Some of the first signs of aging usually appear under the eyes. And these signs tend to accelerate rapidly over the years unless you take action.
This post explains everything you need to know about why you get lines and bags under your eyes. And above all, what you can do to stop and reverse the process.
Keep reading to learn more! And if you want to jump to a specific part, just click the headlines below:
Causes of under eye lines
Since the skin under your eyes is much thinner than on the rest of the face, lines and wrinkles will develop more easily in that area. Everything that causes premature skin aging will therefor cause under eye lines even more rapidly. These causes are above all UV-exposing and smoking. But pollution, bad diet, and sleep deprivation will contribute to the process too.
As the aging process proceed and breaks down collagen and elastin, the skin will become more loose and less elastic. Causing facial expression lines or sleep lines to become more and more permanent.
Lack of moisture can increase the appearance of lines. Although this is more temporary.
My posts about why you need sunscreen every day of the year and the best anti aging sunscreen will explain more in detail about how UV cause aging of your skin. And how important a good sunscreen is for prevention of lines and wrinkles.
I also recommend you read my posts about beauty sleep and skin firming diet to understand how important these factors are for your skin.
Causes of under eye bags
Under eye bags can consist of either fat or fluid, or both. And the main causes are genetics and lifestyle, and often a combination of both. Either way, under eye bags will always become more prominent with age.
In case of more severe under eye bags, the tissue and muscles around your eye lids are weakened and the skin itself have started to sag. If it hasn’t gone that far, the bags are more superficial and also easier to treat.
Genetics are a huge risk factor for getting more severe under eye bags with age. But as mentioned, lifestyle is important too. And there is a lot you can do to prevent and delay bags from becoming permanent.
Getting your beauty sleep is even more crucial for those of us who have under eye bags running in our families (my post about beauty sleep explains more). I know from own experience how important this is since I always get huge fluid filled and unflattering bags under my eyes when I don’t sleep well. I will get back to what do to do when that happens.
Other factors that can contribute are dermal fillers (as explained below), salty foods, allergies, smoking, and medical conditions such as eye diseases (including thyroid eye disease), dermatitis, and dermatomyositis. If you suspect any illness, always consult with your doctor.
Of course, other aging factors, mainly UV exposure, will contribute to getting permanent under eye bags. Since skin elasticity is crucial too. So all the tips mentioned about how to reduce under eye wrinkles are of importance as well.
Now, let’s move over to how to treat these conditions!
How to treat lines under your eyes
The first thing you need to do is to apply sunscreen every single day. Sunscreen does not only prevent future lines and wrinkles. It also helps repair some of the damage that is already done. This process happens because the skin is allowed to work on rejuvenation, which isn’t possible when the skin is constantly bombarded with UV-rays.
To increase the rejuvenation process, you then need to adopt a diet full of antioxidants (especially carotenoids), healthy fats, and enough protein. This post will guide you step by step on how to do that.
As mentioned a lot in this post, your sleep is also crucial for skin rejuvenation. Do what you need to improve your sleep, and you will get much younger looking eyes. Tips on how to improve your beauty sleep is found in this post.
Once these fundamental steps are in place, I suggest you also consider a retinol, or bakuchiol product to help even further with collagen production. Just remember that those serums and products won’t help much unless you use a sunscreen daily to start with.
My post about retinol reviews my favorite retinol serum, since I have very sensitive skin. And my post about bakuchiol reviews the best alternative I can find. And is also perfect if you’re pregnant or nursing.
A vitamin C serum is also a great choice to complement with, since it works in a similar way. Just make sure you choose a serum with the right kind of vitamin C (sodium ascorbyl phosphate is best suited for skin care). This post explains more and reviews my favorite vitamin C serum.
Tip: If you want to know the details about how vitamin C and retinol differ, my post about vitamin c vs retinol explains it all!
Next step, if you really want to boost the process of repairing your under eye lines, is to invest in a microcurrent home device. I have several at home but the one that I find most effective and simple to use is called ZIIP Halo. It has several programs for different concerns and the two programs most effective for under eye lines are “Eyes” and “Founder’s favorite”.
My post about microcurrent explains more about this technology and why it is so effective for collagen and elastin production (as well as for lifting and plumping the face). And what makes ZIIP so special is that is also utilizes nanocurrent, which is even more focused on treating lines and wrinkles.
*Please note, this post contains affiliate links, and I may receive a small commission if you purchase through any of those links. You can read my full disclosure here.
It is an investment for sure, but a game changer I truly recommend. And if you use my code “ZIIPWITHANN” you’ll get a 15 % discount. If you live in the US you use this link, and if you live elsewhere you use this link instead.
Another tip is a red light therapy mask for the eyes, such as this one. Red light helps increase collagen production too and will over time help with lines and wrinkles. Just be a bit careful if you have problems with melasma. This post explains more about red light therapy.
