Sunken Eyes, Treatments, and Home Remedies that actually work!
Do you have sunken eyes? Sunken eyes are a common condition caused by many things, but the most common cause is simply aging.
As we age, the delicate skin under our eyes loses its elasticity and begins to sag. In addition, aging causes the appearance of sunken eyes because it creates shadows under your lower eyelids.
In addition to this, other factors can contribute to sunken eyes, such as weight loss or illness, which leads to dehydration in the body.
You're concerned about having sunken eyes, don't worry! We created this blog post to help you understand what sunken eyes look like and the best treatment to eliminate those pesky shadows once and for all!
What do sunken eyes look like?
The hollow eye effect means the back of your eyes is showing through your eyelids. It also means you have no muscles in your face and eyelids.
It can be caused by not drinking enough water or eating food, or other medical conditions. The skin may also look different in color, texture, and thickness.
Some people have hollows under their eyes. This problem is because they are not sleeping well. After all, they are uncomfortable and have dark circles under their eyes. This issue happens when there is not enough blood flow to the skin.
People with sunken eyes may also have dry lips, low heartbeat, hair loss on the scalp, low blood pressure, and body temperature.
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List the most common sunken eye symptoms
Deeper eye shadows
With sunken eyes, the shadows under your eyes are more profound than usual. That is because the skin does not have enough fat to fill in those shadows so that you will see more darkness than usual.
Weeping eyes
Sunken eyes may also look like someone punched you, or you've been crying for hours. In addition, you might be dehydrated or malnourished.
Your eyes appear more sunken than usual.
Your eyes may appear to be more sunken than usual if you deal with another serious medical condition like cancer or an infection.
Causes of sunken eyes
Genetics
Some people are born with their eyelids sagging and eyes hollow. Others may get it because of age or hereditary factors (because other family members have such features).
Weight loss
Losing weight will make the under-eye area look sunken, especially if you do not eat healthily and exercise regularly. Your face and bones shrink when you lose weight quickly. As a result, the eye hollows become more apparent and appear to be darker.
Illnesses
You can have sunken eyes if you are sick and not well. That is because you may be dehydrated and not drinking enough fluids. Some illnesses also cause inflammation in the body, making your face appear sickly and tired, with dark circles around your eyes.
Smoking
Smoking is terrible for your health and also causes the eye-hollows to appear darker. It can be an addiction, so try giving up slowly, or you can ask your doctor for help.
Depression
People who are depressed may not take care of themselves properly, eat well or drink enough fluids. Depression can make their face look gaunt and sunken.
Medications
Some medications have side effects, such as dehydration, which may lead to the appearance of sunken eyes. Talk to your doctor if you're concerned about medicine that you might be taking.
Aging
As we age, we lose fat in the eye area, and our skin loses elasticity and begins to sag. In addition, age causes the appearance of sunken eyes because it creates shadows under your lower eyelids.
Sudden weight Loss
Losing weight will make the under-eye area look sunken, especially if you do not eat healthily and exercise regularly. Your face and bones shrink when you lose weight quickly. As a result, the eye hollows become more apparent and appear to be darker.
Fatigue
If you are tired, this can make your eye area look sunken and very dark.
Sun exposure
Sun exposure causes the skin to become damaged and dry. It also makes you look older because it damages the collagen in your skin.
Unhealthy diet
An unhealthy diet causes fatigue and severe nutrient deficiencies. In addition, eating bad makes the eye hollows more pronounced and darker in appearance.
Alcohol abuse
Drinking too much alcohol causes your face to look gaunt and sunken, with dark circles under your eyes. It also causes dehydration which can lead to dry skin and wrinkles.
Dehydration
Dehydration makes your skin dry and wrinkled, which makes you look older than you are. The skin also becomes saggy.
Sinus infection
Sinus infection causes inflammation which can make the under-eye area appear darker and look sunken.
Lack of sleep
Sleep can affect the overall appearance of your face, making it seem gaunt and sunken in some areas. Also, when you haven't had enough sleep for a few days or weeks, your eyes may look tired or empty.
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Home remedies for sunken eyes
How can I fix under-eye hollows? Sunken eyes are usually caused by fat deposits around the lower eyelids, which cause the skin to fold, resulting in a hollow area below the eye.
That's why you should remove any thick or unwanted fat deposits that you can see above and below your lower lids with the help of a plastic surgeon.
If you do not want to go to the operating room, here are a series of home remedies to fixing sunken eyes:
Apply topical treatments for sunken eyes with vitamin K
Apply a natural cream with vitamin K to reduce swelling and dark shadows around your eyes.
Papaya extract is also very effective in reducing skin pigmentation. You can buy vitamin K creams at pharmacies and many general stores.
Moisturize the skin under your eyes
Apply a thin layer of moisturizer under your eyes every night before going to bed. Moisturizer hydrates your skin and makes it supple.
Avoid using any products that have a scent since these can irritate the area around your eyes. Instead, it is best to go with an unscented cream or oil.
Almond oil
Almond oil works very well as a moisturizer and reduces dark circles around the eyes. Apply a few drops of oil under your eyes and massage it in.
