By Dr. Sofiya • 14 Comments
In most cases under eye dark circles and puffiness are caused by an internal problem. So, if you try to get rid of them by using cucumbers, tea bags, or cosmetics, you will have only temporary success.
What's more important is that you find out what internal problem causes your dark circles and/or puffiness and eliminate this problem for good. So, take a look at these 8 common problems that can cause dark under eye circles and puffiness.
If it's your kidney, you might also have some other signs of its dysfunction - like swollen ankles or fingers.
Usually puffiness related to kidney problems appear not only under the eyes but around the eyes as well. So if you suspect it’s a kidney problem do not take any diuretics - go to the doctor and have some tests done to check your kidney functions.
If it is related to a hormonal problem, such as you only get dark circles once a month and you also have other PMS symptoms. In this case try to normalize your hormonal level to prevent it from jumping up and down.
If it's a mild case, homeopathic remedies could be really effective Feminine by HEEL or herbal-mineral combination such as Natrol PMS Control:
It also has evening primrose oil as one of the ingredients which is very important to support women's hormonal balance and is really helpful in prevention and treatment of PMS. It also contains some vitamin B6 whose deficiency causes water retention and thus - the puffiness under the eyes.
Some cases of dark circles and puffiness under the eyes are usually caused by an undetected food allergy.
Masked food allergies can produce so many different symptoms that they are easily dismissed by doctors and patients themselves.
The symptoms of allergies to wheat, corn, milk and other common foods are usually chronic and go unrecognized until more serious problems arise to make doctors think that something has to be checked out.
It is very common for people with chronic food allergies to suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and many different types of autoimmune disorders that can go asymptomatic for years.
Not everybody with food allergies would necessarily have this symptom, but any allergy puts extra pressure on the liver, endocrine and immune systems. So to avoid all these I would recommend to every one with dark circles and/or puffiness under the eyes start to pay a little extra attention to what kind of foods might cause it and try to eliminate this type of food for a while to see the results.
If none of the points on this list apply to you and you've had dark circles or under eye puffiness for a while, it would be a good idea for you to do a whole body detox to remove all the toxins from your systems and help your liver work better. Usually all dark circles disappear after proper detoxification. See why detoxification is good for your health or find out which of these 3 ways to detox your body would be best for you.
To be honest, this sounds a lot scarier than it is. That doesn't mean you shouldn't get it checked out of you think that you might have dermatitis.
This disorder usually involves an itchy rash on swollen, reddened skin. The skin that is affected by dermatitis may blister, ooze, develop a crust or even flake off. Other names for dermatitis include atopic dermatitis (eczema), dandruff, and rashes caused by contact with poison ivy or certain metals. This is a fairly common condition that usually isn't life-threatening or contagious. It can make you feel uncomfortable and self-conscious, but a combination of self-care steps and medications can help you treat dermatitis.
The thing you have to be careful with dermatitis, is that you need to be sure that it's not a symptom of an underlying cause. If your puffy eyes are also itchy and red, you may want to see a doctor.
Fluid retention can also be caused by different things, such as changes in weather, hormone levels or eating salty foods. Having a sodium heavy diet can cause water retention in a lot of different areas of your body, your eyes included. Fluid retention can also be caused by the kidney problems mentioned above.
There are a lot of ways to cut down fluid retention. To do this you can reduce the amount of salt in your diet, up your vitamin B6 and B5 intake, herbal diuretics including dandelion leaf, corn silk and horsetail, and drink plenty of water. Of course before you do any of these things, check with a doctor that you're not making the situation worse.
Seems a bit anticlimactic after the points listed above, but the truth is that sometimes things are just hereditary. Of course, you can't just assume that that's what is going on. Check with people in your family on both sides.
If your family tells you that this isn't something that runs in your family, you should go to the doctor to be safe. Sometimes things aren't scary and don't have underlying causes, but it's always better to be safe.
Another non-scary cause. This is also probably the most common cause for under the eye puffiness. It sounds like the obvious option, but there are times where we don't realize that we're lacking sleep.
This has a relatively easy fix too, try to sleep more. Of course this seems easier said than done! These days we're all so busy that getting sleep can be difficult whether it be because of kids, work, or a demanding life.
This article was written in collaboration with editor Lydia Sheehan.
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