Treatments to avoid
There are tons of devices and treatments out there, and the commercial is heavy and aggressive. Most of them are not effective at all, and some can also come with several risks and side effects. Here a some of the most common treatments that I advise against.
I personally wouldn’t use anything with radio frequency around my eyes (or the rest of the face for that matter) since the risk of fat atrophy in the face is still debated. Same goes with laser. Until more research is done I recommend you be careful with these treatments. Especially in your delicate under eye area.
An even riskier treatment is the use of ultrasound (such as Ultherapy) that is known to be effective for fat reduction. And loosing fat (the fat that is supposed to be there) under the eyes will cause sagginess and more wrinkles.
When it comes to treatments like microdermabrasion and microneedling, they are mostly just a waste of money in my opinion.
Another treatment I am a strong opponent of is Botox. It is not FDA approved to be used under the eyes, but some doctors still use it in that area. I have a long article about all the risks and side effects of botox, but in short it can increase wrinkles over time and also cause permanent damage. It will also give you an unnatural look.
Lastly I want to mention dermal fillers since this treatment is very common. It will smoothe out wrinkles but it will also stretch your skin (increasing sagginess over time) and make your skin heavier. On top of that the filler will move over time and can be found as lumpiness in the face even ten years after a treatment.
In my article about dermal fillers I explain more in detail, especially about fillers with hyaluronic acid. But a common problem after using fillers near the eye area is actually under eye bags. Which I mentioned above.
Now, let’s move over to how to treat under eye bags.
Tips to get rid of under eye bags quickly
Here are my best personal tips to get rid of under eye bags quickly. If you have puffiness that consist of fluid, this will help significantly.
If the bags are more severe, consisting of mostly fat and have become permanent, you won’t see a dramatic improvement (surgery might be the only option for some). But the same treatments will still help. And even more so over time.
If your eye bags consist of dermal fillers these tips will not help at all. You will need to consult a doctor.
Sleep the amount of hours you need
Sleep deprivation is usually the biggest problem, but the opposite is also the largest solution and therefor I need to place it first. It is also a must if you want to avoid permanent bags over time.
So, simply put, prioritize your sleep. Reducing screen time (and watching series) in the evening is usually the easiest step. And so worth it. Writing a to do list right before you go to bed is also a great tips. Since this will let you fall asleep more quickly (instead of pondering over all the things you need to take care of tomorrow). My post about beauty sleep will give you even more tips on how to sleep better. Including tips on supplements that helps.
If you have small kids, like I do, sleep deprivation is often the rule more than the exception. If you are nursing, you and your skin will most likely cope with less sleep. So embrace those hormones! And try, when you can, to take a nap with your kids during the day.
Other tips for busy moms are found in this post.
Use microcurrent programs for the eyes
My second best tip is microcurrent. And this has saved me many times when I just haven’t been able to sleep well at all.
The most effective microcurrent device is my ZIIP, and when I’ve had a real rough night (aka heavy under eye bags), I use two different programs twice two.
I start with the program “Eyes” which is 3 minutes long, and then follow up with the program “De-puff” that is 2 minutes. And then I repeat.
These microcurrent waves will help with lymphatic drainage under the eyes and remove puffiness. As well as working on firmness. I love how these programs help me look more rested and youthful!
What about creams and masks for under eye bags?
When it comes to eye creams and eye masks, they won’t help you get a noticeable effect. No matter how much the commercial says it does.
One exception in the kind of creams that promise an instant temporary effect, such as this one from Peter Thomas Roth. Using a cream with these kind of ingredients can help for a short time but also comes with risks and side effects. I personally got eczema after trying it many years ago. And a lot of people are complaining about burning and skin reactions in the reviews. I will never try it again.
Summary
Under eye lines and under eye bags are usually the first signs of aging. But they can be prevented and treated. With best results the sooner you start.
Sunscreen with at least 50 SPF is a must, every day of the year, to prevent and treat lines under your eyes. Diet and sleep is important too.
Retinol, Vitamin C, and Bakuchiol are great ingredients in eye products to complement with (sunscreen and sleep is most important though). They won’t help much with under eye bags though.
Under eye bags can be caused by both genetics and lifestyle, and sleep deprivation is almost always a key factor for this development. Beauty sleep, as well as having a skin friendly diet and avoiding smoke will help.
Microcurrent treatment is excellent for treating both under eye lines and under eye bags. And using microcurrent is also the fastest way to treat under eye bags.
Red light therapy can help with under eye lines over time. But will not help with under eye bags.
Treatments to avoid include botox, dermal fillers, radio frequency, ultrasound, and strong lasers. Creams and masks are mostly a waste of money.
I hope you find this post helpful. Let me know if you have any questions in the comments below.
Until next time, love your skin!