Skincare Questions: Puffy Eyes, Dark Circles and Fine Lines
Posted
Jennifer Kauffman-
Today’s Question: I struggle with both puffy eyes and dark circles and have fine lines as well. What can I do to treat these concerns? Marie, Leesburg
A: Marie, those are all common complaints that fortunately are easily manageable.
There are several different treatment options including skin care, injectables, lasers and makeup to combat those pesky peeper problems.
Let’s start with puffiness and dark circles under the eyes. Whether due to allergies, genetics or not getting enough sleep, puffy eyes and dark circles are annoying. You can tackle them both by looking for an eye cream that contains ingredients such as: vitamin K, vitamin E, vitamin C, green tea extract, kojic and arbutin. Apply it twice a day by using a tapping motion with your ring finger all the way around your eye and eye bone. At home, you can also try applying a cold compress to your eyes to reduce the puffiness just as you would apply ice to reduce swelling. Also try sleeping on your back and with your head elevated to prevent fluid from accumulating under your eyes.
If it’s fine lines around the eyes that bother you most, and you want to address the problem with skin care, look for eye creams containing anti-aging peptides to stimulate new collagen filling in those lines.
If you’re looking for faster results, the injectable medications Botox and Dysport are great options to soften and smooth out the expression lines around your eyes. Botox is one of the most popular non-surgical cosmetic procedures performed in the United States today. It is also one of the safest and most studied drugs by the FDA.
The entire procedure takes approximately 10 minutes and there is no downtime afterward. Many patients have it done over their lunch hour and return to work immediately after.
A second treatment option for the fine lines around the eyes is a laser procedure called Pearl Fractional. Pearl Fractional is designed to treat fine lines and deep wrinkles associated with photo damage as opposed to wrinkles caused from frowning or smiling.
This laser treatment stimulates the body’s own natural process for creating new collagen, plumping the skin from below and reversing photo aging and other imperfections. Removing only a small portion, or a “fraction,” of the skin ensures a safe treatment with a rapid recovery unlike the traditional CO2 lasers of the past.
You can also battle some of the same eye concerns with your makeup. Look for an under-eye concealer that contains ingredients such as cucumber and buckwheat wax to reduce puffiness.
A concealer will also help camouflage the darkness until your skin care products lighten it up. If you find your concealer tends to crease, you are probably using too much.
Talk to your medical skin care professional before starting any treatment to ensure the best plan for you and your skin concerns. In no time, Marie, your eyes will be smiling and free of dark circles, puffiness and fine lines.
Jennifer Kauffman is a Board Certified Nurse Practitioner, practicing and residing here in Warsaw. She is a member of American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and Coalition of Advance Practice Nurses of Indiana. She received her Nursing and Nurse Practitioner degrees from Goshen College, and Indiana Wesleyan University. Jennifer is a Clinical Instructor nationally to physicians and nurses on medical cosmetic procedures.
Do you have a question for Jennifer, about this article or another cosmetic skin care issue? Please call Vein Institute & Medical Spa at 574-267-1900 to have your questions answered and considered for future columns. Questions can also be submitted online at www.veinmedicalspa.com
