In this article:
What are puffy eyes?
What causes puffy eyes?
How to get rid of puffy eyes
Skin care to get rid of puffy eyes?
Lifestyle tweaks to get rid of puffy eyes
When to see a doctor for puffy eyes
Puffy eyes are a common problem that most of us experience at one time or another. Tech-related tiredness and eye strain, our hectic modern lifestyles, ageing and factors just plain out of our control can all cause undereye swelling and puffiness.
No matter the reason for puffiness under eyes, one thing is clear: You want them to look better as soon as possible. Depending on the cause, finding the solution to your puffy eye problem can be relatively straightforward... or it can send you into a skin care info spiral.
We’re here to help, walking you through causes and helping you find the best lifestyle tweaks and skin care tips to decrease the look of (and maybe even get rid of) puffy eyes.
What are puffy eyes?
Puffy eyes, also known as periorbital edema, are a common condition among all age groups characterised by swelling of the eye area. This temporary bloating is caused by fluid retention that can occur due to multiple culprits which we outline below.
These temporary puffy eye bags shouldn’t be confused with permanent undereye bags. Undereye bags result from shifting fat pads which can only be remedied through surgery; whereas puffy eyes are caused by fluid retention and can be tackled through a mix of lifestyle changes and eye care products. Undereye bags do not improve throughout the day or the week, but puffy eyes are transient and can occur in response to intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Important note: it’s possible to have puffy eyes and undereye bags at the same time.
What causes puffy eyes?
There’s a hearty list of puffy eyes causes. Some factors which can cause undereye swelling are obvious, whereas others are surprising and harder to pin down. Although it may seem daunting, finding out what’s causing your undereye swelling is a surefire way to determine the best puffy eye treatment for you.
Here’s a list of some of the more common causes of puffy eyes – note that it’s long!
- Lack of sleep – and this includes a phenomenon known as “TikTok Tired.” Modern technology is affecting sleep in a way that’s increasing the occurrence of puffy eyes among all ages, even younger groups (1). A study by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine found 93% of Gen Z have lost sleep because they stayed up to be on social media (2)!
- How you sleep – depending on how your body retains fluid, the position you sleep in can contribute to the development of puffy eyes (3).
- Eye strain – hours spent staring at screens can lead to eye area swelling (4).
- Allergies – responses to the environment around you can cause eyes to become red, itchy and puffy, either all year long or seasonally (5).
- Excess salt intake – salt makes the body retain water and since one of the primary causes of puffiness is fluid retention, eating a salty diet is a big culprit (6).
- Alcohol – research demonstrates that excess alcohol consumption also leads to fluid retention in the eye area (7).
- Smoking – studies also find that smokers are more prone to eye area puffiness than non-smokers (3).
- Hormones – hormone surges, like those caused by menstruation and pregnancy, can also lead to puffy eyes (8).
- Not removing makeup – leaving makeup on overnight can cause eye area puffiness (9).
- Ageing – along with wrinkles, discolouration and loss of firmness, ageing can also cause the delicate skin around eyes to appear puffier more often (8).
- Genetics – as mentioned above, some people’s bodies retain fluid differently than others, putting them more at risk for developing puffy eyes (8).
How to get rid of puffy eyes
There are many things you can do to improve the look of temporary undereye puffiness. A combination of a good skin care routine with an eye cream for puffiness and lifestyle changes can go a long way to make your eyes look more awake and less puffy (depending on their cause, of course).
Skin care to get rid of puffy eyes
Skin care can help prevent and improve the look of puffy eyes. However, it’s important to keep in mind that the best eye cream for puffiness is gentle, fragrance-free, devoid of sensitising ingredients and applied to clean undereye skin (remember to remove your eye makeup!).
To make eye puffiness a thing of the past, look for these top-tier ingredients:
- Retinol – this vitamin A ingredient known for its anti-ageing benefits fights oxidative stress that can lead to eye area puffiness and helps support skin firmness. Be sure to proceed with caution, as the delicate skin on the eyelid is more prone to retinol sensitivity.
