Why do we get bags under our eyes?
Asks William from California
Natalie Peretsman • October 13, 2008
![What causes bags under the eye? [CREDIT: NATIONAL EYE INSTITUTE, NIH]](https://scienceline.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/eye.jpg)
What causes bags under the eye? [CREDIT: NATIONAL EYE INSTITUTE, NIH]
** Editor’s Note: Happy Columbus Day! This article originally appeared September 14, 2008.**
If the eyes are the window to the soul, then what do those hefty bags beneath your eyes say about you? Co-workers, loved ones and even your coffee shop barista might be quick to point out that they make you look like a sleepy soul.
While people often associate under-eye bags with lack of sleep, one main cause may actually be much more fundamental: gravity. The gravitational pull weighs down on all Earthly objects, including your skin. The longer you’re exposed to gravity (i.e., the older you get) the more your facial tissues sink toward the floor.
But prolonged exposure to gravity is not the only bag-forming effect that the aging process bestows on us. As we get older, the tissues around our peepers change.
The upper and lower eyelids are composed of skin, muscle and fat. With age, the muscles weaken and can’t hold up the skin as tightly. Skin also changes because the collagen inside it degrades. Collagen is a protein that gives structure to our cells. In skin, it provides elasticity. With less collagen, the skin starts to wrinkle and sag.
Beneath the skin and muscle, the main culprit for under-eye puffiness is fat. “As you get older, your fat, like everything else, starts drooping,” says Dr. Melanie Grossman, a dermatologist in New York.
Fat deposits around our eyes help protect them. But in our 40s and 50s, these cushiony fat pockets can escape from the membrane that normally contains them. As the membrane weakens with age, the fat slips out and occupies new spaces under the skin. “When people have puffiness it may be misplacement of the fat,” says Grossman.
A new study by plastic surgery researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles shows that this long-accepted theory may be off the mark. Rather than the membrane weakening with age, the scientists report that the amount of fat beneath the eyes actually increases to cause baggy lower eyelids. More research is needed to pin down the exact mechanism to explain droopy lower eyelids, but scientists agree that as the calendar pages turn, the bag-forming process naturally progresses.
So is it fair when friends point fingers at your puffy eyes and tease that you’re not sleeping enough? Dr. David McDaniel, a dermatologist in Virginia Beach, says that while there is no proof of a relationship between snoozing and under-eye bags, it does seem that a lack of sleep affects the severity of the condition.
Some other behaviors that appear to affect puffiness are eating salty foods, which causes your body to retain water, and rubbing the eyes because of allergies. Irritants in the air such as pollutants and mold also seem to exacerbate the bags.
But changing your behavior won’t obliterate sagging lower lids from your face. There is a genetic factor at play as well. If your parents puffed up, then you probably will too at around the same age.
Envy those lucky individuals whose genes predict that their eye fat will remain at bay and the skin below their eyes will stay nice and tight. For the rest of us, there are remedies that people claim can at least minimize the bags.
Plastic surgery called blepharoplasty can remove or reposition the fat that creates under-eye bags. Sometimes surgeons pair this with Botox or facelifts to revitalize the face. Some specialty eye creams found on drugstore shelves claim to reduce puffiness.
Cheaper alternatives include folk remedies like cucumber slices and tea bags laid on top of closed eyes. People use them because they think the cooling from the cucumbers or the natural anti-diuretic in caffeinated tea might help. But there’s no proof that these techniques work, says Grossman. It’s not clear whether the caffeine can even penetrate the skin and, if it can, whether it has any effect.
If you’re genetically predisposed to get under-eye bags, there is not much chance of avoiding them. But maintaining the health of your skin can play down their appearance. “Overwhelmingly, good diet, exercise and sleep are probably the things you can do to help yourself,” Grossman says.
While there’s no definitive link between healthy behavior and smooth skin surrounding the eyes, that advice seems to echo the common refrain from doctors. “Your eyes reflect the health of your skin and your body,” says McDaniel.
And one more thing: dark circles under the eyes often coincide with bags, but these two ugly features occur separately. Aging is partially responsible for both. So what we see in others seems to be older (not sleepy) souls.
44 Comments
Interesting article! It makes sense, as we get odler all areas of our body start to sag ): Gravity does have an impact. I guess that staying thin will help? I guess that means I have to limit my snickerdoodle intake??? Also a well written article!
Like Sean above me has stated, very interesting. I never knew that gravity has an impact which cause bags under our eyes to be produced. It does all make sense. Great article and great website! (That’s it! No more getting old for me! XD)
very helpful . thanks
I already knew the gravity thing but the fluid retention is something new but makes sense. Thanks.
