risk drinking and drink water alongside.
Allergies and hay fever	Swelling and rubbing of the eyes	Avoid triggers where possible and ask a pharmacist about allergy relief.
Smoking	Affects the skin and supporting tissue	Stopping smoking helps the skin as well as your general health.
Ageing	Supporting tissue weakens and fat moves forward	Daily care and make-up help appearance; only medical procedures change the structure.
Genetics	Under-eye bags run in families	Focus on habits that make them less noticeable.

Why are bags under eyes worse in the morning?

When you lie flat for several hours, fluid spreads more evenly around the body, including into the loose tissue under the eyes. Once you are upright and moving, gravity helps it drain away, which is why puffiness often looks much better by mid-morning. Mayo Clinic points to fluid retention, especially on waking or after a salty meal, as one of the main contributors.

Two small changes help many people. Raising your head slightly with an extra pillow limits the fluid that pools around the eyes overnight, and cutting back on drinks in the last hour or two before bed reduces the amount the body has to manage.

What helps bags under eyes in the morning?

A cool compress is the simplest remedy and the one Mayo Clinic recommends. Hold a clean, damp flannel that has been rinsed in cold water under and around your eyes for a few minutes while sitting up, pressing lightly. Some people use a pair of teaspoons chilled in the fridge or a wrapped bag of frozen peas instead. Do not put ice directly on the skin.

After the compress, a light eye cream applied with the ring finger gives the thin skin some moisture and makes the area feel fresher. Pat the cream in gently from the inner corner outwards rather than rubbing. We use the LR Aloe Vera Refining Eye Cream in this way. It moisturises and cares for the delicate skin around the eyes, but no cream can remove fat that has moved forward with age, so think of it as part of a morning routine rather than a solution. Keep any eye cream out of the eyes themselves, and stop using it if it stings. More products are in our aloe vera skincare category.

The eye cream we mention is shown here:

How can make-up disguise under-eye bags?

Make-up cannot flatten a bag, but it can soften the shadow it casts. A few principles work for most people:

• Apply concealer only in the darker crease below the bag, not on top of the puffy part, because light colours on the raised area make it look bigger.
• Choose a concealer close to your own skin tone, or one shade lighter, and tap it in with a fingertip.
• Use as little product as possible and avoid heavy powder, which settles into fine lines and dry skin.
• Draw attention elsewhere with defined brows or a little colour on the cheeks.

A creamy product such as the LR Signature Concealer blends easily on thin under-eye skin. Our guide to make-up for mature skin has more tips if you are over 40 and find that less really is more.

Are bags under the eyes the same as dark circles?

They often appear together but have different causes. Bags are swelling or a bulge, while dark circles are a change in colour caused by visible blood vessels, pigment or the shadow cast by puffy lids and hollows. Mayo Clinic notes that what looks like a dark circle is sometimes just a shadow from puffiness or from under-eye hollows that develop with age. Our article on dark circles under the eyes looks at that side of the problem in more detail.

When should you see a GP?

Bags under the eyes are usually harmless and do not need medical treatment. See your GP if:

• the swelling appeared suddenly, is on one side only or is getting steadily worse;
• the area is red, hot, painful or itchy, or you have a rash on the face;
• you notice changes in your vision, eye pain or bulging eyes;
• swelling under the eyes comes together with swollen ankles, tiredness or changes in how often you pass urine;
• the puffiness affects your vision or causes headaches.

Mayo Clinic notes that a doctor may check for thyroid disease, infection, allergy or kidney problems when puffiness has no obvious everyday cause. If bags bother you a lot, a GP can also explain medical and cosmetic options, such as eyelid surgery, which removes excess fat and is usually done under local anaesthetic.

Frequently asked questions

Do cucumber slices help bags under eyes?

Cucumber slices feel cool, and the cold is what helps. A cold, damp flannel or chilled spoon works in the same way. Make sure anything you put on your eyes is clean.

Does drinking more water reduce puffy eyes?

Drinking enough during the day is good for you, but drinking a lot just before bed can make morning puffiness worse. Spread your fluids across the day and cut back in the last hour or two.

Can I get rid of bags under eyes permanently?

Bags caused by habits often improve when the habits change. Bags caused by ageing or genetics can only be changed structurally by medical procedures such as eyelid surgery. Daily care and make-up make them less noticeable.

Does sleeping on my front make bags worse?

Some people find that sleeping face down or on one side leaves more fluid around the eyes in the morning. Sleeping on your back with your head slightly raised can help.

Sources

• Mayo Clinic: Bags under eyes, symptoms and causes
• Mayo Clinic: Bags under eyes, diagnosis and treatment
• Mayo Clinic: Dark circles under eyes

This article is general information and not medical advice. We are independent LR partners and do not speak for LR Health & Beauty.