Apply cucumber slices to your eyes
Cucumber contains silicic acid, which can help hydrate, smooth out wrinkles, and reduce dark circles under your eThat'shat's why you should cut a cucumber into slices and then place the slices on your eyelids for 15 minutes. You can also do this every night before going to bed.
Use tea bags
Teabags contain caffeine and tannin, which can tighten and contract the skin. These bags make your eye area appear less sunken. You can also use green tea. It has more antioxidants than oolong or black tea.
Use sun protection
Sun exposure can damage the skin and make it sag. So, you should always protect your skin from sun exposure by using sunscreen with SPF 30 or more.
Maintain a healthy weight
When you maintain a healthy weight, your face appears less gaunt and sunken-looking. You should eat a balanced diet and do strength training exercises for your whole body, not just for your face.
Cold compresses for sunken eyes.
Cold compresses can also help reduce the appearance of dark circles and eye bags. Apply a cold compress to your eyelids for 10 minutes at least three times a day.
Ensure that you do not have severely dry skin before applying this remedy because it can lead to further irritation or damage to your under-eye area.
Get enough sleep
When you get enough sleep, the appearance of your eyes does not look as gaunt and sunken. You should maintain a regular sleeping schedule so that your body can complete its natural restorative process overnight.
Apply Skin-healthy oils under your eyes
Skin-healthy oils such as avocado and rosehip oil can help moisturize your skin, which may reduce the appearance of under-eye hollows. These oils also contain antioxidants that help protect cells from oxidative damage.
A healthy diet that supports skin health.
Eat foods that contain vitamin C and vitamin K, such as broccoli. You can also eat high antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids (salmon), and collagen (fish bones).
Additionally, you should drink two glasses of water for every one glass of wine you consume. Wine is dehydrating, which means it will cause your skin to dry out and look tired.
Stimulate collagen production
Collagen is vital for healthy skin. You can eat collagen-rich foods or apply collagen masks to your face.
Quit smoking
Smoking can damage your skin and make it look unhealThat'shat's why you should stop smoking and never start in the first place, if possible.
You can apply these remedies daily until you see a difference in the amount of puffiness or darkness under your eyes. Some people may need to use several different treatments to achieve their desired results.
List the top 3 clinical treatments for getting rid of sunken eyes
Blepharoplasty (Eyelid reduction)
Blepharoplasty is a surgery to make the skin under your eyes look better. For example, it can make droopy upper eyelids and bags under your eyes look better.
On average, it takes about an hour per eye for acute blepharoplasty and about 2-3 hours per eye for surgical revision blepharoplasty.
Patients are usually required to stay overnight at the doctor's office. You should eat a light dinner before surgery, but it is okay if you have a medical reason not to.
The patient will be given intravenous fluids during their stay to prevent dehydration resulting from anesthesia drugs.
Anti-aging injections
When you inject anti-wrinkle medicine into the lines, it helps reduce the appearance of dark, hollow, and tired eyes. You can also put in a hydration filler to make them look better.
Muscle relaxant injections are for wrinkles around the eye area. It stops deep lines from forming. As a result, wrinkles will look smaller, and skin will look healthier.
Dermal fillers
According to the Journal of Cutaneous and Aesthetic Surgery, Dermal fillers are injections of hyaluronic acid below the eyes that will make your skin better. They can remove wrinkles and make your skin better.
It is common to do these injections below the eyes to visibly plump up the area with needed filler materials.
Dermal injectables can include Botox®, Juvéderm®, Restylane®, Perlane®, Radiesse®, and Sculptra®.
Tear through implant
Tear through implant is a surgery where there is a silicone implant put under the eyes. This surgery helps to cover up any problems with the eyes. Sometimes, this surgery is combined with fillers to have the best results.
When should I call an eye doctor?
If you have sunken eyes that seem to get worse even when you sleep and drink more water, it's a good idea to talk to your doctor.
If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms, call an eye doctor immediately: loss of vision, decreased pupil response to light, blurred vision, swelling or redness in the eyes, the sudden appearance of floaters (also know" as "spider bites"), chronic pain in the eye area, constantly watering eyes, always feeling like something is in your eye, or loss of peripheral vision.
Symptoms that suggest an additional problem include:
- A build-up of mucus within the nasal passages
- Continuous fatigue
- Dry, itchy, or red eyes
- Headaches
- Unusual weight loss
- Nausea
How do I treat enophthalmos?
Treating enophthalmos caused by trauma is the same as treating enophthalmos caused by other reasons. There are eye drops, ointment, and surgery you can do to make them better.
Conclusion
Sunken eyes can be caused by various factors, including sleep deprivation, aging, and dehydration. However, if you suspect sunken eyes as the culprit for your tired appearance it's time to take action.
Check out our articles on preventing or treating this common problem that is often overlooked in daily skincare routines! (Trusted sources 1*, 2*, 3*, 4*)
DISCLAIMER: buildyourbody.org does not provide medical advice, examination, and diagnosis.
Medically reviewed and approved by Nataniel Josue M D.