I know now that the bags under my eyes are hereditary, coz my mum has it too and im already having at the age of 25! Though im interested in blepharoplasty, it scares me to go under the knife especially around my eyes. Is blepharoplasty a safe procedure?
Knowing this information will allow those younger folks who haven’t yet experienced the effects of gravity to use common sense when caring for their bodies, both inside and out. Particularly if genetics show that under eye bag droops are inevitable, appropriate sleep, proper nutrition, exercise and a simple awareness of their heredity will go a long way in dealing with this pesky problem.
Hereidity is going to be the main reason you experience under eye bags. The people I’ve talked to that have it the worst say it runs in the family. Like you said, good health, proper sleep and water intake are all going to help and practicing good health will make a difference in the long run. But i sincerely believe that while you practice and maintain proper health, a good eye cream rich in vitamins and antioxidants will give you the quick relief you are looking for so that you can step out in the morning without being self-conscious about your eye issues.
I used to get bags under my eyes all the time mostly due to my inability to fall asleep easily. I would stay up late thinking about something then wake up early next morning only to see little bags under my eyes. I somehow managed to kick the habit of staying up late but my eye bags wouldn’t go away.I then recently read an article about a woman who supposedly got rid of her eye bags using a particular eye care product. I tried it and it worked really well. I managed to get rid of my eye bags in 3 to 4 weeks.You can read more about the lady’s article at the link below
http://www.eyebagscure.com/
This is a very nice article. It does make a lot of sense as to why people get eye bags
Hi,
I will confirm that eating salty foods does cause baggy eye lids. Last night I ate almost a full pack of salty nuts and crackers, today I woke up with a very noticeable bag under by left eye.
I hope it goes away in the coming few days. I will never eat salty nuts again.
Thanks.
hi im looking into this problem because i suffer from puffy undereyes i just turned 50th but folks think im 10 years younger or less but i look tired all the time and it saddens me because im tired of looking tired,im going to try the product dermitage i pray it will make me happy again. good luck to all which feel the same.
i am also looking to a solution for my under eye bags. I am only 27, but they have become a noticeable problem. My boyfriend was the one who first poitned this out. He thinks that the bags make me look 10 years older!
it makes me sad knowing this, so i want to try anything possible to make those bags go away.
which means excercising more, and doing a major diet makeover.
good luck to all those out there that have the same problem, i hope that the solutions that have been suggested, work out for you
Downer.
I HAVE AN UNUSUAL SITUATION. MY EYES HAVE BAGS – MY HEAD WILL FEEL “CONGESTED”. THEN – WITHOUT ANY WARNING – THE BAGS WILL SUDDENLY DISAPPEAR – LIKE THEY HAVE BEEN DRAINED OF FLUID – AND MY HEAD WILL FEEL CLEAR. THEN – JUST AS QUICKLY – MY BAGS WILL FILL UP WITH FLUID AGAIN – AND MY HEAD WILL FEEL CONGESTED! I HAVE BEEN TO SEVERAL EYE SPECIALISTS WHO HAVEN’T THE SLIGHTEST IDEA!!! OH -THEY STILL CHARGE ME HOWEVER FOR NO ADVISE AND NO RESOLUTION.
HELP!!!
Bruce, it sounds like you may be having an attack of sinusitus, could even be allergic, have your docs rule that out (if they haven’t already). I have suffered from the same for several years for which i have now found a simple cure. If interested feel free to write to me offline at jasleen65@gmail.com.
All the very best!
I have eye bags since I was 20. I used to drink two or three cus of water in the evening, and forced to go to washroom during sleepness at night. Do that habit makes my eye bag bigger or worse?
Justin
yes its helpful, but u know i really could say that i get my eyebags of not sleeping at night, its a requirement for work anyway..i sleep at daytime and awake at nighttime but after few months i got really eyebags now and its huge now..im getting concious with it
My bags under my eyes got a little bigger each year and now there are smaller bags below the larger bags. Now I can’t help wondering how many sets of bags my eyes will accumulate before I meet my maker.
I have read that hemorrhoid cream reduces the bags under your eyes. Has anyone tried this before. Seems reasonable but I’m not sure I want to try it.
It is a DRAG being told you look tired when you’re not. This has been happening since my 20’s. I’m now in my 50’s and when my eyes are covered (sunglasses), I’m often mistaken for much younger. I’ve never been much for makeup, let alone plastic surgery, but I’m really getting tired of being told I look tired when I’m not! I’ve tried everything. Although it goes against my feeling that we should all accept our aging gracefully (and with gratitude!), I’m ready to look into the blepharoplasty. We all deserve to look at least as good as we feel!
