6 Simple Ways To Depuff Face Bloat
A pufferfish is cute, but waking up with a puffy face is not. Whether you stayed up too late the night before or had a few too many glasses of wine with salty snacks, a puffy face is harmless but annoying. If only you could undo your decisions of the night before and make smarter choices to get rid of the puffy face.
Dr. Kathleen S. Viscusi told Byrdie, "Underlying anatomy aside, we all are affected to some extent by the temporary puffiness due to our ever-changing, busy schedules and demands of our daily lives." Bloated face results from fluid retention, making you look puffy with inflamed skin. It's usually temporary, but if you experience persistent puffiness, you should consult your physician. Dr. Viscusi added that your face might feel puffier during your period due to hormones, and even cortisol (a stress hormone) can induce puffiness.
While you might experience face swelling when you have a sinus infection, most of the time, it's a lack of sleep or your diet. However, even a sunburn could cause facial swelling. All the sun exposure over time adds up. According to Joshua Zeichner, MD, director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital, "Not only can this cause redness, but in some cases, swelling as well," per Women's Health.
While extra hydration and makeup can conceal some of the puffiness, here are easy at-home tips for depuffing a bloated face.
1. Sleep with an extra pillow to keep your head elevated
Some people prefer a super soft pillow, while others prefer a firmer one. Whatever you choose, sleeping with your head at a slight elevation can prevent face bloat because it has to do with gravity. New York City-based dermatologist Dr. Dhaval Bhanusali advises his patients to sleep with an extra pillow as it can make a world of difference if you're prone to puffy face (via Marie Claire). Dr. Bhansali said, "This is one of the easiest ways to prevent bloating because it reduces the amount of fluid that retains in the face." Perhaps invest in a silk pillowcase so that you wake up with silky smooth face and hair every morning and get a good night's sleep too.
"As fluid retention collects (especially around the eyes), sleeping with your head elevated on an extra pillow or two can also reduce the appearance of puffiness, as it is often most prominent in the morning," Dr. Kathleen S. Viscusi, the co-founder/partner of Dermatology and Surgery Specialists of North Atlanta (DESSNA) told Byrdie.
Those not used to sleeping with an extra pillow might find it a tad bit uncomfortable initially, but you'll get used to it in no time. Plus, a study revealed that sleeping with your head on a slight elevation might even help sleep apnea and improve your sleep quality.
2. Use ice or cold water on your face
If you didn't get enough sleep or had more wine than planned, you might wake up with a puffy face, and you definitely don't want to go around all day looking like that. One of the most accessible at-home remedies is to use ice or cold water on your face.
Dr. Geetika Mittal Gupta, founder and medical director of ISAAC Luxe, a Delhi-based skincare clinic, told Health Shots, "There are several benefits for applying ice on your face and each of these benefits can help cure different skin problems." One of them is tightening dilated blood vessels, which helps in reducing face bloat. Splashing cold water on your face or submerging your face in a tub of ice water helps reduce unwanted swelling.
This is a super-easy at-home trick to get rid of face bloat. New York City-based dermatologist Dr. Dhaval Bhanusali told Marie Claire that the chilled temperature could shrink the blood vessels by removing excess fluids to reduce swelling. It can also help tighten your pores for a smoother appearance. Plus, it wakes you right up.
3. Take advantage of green tea
People have been sipping on green tea to lose weight, whether or not it works is still up in the air, but it does help with bloating. According to a study conducted at the University of Shizuoka, green tea is rich in epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), which has anti-inflammatory properties. In addition, it prevents fluid retention, which is the cause of bloating. So, drinking a nice cup of green tea can help overall bloating that can decrease face bloat as well.
According to Manhattan-based board-certified dermatologist Michele Green, green tea has caffeine and tannins that help reduce the size of blood vessels, resulting in less puffiness, per Byrdie. Swelling and inflammation on the skin can compromise your skin barrier, and Dr. Green added that EGCG could help heal and repair skin cells.
Green tea works its magic when you drink it, but you can also reap its benefits when applying it externally. Michigan-based holistic plastic surgeon Anthony Youn recommends using sliced potatoes dipped in chilled green tea over your eyelids, per Marie Claire. Dr. Youn told the outlet, "The cold temperature and caffeine will quickly depuff the eyes."
4. Use the power of caffeine
Perhaps you ate too many salty snacks or drank too much beer the night before, and now you're waking up with puffy eyes, and there's nothing cute about that. But, like a cup of coffee can energize you in the morning, it can also help with undereye puffiness. "Caffeine is also a diuretic and helps relieve water retention, another contributor to puffy, tired eyes," a Florida-based dermatologist Anna Chacon told The Healthy. That's because caffeine is a vasoconstrictor that promotes blood flow around the eyes to eliminate puffiness.
If you're prone to eye puffiness, it's best to use eye creams regularly. We might have the right one for you if you want an efficient and affordable caffeine eye cream. Tara Adashev, a skincare and injectables expert at Neinstein Plastic Surgery in New York, told The Healthy, "I love The Ordinary Caffeine 5% + ECGC Depuffing Eye Serum," and added that it has more than the average concentration of caffeine to seriously depuff the eyes.
With over 247k likes on Sephora, one reviewer raves about this gem saying, "I have tried other caffeine depuffing serums, but this one is the best. It feels so good. Works so well."
5. Use an LED light therapy mask
You might have seen or used LED light therapy to combat fine lines and acne. Well, it can also help depuff your face by reducing inflammation.
Dendy Engelman, a board-certified dermatologic surgeon, told Byrdie, "It works by emitting infrared lights (causing heat) in different wavelengths/spectrums, which have different skincare benefits." Dr. Engelman added that white light penetrates the deepest into the skin and can reduce inflamed skin. Though red light reduces wrinkles, it can target oil glands to reduce the production of cytokines that can cause inflammation.
You can get the LED light therapy treatment at your dermatologist's office or purchase your own to do it at home, though at-home therapies won't be as strong. Try the at-home Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro; as one of the reviewers on the brand's website said, "After struggling with a damaged skin barrier for a year due to intense over-exfoliation, my normally hardy skin has been inflamed and sensitized. I even developed mild rosacea. After using this mask for three months on the red light option for anti-inflammatory purposes my skin has stopped breaking out in dermatitis and inflammatory acne." The reviewer added that she used the mask in conjunction with a calming skincare regime. This LED light therapy mask has an impressive 38k likes on Sephora.
6. Take over-the-counter allergy meds
Allergies can be annoying, and they're more common than you think. According to The American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology (ACAAI), more than 50% of America's population suffers from allergies yearly. They can happen any time of the year, especially in spring, summer, and fall.
As if you already didn't have to deal with nonstop sneezing, runny nose, and itchy eyes, being allergic to pollen or airborne mold and pets can also cause a bloated face because your skin barrier is the first line of defense. Keep an over-the-counter (OTC) antihistamine at hand when you're prone to face allergy to calm and soothe the swelling.
According to Adam Friedman, professor and interim chair of dermatology at George Washington School of Medicine and Health Sciences, topicals can reduce some face swellings caused by allergic reactions (via Women's Health). Dr. Friedman added that certain face swellings go away with time but if it's severe swelling and inflammation, seek medical attention for prescription strength medications.