Sponsored by The Dermatology Clinic

Remember that younger version of yourself? She could stay up all night and wake up looking fresh-faced, and ready to conquer the world. She’s still in there, she’s just tired.

The eyes are the very first place to show signs of aging, stress, lack of sleep, and poor lifestyle habits. While makeup can sometimes help, there are other options. The Dermatology Clinic shares some common causes for tired, puffy eyes and tips to address the issues.

First, identify the cause.

—As we age, we begin to produce less collagen and lose elasticity in our skin.  The collagen then begins to break down at a faster rate, resulting in a lack of firmness, fine lines, and wrinkles in the eye area. The loss of elasticity leaves a more permanent and prominent puffiness, the not-so-lovely eye baggage.

—When we lack good sleep, our skin begins to pale, which in turn makes the blood vessels under the eyes more visible. While you sleep, your body produces collagen, which is the key ingredient to reducing wrinkles. This natural protein increases elasticity and reduces sagging skin. The key to a youthful complexion and healthy skin could be a solid night’s rest.

—Allergies and hay fever season can cause puffiness and irritation. Allergy medicine and cold compresses are home treatments that can offer relief.

Now for the solutions.

1. Hydration matters. Drinking water has real benefits. Hydration regulates your body temperature, keeps joints lubricated, prevents infections, delivers nutrients to cells, and keeps organs functioning properly. When you are dehydrated, your skin becomes dull and pale, making blood vessels around the eye area more apparent, thus creating your dark circles. Additionally, water flushes out toxins in the body that can lead to those visible dark circles. Being well-hydrated also improves sleep quality, cognition, and mood.

2. Use eye cream consistently. When it comes to skincare products, you must use them consistently over an extended period of time to see real results. Make it part of your morning routine but don’t forget the bedtime application. Nighttime is important because our skin cells repair and regenerate during the extended period when your skin is most receptive to skincare ingredients.

3. Check your ingredients.
—Peptides help your skin to restore and rebuild by stimulating collagen production. As a result, you’ll notice a reduction in fine lines and wrinkles, and firming of the skin.
—Hyaluronic Acid and Glycerin are the perfect duo, pulling moisture from the environment into your skin and plumping up those lines.
—Antioxidants like Vitamins C and E protect your skin from the damaging effects of free radicals in your environment, pollution, and UV rays. These external forces are often responsible for the breakdown of your skin’s collagen and elastin, reducing firmness and leading to lines and wrinkles.
—Vitamin K Oxide stimulates tissue renewal and is a potent antioxidant that can reduce the appearance of dark circles.

4. Facials could fix it. Microneedling triggers new collagen synthesis, reducing fine lines and a giving you a more even skin tone. The Sciton resurfacing laser is more aggressive—resulting in significant skin tightening and a reduction in deeper crows feet and wrinkles—keeping your skin fresh and youthful. Learn more about The Dermatology Clinic’s anti-aging treatments here.

5. Injectables, or fillers, can quickly reduce wrinkles and fine lines. By adding tissue volume to the insertion site, in addition to the eyes, fillers can also be used to safely treat frown lines, crow’s feet, forehead furrows, and skin bands on the neck. Fillers add buoyancy to the skin, making it difficult for new and deeper wrinkles to appear. The results are immediate and can last from six months to two years.

The aging process is natural and inevitable, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing you can do. The Dermatology Clinic’s dermatologists can help you select products and treatments that help give you the skin you desire. Schedule an appointment online or call  (225) 351-0622.