I suffered with eyebags since being in my twenties so on reaching 45 I booked into a private hospital and had blepharoplasty. I looked fantastic…until the swelling went down ! Five months on I look like I did prior the surgery..I’ve been back to my surgeon who stated “You are bound to have some bags still, I cannot pull the skin under your eyes too tight, it’s a very delicate area” He didn’t tell me that before he took my money ! I am so disappointed in the poor results
AWWWW Man
Hi Guys,
I have that problem as well, and as soon as I do this simply trick, I look much better and people around me tell me I look good and refreshed. This has to do with that gravity thing, as well as blood flow. You are going to thank me for this. E-mail me to let me know at anastassiakou@hotmail.com if it works for you. This trick involves a simple yoga position. You have to learn how to do it. You can probably youtube or read about it to learn how to do it. It is the shoulder stand. If you are comfortable with the shoulder stand – you can try the plow position which means putting your feet on the floor behind the head. Youtube or google that as well. I DID hurt my back doing this because I did it without much practice and for too long. You cannot injure your back if you keep it completely straight as you do the exercize – it might hurt afterwards only because of the stretching (IF YOU DO THE PLOW). Hold for about 1 minute at first and then work it up to 2 and then 3. The blood flow down to your face and brain actually will over time give you the equivalent of a face lift. In eastern eaurope – where I am from – they call it the “beauty” pose – because it makes you beautiful! You are welcome.
IT doesnt make sense…cuz it only means, there’s no remedy but surgery to your problem… funny it blames as the culprit , the too much gravity… you should be in moon to avoid eye bag you know…migrate there now! lol
I’ve always wondered that. It makes no sense.
This is an excellent article. My mum had been wondering the reason for these bags under her eyes. Thanks for the info
moi aussi j’ai des petits amas de graisse sous les yeux on irai des verrue et c’est domage maintenant j’en ai de plus en plus je sui jolie mais avec ça je suis vraiment gene comment faire !!!
It’s not caffeine in teabags- it’s the tannins, which are astringent,that aid puffiness in the same way as haemorroid cream or witchazel
Guys, stop listening to this garbage. it is not cosmetics. It all has to do with water in your body. If you have a problem like alergies, stomach gastritis… and so on, basicaly everything that generates heat in the body (from traditional chinese medicine point of view)it will consume the fluids (water) in your body and unfortunately the body protects itself by retaining water wherever it can. Try this….eat only rice for 3-4 days..and see how you feel in the morning.. You will not feel that dryiness in your eyes anymore after 3-4 days, but the moment you start eating “normal” again things get back to what it was before. Your body is telling you something and you ignore it… I have this problem for the last 10-15 years and nobody was able to “fix” it so far. Unfortunately I cannot live with rice only….Goodluck
My parents do not have any eye bag problem but not me. At my thirties only realise this problem & I have sinuses cum gastric. If sinuses is present my eye became panda’s eye. Pls help.
Bags under the eyes is primarily caused by genetics and dehydration. Of course, it’s common sense that the aging process causes bags under eyes or worsens them. There are many cooling eye creams/gels that help diminish bags under the eyes or greatly improve them. Believe it or not, hemorrhoid cream/gel, shrinks under eye bags and puffiness, improving over all appearance temporarily by at least fifty percent. Good luck!