- Sunscreen active ingredients – sun damage is one of the leading culprits of causing and worsening puffiness, so preventing it with proper sun protection is essential. Look for gentle, mineral-based options for around the eye, since synthetic sunscreen ingredients can exacerbate the problem for those with sensitivities.
- Ceramides – these lipids support skin’s architecture and moisture barrier while preventing water loss, giving skin a firmer, more resilient appearance.
- Peptides – these fragments of proteins help support healthy levels of collagen and elastin, also leading to firmer-looking skin. Specific peptides can also help reduce factors within skin that worsen the look of puffiness.
- Hyaluronic acid – this superstar hydrator restores moisture to dry skin, a lack of which worsens the appearance of puffy undereyes.
A puffy eye cream’s packaging can also help puffy eyes. Case in point: Metallic eye product applicators. Using them in a gentle massaging motion can help ease fluid retention-related eye area puffiness and provide a cooling sensation, too.
Lifestyle tweaks to get rid of puffy eyes
In addition to skin care, there are several lifestyle changes that can improve eye area puffiness. These include:
- Quitting smoking – research shows that quitting smoking lessens smoking-related eye area puffiness and bloating (7).
- Drinking in moderation – avoiding alcohol overconsumption can make eyes appear more alert.
- Reducing salt intake – take note of your diet and try to make changes to ingest less salt. Note: if reducing salt intake doesn’t help, talk to your doctor about whether you may have a potassium deficiency.
- Increasing hours slept – while this is difficult for many people, medical experts suggest establishing a set routine for bedtime to help better program your body for sleep. This could involve a warm bath or shower, journaling or meditation to help your mind wind down from the day’s events (1).
- Reducing screen time – if you’re experiencing TikTok tired eyes or “tired tech eyes,” doctors suggest setting screen time limits and disconnecting from devices one hour before bedtime. They also recommend putting your electronic device in another room and disabling notifications to resist the temptation of checking in on your accounts (1).
- Managing allergies – seasonal and environmental allergies can wreak havoc on the eyes, causing them to water and become red and puffy (5). Consult with a physician on the best allergy solutions for you.
- Elevating your head while sleeping – this can help prevent fluid retention while you sleep, which results in puffy eyes when you wake up (10).
- Hydrating adequately – dehydration can cause puffiness and can dry out skin, too! (11). Try to drink about eight cups of water a day to keep skin dehydration away.
- Practising sun safety – sun damage can cause both puffy eyes and dark circles! The solution is simple: Use a mineral-based broad-spectrum sunscreen product around your eye area every day (rain or shine) and wear sunglasses whenever you’re outdoors.
When to see a doctor for puffy eyes
While a combination of good skin care and lifestyle changes can go a long way towards improving the look of puffy eyes, not all causes can be tackled this way.
If you are suffering from allergies that are contributing to your puffy eyes, it’s best to consult a physician to seek out the best allergy remedies for you. Treatment recommendations could range from over-the-counter medications to routine injections, depending on the severity and frequency of your allergies.
Puffiness can also be a symptom of chronic ailments, some of which are eye-area specific, but others which are not. If you have tried to alleviate your puffiness with no success, it might be time to seek out a medical professional who can help track down the root cause.
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References for this information:
- Sleep Medicine, January 2022, pages 97-103
- American Academy of Sleep Medicine, Website, Accessed February 2025
- SOFW Journal, April 2023, pages 8-12
- Multi-Disciplinary Research Explorer, Notion Press, December 2021, pages 96-102
- Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, March 2021, pages 240-254
- Journal of Human Hypertension, August 2020, pages 184-192
- Cosmetics, June 2024, pages 1-10
- Reproductive Sciences, May 2014, pages 555–561
- Koettig Eye Center, Website, Accessed February 2025
- Mayo Clinic, Website, Accessed February 2025
- Journal of Survey in Fisheries Sciences, June 2023, pages 78-89
