Waking up with puffy under eye circles is not the ideal vibe, but it is one of the most common concerns that get brought up to me as an esthetician.

If you are tired of waking up to dark circles and puffy eyes that seem to never go away, understanding the root causes of these common issues is essential for finding effective solutions. In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore the reasons behind dark circles and puffy eyes, including lifestyle factors the lymphatic system, and skin health. Learn how to identify the underlying causes and discover the best treatments and prevention strategies to achieve a brighter, more refreshed appearance. Say goodbye to tired eyes and hello to a revitalized look!

Puffiness

As we age, the muscles supporting the eyelids can sag, and gravity generally shifts everything downwards making gradual changes to the fat bag resulting in a puffy appearance. But the puffiness caused by fluid bag retention can appear almost over night (like when you wake up after a late night out). Puffiness in the face fluctuates because your body’s elevations of toxins go up and down. Puffiness in the face can also lead to sagging over time by stretching the skin. Face and under eye puffiness is a sign of stagnation caused by sludge and toxins in the bloodstream and lymphatic system. When the liver becomes over-burdened it hands off its filtration duties to the lymphatic system, and since it’s not equipped to process this much large-scale of waste matter the lymph will form pockets of fluid, blocking flow and creating stagnation. The liquid of water retention is not a clear water either. It is a pus-like fluid that fills the lymphatic system in an attempt to trap toxins and protect you.

De-puffing gua sha massage working with directional flow:

Stimulating lymph flow with the right facial massage techniques or gua sha can help release built-up fluid retention and muscle tension, alleviating the appearance of under eye puffiness. Try working your gua sha stone down the inner and outer canthus branch pathways towards the lymph nodes along the edges of the face before draining down the neck the next time you are focusing on under eye puffiness in your gua sha ritual.

The Outer Canthus Branch at the outside area of the eyelid can have 1- 3 lymph-collecting vessels that then merge into a main collector that drains into submandibular, or parotid lymph nodes.

Inner Canthus Branch at the inner corner area of the eyelid is a collector formed by the lymphatic capillaries residing in the upper and lower eyelids. It runs slanted down along the side of the nose and across the front of the face and is drained to the submandibular, parotid, or buccinator lymph nodes.

The inferior eyelid lymph vessel (in the middle) joins with the outer or inner canthus branches and drains to the submandibular or deep parotid lymph node.

Massage is one of the oldest therapies for treating puffiness stagnation.

Dark Circles

The skin around the eyes is a lot thinner than the rest of the face. The same way the thin translucent skin of our lips allows the blood beneath the surface to shine through and customize the colour of our pout, dark circles can become more visible as the skin around our eyes loses its plumpness and becomes thinner. It gets dark because the blood flowing through might be lacking oxygen due to a dehydrated liver creating toxic build up. How severe under-eye circles are is determined by hydration. Proper hydration on a daily basis can help clean up dirty blood and improve the liver and lessen the severity of dark circles.

Hydrating the body on a cellular level with water rich fruits, along with drinking plenty of water and prioritizing the intake of trace mineral salts found in leafy greens can defend the body against dehydration and puffiness that contribute to dark under eye circles.

Pro Tip: Apply a generous layer of Illuminate Eye Treatment under the eyes with a eye patch such as the Brighter Days Red Algae + Avocado from three ships over top for an ultra smoothing and nourishing under eye treatment.

Topical Support

A cold compress, cool crystal roller, acupressure, or splash of cool water in the morning can help temporarily reduce puffiness and inflammation but I also personally enjoy warming my bian gua sha stone in a bowl of hot water before my practice to support movement of the lymph and releasing tension.