Ask Val: The Best Way to Treat Undereye Bags
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What's the best way to treat under-eye bags?
If the swelling looks more prominent on some days, you may be accumulating fluid around your eyes, says Deborah S. Sarnoff, MD, clinical professor of dermatology at NYU School of Medicine. Limit salt and alcohol, and if you have allergies, treat them. Chilled cucumber slices or tea bags will reduce swelling; so will an eye cream containing retinol, which can firm the skin over time. At the doctor's office, a fractional resurfacing laser treatment or a chemical peel can tighten the skin and promote growth of collagen and elastin.
If your under-eye bags look the same every day, the cause is most likely fat pads. They can be removed surgically, but many doctors now inject hyaluronic acid fillers in the grooves below the pads to diminish their appearance, says Sarnoff.
If the swelling looks more prominent on some days, you may be accumulating fluid around your eyes, says Deborah S. Sarnoff, MD, clinical professor of dermatology at NYU School of Medicine. Limit salt and alcohol, and if you have allergies, treat them. Chilled cucumber slices or tea bags will reduce swelling; so will an eye cream containing retinol, which can firm the skin over time. At the doctor's office, a fractional resurfacing laser treatment or a chemical peel can tighten the skin and promote growth of collagen and elastin.
If your under-eye bags look the same every day, the cause is most likely fat pads. They can be removed surgically, but many doctors now inject hyaluronic acid fillers in the grooves below the pads to diminish their appearance, says Sarnoff.
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