Many people have developed bags under their eyes, and there are many reasons why these bags form. In most cases the problem is caused by aging and sleep disorders, although heredity, hormonal changes, sinus infections, and high salt intake, water retention, depression, fatigue, smoking, alcohol abuse, and poor diet can all be contributors. It has also been recognized that obese individuals often suffer from this affliction. If you are experiencing this affliction, which many consider to be a cosmetic nightmare, don’t despair. There are treatments and behavioral changes that have proven to be effective in minimizing or eliminating this problem.

What Causes Bags under the Eyes?

Although bags under the eyes may, in some rare cases, indicate an underlying medical condition such as kidney disease or Graves’s disease which require professional medical attention, for most sufferers it is a cosmetic problem. While it may offer no threat to one’s physical condition, it is certainly can cause social and psychological problems. Bags under the eyes make persons look older, tired, and generally worn out. Unfortunately, many people without the problem see sufferers as those who have led a life of debauchery – a most prejudiced and unfair assessment.

Although many younger people are afflicted with bags under their eyes, the problem is most commonly found in older people. Aging causes the body’s muscles and ligaments to weaken. The fat, which is normally evenly distributed around the eyes, succumbs to the force of gravity and falls into the area under the eyes, gathering into a puffy eye bag. Environmental and behavioral conditions may exacerbate the problem. Heredity can also be a cause for bags under the eyes. Those pesky genes maintain this trait from generation to generation.

Women often experience this problem during pregnancy or during their normal period of menstruation. In both cases, normal water retention can cause these bags. This tendency to retain water is exacerbated by a high intake of salt. Paradoxically, the exact opposite of water retention can also cause these bags. Dehydration for any reason, particularly from excessive consumption of alcohol, can be a major contributor to the problem. Lack of sleep is another reason why some develop Bags Under the Eyes. Insufficient sleep can also contribute to the development of dark circles under the eyes.

Those who suffer from common allergies and chronic sinus infections are often afflicted with bags under the eyes. These ailments can cause swelling and a deflation of the skin below the eyes, weakening it to a point where it can form these bothersome bags. If this describes your particular situation, check with a physician or allergist. One of the dangers of allergies is the itching that normally accompanies these conditions. Rubbing the eyes to alleviate itching will undoubtedly exacerbate the development of eye bags.

Everyone wishes to look his or her best. Any facial blemish or cosmetic flaw can be the harbinger of a bad day. The appearance of dark circles around the eyes can seem like a catastrophe. Simple blemishes are often temporary and can be disguised. Dark circles under the eyes, however, give one an unhealthy, fatigued look. They may us look old.

Fortunately, because the problem has been plaguing people for generations, many commercial and home cures have been developed over time. Some of the most successful cures are found in various eye creams that are easily available. The secret to reducing or eliminating those dark circles and restoring your youthful look, is finding the best eye cream for your personal condition.

There are numerous causes for dark circles: heredity, alcohol abuse, smoking, and lack of sleep are typical causes. Eye strain brought on by activities such as too much effort looking at a computer screen, may also cause these dark circles to develop. All of the numerous eye creams that are commercially available claim to become “the greatest treatment method” for that condition. As with any commercially available product, not all of them live up to their hype. To ensure that you select the best eye cream to treat your problem, it is crucial that you comprehend what the root cause is for your particular condition, and that you understand what ingredients in these creams can promise you the best treatment.

Most commercial eye creams are formulated to treat several of the most common characteristics of these under-eye problems: the darkness, the puffiness, and the sagging. When evaluating an eye creams, you should focus upon the following characteristics: the cream’s active ingredients and its ability to protect your eyes from the damage caused by sunlight.

It’s critical that the eye cream contain vitamin K. This vitamin helps to tighten the capillaries that lie directly under the skin below the eyes, making them stronger. Vitamin C is equally important because it promotes the natural production of collagen that lubricates the skin, and tends to lighten the skin’s color. Licorice extract is often included in eye creams with similar effect to vitamin C. Several other ingredients that should be present can be very effective in reducing facial lines and swelling under the eyes. These ingredients include retinol, copper peptides, caffeine, and alpha hydroxyl acids, among others. Some additional benefit in hydrating the skin below the eyes comes with the inclusion of hyaluronic acid and silica.

Dermatologists find that complaints about dark areas under the eyes are second only to complaints about acne. Like acne, the appearance of dark circles panics people, not because they are concerned about the medical implications, but because of the damage to their appearance. People with these dark circles look older, tired, and stressed out. Some misguided people who are not so afflicted, see these dark circles under the eyes as a sign of dissipated living, which is certainly not the case. If you have noticed dark circles beginning to appear under your eyes, don’t panic. There are remedies available to mitigate of eliminate the problem.

There are numerous explanations why these dark areas appear. In some cases, serious medical problems such as kidney or liver disease are the cause, but this is rare. In most cases the condition arises due to heredity, the process of aging, or environmental conditions and behavioral practices.

Lack of sleep is a major cause. If you don’t get enough sleep, your skin tends to become pale and more translucent. The translucence makes the veins that set under the top of the skin in the area under the eyes to become more visible, exhibiting a bluish tint that causes the dark circles. Excessive exposure to sunlight can also have a similar effect. Some individuals who suffer from eczema, asthma, or various allergies such as hay fever, may also develop these dark areas.

Aging is unavoidable, and the tendency to acquire these dark circles increases with increased age. The epidermis under the eyes is naturally thin. Aging thins the epidermis in this region even more, allowing the blood vessels below the surface of the skin to become visible as a dark area. Often, the skin’s elasticity is also lessened causing a puffy swollen look in the under-eye area.

If your grandparents and parents have these dark circles and puffiness, the problem may be in the family genes. If it’s hereditary, there is an excellent chance that you’ll go through the same issue. If that is the case, those environmental and behavioral conditions that cause the problem in some people can exacerbate the problem for you. If the problem is hereditary, it is unlikely that the dark circles can be permanently eliminated. They can, however, be minimized significantly using the identical treatments which are suitable for those afflicted through other causes.

Regardless of the cause of these dark circles, the recommended remedies and treatments are the same. Several of those treatments that have proven to be most effective over the years are described below. Selecting treatments that are best for your circumstances needs that you’ve a good comprehension of what the causes are in your particular case. It’s crucial that you examine your lifestyle and your environment to determine what might be the best treatments for you.

The first line of defense used by most people, especially women, is the use of cosmetics to either mask the problem or in an attempt to cure it. While this has proven to be effective, it should not be solely relied upon as the solution. You will probably find that the issue is significantly reduced by modifying your behavior in little ways.