Interview Trosradar: Eye bags what you need to know!

Do you suffer from puffy eye bags? This can be caused by all sorts of things. This may be due to age or because you suffer from eczema. Your fluid balance may also not be up to standard or you may have slept very badly for a few nights. But what if all these things don’t apply to you, and you still suffer from this ailment under your eyes? Many people suffer from the bags under their eyes and the colder and darker the days get, the more we seem to suffer from this. Is there perhaps a connection here? To find out if this is true and what else could be going on, Trosradar spoke with dermatologist Francis Wu.

Pay attention to your overall lifestyle

The dermatologist is the first to explain that bags under the eyes are not only related to enough sleep and going outside enough, although this is also important, but that many more things can play a role. “Smoking, a lot of salt in your diet, drinking alcohol, your menstrual cycle, stress, a skin allergy or hay fever, kidney dysfunction or thyroid problems, high blood pressure and also seasons can all contribute to the development of bags under the eyes.”

You may still be able to get enough sleep, but if you throw a lot of salt on your food every day, this can just be a factor that affects the lower eyelids. Doctor Wu therefore emphasizes that it is always important to keep an eye on the bigger picture.

Difference between eye bags and dark circles

A common misunderstanding is that dark circles under the eyes are also classified as bags under the eyes. However, this is not correct, because something else is at play here. Dark circles have to do with pigment present under the eyelids. In addition, the skin here can be so thin that the blood vessels under the skin become visible. This can often be seen at a young age and therefore has a different cause than the development of bags under the eyes.

More bags in the winter than in the summer?

Do you now think: but I also don’t eat a lot of salt, drink almost no alcohol and don’t suffer from allergies or problems that could trigger the bags under the eyes? It could also be the time of year! Doctor Wu says that previous research has been done among women, in whom more puffiness was detected in the winter period than in the summer.

“One of the possible causes of this is a lack of vitamin D from sunlight, rather than from supplements. In addition, your skin fades in winter and the contrast between the thin skin under your eyes and the thicker skin around it increases. This skin under your eyes is more vulnerable and the cold wind and dried out eyes make your skin irritated more quickly, which can all contribute to the visibility of the bags under the eyes.

Genetic component plays a major role

So bags under the eyes can certainly be seasonal and who knows, other factors such as a skin allergy or stress may also appear earlier around this time. In addition to all these things, the dermatologist has another cause that can play a role.

‘In addition, the genetic component is also very important. Some people get puffiness much earlier than others and if some of these factors come into play, puffiness can appear quickly. It is mainly a dormant process that affects some people more than others, “says Doctor Wu.

Because of more collagen and elastic fibers, people of a certain racial origin simply have a smoother, tighter skin than, for example, most Dutch people. With someone with a very fair skin, you will therefore see puffiness appear earlier.

Quick fixes for your bags under the eyes

Do you still suffer a lot despite everything and would you prefer to see the bags disappear like snow in the sun? Then you can always ensure that they temporarily go away by placing cucumber slices under your eyes or placing a cold spoon against them. ‘Because of the cold, your blood vessels are squeezed, making the accumulation of fluid under your eyes less visible. Because the moisture accumulation is temporarily pushed away, this is mainly a quick fix and will not be a permanent solution, “says dermatologist Wu.

And permanent or not, for the cold winter days when you might have just thrown a little more salt on your food, it can still offer a nice temporary solution.

Original is on Trosradar

Want to know more about what else you can do: Eye bags and dark circles

While you’re here

During pregnancy, your body undergoes major changes. While the lucky few experience a carefree 9 months of perfect skin glow, for some women it can mean months of nausea and fatigue. Also more flare up of dermatological conditions like acne, dry & sensitive skin, stretch marks to dark spots. Women with pre-existing skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, or rosacea may also experience a change in their symptoms, better, or worse.

While some of these problems can be easily remedied with everyday over-the-counter products, there are some skincare ingredients to avoid. For more information: Avoid these ingredients during pregnancy or lactation