We all hate the swelling and redness of our eyes after crying. Fortunately, the best way to soothe them is to lie down with a cold compress. If your swelling is more severe or frequent, some lifestyle changes can help.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Treating Eye Puffiness
Step 1. Wash your face with cold water
If you're in a hurry or in a public place, go to the bathroom for a quick wash. Fold a sheet of paper towels twice to make a neat square and soak in cold water. Lightly press on the eyelids for fifteen seconds each. Look up and place the paper just under the lower lashes, squeezing a little for another fifteen seconds in each eye. Allow the skin to dry. Repeat if necessary.
- Do not rub your eyes or apply soap.
- Some people like to mix a teaspoon (5 ml) of salt into a cup (240 ml) of ice water. Don't do this if your skin is easily red and irritated.
Step 2. Place a cloth soaked in cold water over your eyes
Dip a soft, terry cloth with ice water. Twist, fold, place over eyes and leave for about ten minutes. Cold water constricts the surrounding blood vessels, reducing swelling.
You get similar results with an ice pack or a packet of frozen peas. You can also make a cold compress at home, filling a half of raw rice and leaving it in the freezer. Do not use frozen foods in large chunks as they do not mold to your eyes
Step 3. Cover eyes with cold spoons
Take two metal spoons that fit snugly over your eyes, freeze for about two minutes or refrigerate for five to ten minutes, and place them over your eyes with gentle pressure. Leave until warmed up.
If you have time, use six scoops. Replace the ones you are using with new pairs as they heat up. Do not exceed three on each side to avoid damage to the skin from prolonged cold
Step 4. Tap around the eyes
Use your ring finger to tap the swollen areas around your eyes. This can stimulate circulation, moving accumulated blood.
Step 5. Massage the bridge of the nose
Close your eyes and massage the area above your nose. Focus on the skin on the sides, where the bridge of the glasses would be. This way you can relieve the pressure on your sinuses, which may be congested from crying.
Step 6. Lie with your head elevated
Place two or three pillows under your head and keep it higher than the rest of your body. Lie down with your neck straight, close your eyes and relax. Even a short rest can lower your blood pressure.
Step 7. Apply cold facial moisturizer
Leave a bottle of facial moisturizer in the refrigerator for about ten minutes and gently apply it to the skin. Cold treats swelling and the cream gives your skin softness and shine.
- Eye creams are controversial. It's not known if they work better than regular facial moisturizers.
- Avoid fragrance or menthol creams. They can irritate your skin.
Method 2 of 3: Preventing Eye Puffiness
Step 1. Get plenty of sleep
Even if your eyes are swollen from crying, other factors influence the intensity. Get at least eight hours of sleep a night to reduce puffiness and pouches under the eyes.
Children, teenagers and adults may need different amounts of sleep. Ask your doctor for a recommendation
Step 2. Stay hydrated
Salt builds up around the eyes and can worsen fluid retention, causing swelling. Drink lots of water to avoid.
Cut back on salt and caffeine, which dehydrate
Step 3. Treat allergies.
Mild allergies to pollen, dust, animals or food can cause eye puffiness. Avoid any food that makes you feel itchy, swollen or uncomfortable. Take anti-allergy when you cannot avoid contact. Go to the doctor for more information.
Step 4. Go to the ophthalmologist
If your eyes swell up too often, there may be an underlying cause. An ophthalmologist can check your vision and perhaps recommend glasses or contact lenses to reduce eye strain. He can also investigate if there is a problem with your eyes.
Step 5. Take a break from books and canvases
When looking at a computer, cell phone, or book, take breaks every 20 minutes. During these breaks, look at something on the other side of the room wherever you are. Looking tired is not the most common cause of eye swelling, but this procedure is good for overall eye health.
Method 3 of 3: Evaluating Home Solutions
Step 1. Use a wet cloth, not tea bags
Many people put iced tea bags over puffy eyes. It only works because of the low temperature. Some people claim that black, green or other herbal tea works best. Much has not been studied, but caffeine – the ingredient most likely to work – doesn't seem to work. A wet cloth does the same, with reduced risk of bacterial infection.
Step 2. Skip the food tips
Cucumber slices are one of the most recommended treatments for eye puffiness. They work, but only because of the low temperatures. It is best to use a wet cloth or cold compress to reduce the chances of bacterial infection from the food.
If you are going to use any food, a washed cucumber is one of the safest. Avoid potatoes, egg whites, yogurt, and sour foods like strawberries or lemon juice
Step 3. Keep irritating products out of your eyes
Some home remedies are dangerous near the eyes due to the risk of damage and severe pain. Do not treat eye swelling with hemorrhoid ointment (Hemovirtus), heat creams (such as Gelol), or hydrocortisone.
Tips
- If crying has smeared your makeup, remove it with a cotton swab dipped in dermaquilant. You can use soap and water on a paper towel if you don't have any cleanser nearby.
- White pencil in the waterline masks the redness in the eyes.
- Disguise eye puffiness with a lightening concealer or a mixture of liquid concealer and liquid illuminator.