Bags run in my family, and despite religious use of sunscreen, good diet, adequate sleep and staying fit, by the time I was 35 I easily looked a wreck and 45 thanks to my bags. Nothing like being beautiful with a nice body, smooth wrinkle free skin, good hair and teeth only to look like a tired old hag due to heritary bags. My mom had them going strong by 32, I know because I saw her wedding photos from the 70’s. Not only did I have bags and puffiness though but I had hollowness too that created this skeleton effect around the orbit of my eyes. It was terrible. I had a blephropasty and it was worth it. I look 26 now easily and people who knew me casualy before don’t even realize I’m the same person. They don’t recognize me and I’m just thrilled! My friends know who I am, but the ones who do not I just leave them be and revel in it. For the first time in 36 years I feel beautiful and if I were you I would do it too. Don’t waste your life in bags, I did since I was 26 years old and it was such a waste of time. The surgery was practically painless also. Just I was bruised and swollen for two weeks so do take time off to “hide”. You will look worse than you feel, and eat pineapple. It has bromelian in it and speeds of healing. There was a lady at my one week post op who had been bruised for an entire month, but not mom Ive been chowing down on pineapple :D
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Realy gravity?? Your a Dr.? Of course age will make your fat sag Duh! I have never had bags under my eyes ever. Until a few days ago. I’m 59 years old. Even when deprived of sleep I have never had dark circles or bags under my eyes. Now I woke up three days ago looking like a Basset hound. Low energy levels. I’m going to a (Dr.) today to see what is up. I have had renal failure in the past by dehydrating. I have survived three strokes with luckily little damage to my neural system. I’m appalled at the diagnosis you give for what could be life threatening symptoms. I went online this morning to double check renal failure. All I could find about sudden bags under the eyes (that was not due to sinus problems) was creams and of course your gravity theory which Sir Issac newton has already beaten you to. Blepharoplasty, well I don’t think I will ever be desperate enough to have surgery done on my or around my eyes for vanity sake.The boat on my youth has sailed on that score. I eat well exercise and hydrate. I genetically come from a family with oily skin. Bad when you’re a teenager great when you age. To suddenly go from normal eyes to extremely baggie eyes is not normal. Without allergy symptoms. Anyone, who reads this best confer with a real Doctor that knows you. The information given here could result in your death or some other undiagnosed illness.
Im 9 yr’s old and I have bags under my eyes… I eat lots of citrus fruits and drink lots of water. Plus I try to go to sleep earlier than my normal sleep schedule. I don’t understand…
hello everyone am happy to say this ever Since I was 10 I have been aware that I always look tired. Even when rested. I look tired. Even when I first wake up in the morning. I look tired. This is because of my genetic eye bags. These little suckers have given me the appearance that I have, as one acquaintance put it, “been through the wringer.” Looking tired does no one favors. Seeing exhaustion on my face day after day really did a number with my self-esteem. I spent hundreds or maybe thousands on ways to conceal my eye bags (cream, lotions, concealer, magic potions, eyebag ice packs, make-up, teas, and more) I bought eyeglasses before I needed prescription glasses because they helped me look less tried and hid my bags. All the while I fielded the usual ongoing comments such as “You look SO tired, are you ok???” Yet, I unconvincingly kept trying to tell myself it’s what’s inside that counts! But it has become harder and harder as I aged. 40, 41, 42, 43…. approaching 47 I finally felt that the time was right. Mostly I felt fed up; and happily I had finally met the right Herbal Dr Ken who save me from this problem if you are into similar problem you can contact him with this his website drkensolutiontempl5.wixsite.com/drken call +22349052116690,,
I’ve been using dermalmd under eye treatment serum night and morning for just a short while and already I have noticed a significant difference in the puffiness under my eyes- especially in the morning! I am a stomach sleeper and wake up with quite swollen eyes. This all natural eye serum, with caffeine, has allowed me to just wake up and go without having to allow time for the swelling to leave my eyes. It goes on smooth yet non- greasy and helps me look my best first thing in the morning.
Great question and I’m glad I can clarify for you. No, my undereye puffiness isn’t due to heredity which I think is a lot harder to address. The factors that make my eyes puffy are not getting enough sleep and having a cat sleep on top of my head every night.
I used to have have dark circles under my eyes which ARE hereditary and the Lady Soma Renewal Serum helps with evening them out and making them lighter. I will also say that I use it twice a day (morning and evening) and the benefits improve over time. Hope that answers your question!
I have been getting bags under my eye from staying up late doing homework. I have been using dermalmd under eye serum for about a week and this total eye serum has been working wonders. You only need a little bit and it makes the skin under your eyes feel so refreshed. I will be getting another for my mom.
cool i guess that i will try i mean gravity and getting older does explain i little bit better
Good article. I find that sleep is certainly an issue but perversely this relates to having too much sleep. If I have say only four to five hours the problem doesn’t happen but six or more hours and the bags get worse!!
Informative and helpful.
I’m 57 yrs old and for almost a year I’ve been seeing bags not dark circles under my eyes and hating it, this article has helped me understand why and what my options are.
Thanks
I have a different theory. The dark circle shows internal organ issues and the eye bag is from irregular sleeping habit and lack of exercise. I have both and I’m in my early 40’s. So I believe in this saying, “Your eyes reflect the health of your skin and your body,”. I associate the aging with the word dying and the eye bag and dark circle is an indicator that I’m dying at a faster rate. This means I better make a change in my habit before it’s too late.
I’ve got a match set of Samsonites under my eyes… surgery is the only answer remove that fat