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Housecall Archives
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Housecall, our weekly general-interest e-newsletter, keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics with timely, reliable, practical information, recipes, blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts and more. Our biweekly topic-specific e-newsletters also include blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts, and other useful information that will help you manage your health.
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Mayo Clinic Housecall
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Lifestyle and home remedies
By Mayo Clinic staffThe following tips can help you reduce or eliminate bags under eyes:
- Use a cool compress. Wet a clean washcloth with cool water. While sitting up, apply the damp washcloth to the skin under and around your eyes for a few minutes using mild pressure.
- Get enough sleep at night. For most adults, seven to eight hours a night appears to be the best amount of sleep.
- Sleep with your head slightly raised. Add an extra pillow or prop up the head of your mattress. Or, elevate the entire head of the bed a few inches. This helps prevent fluids from accumulating around your eyes as you sleep.
- Reduce allergy symptoms. Avoid allergens when possible, and ask your doctor about over-the-counter or prescription allergy medications. Talk to your doctor about prevention strategies if you develop under-eye reactions due to hair dyes, soaps, cosmetics or other allergens.
References
- Tsai LM, et al. The eye and ocular adnexa. In: Doherty GM, et al. Current Surgical Diagnosis and Treatment. 12th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2006. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=2066221. Accessed July 30, 2009.
- Golberg RJ, et al. What causes eyelid bags? Analysis of 114 consecutive patients. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. 2005;115:1395.
- Narins R, et al. Ask the experts: Why do bags form below our eyes? Scientific American. 2005;292:106.
- Understanding blepharoplasty. American Academy of Facial and Reconstructive Plastic Surgery. http://www.aafprs.org/patient/procedures/shareable/s_blepharoplasty.html. Accessed July 30, 2009.
- In brief: Your guide to healthy sleep. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/sleep/healthysleepfs.pdf. Accessed July 30, 2009.
- Dana MR. Allergic conjunctivitis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed July 30, 2009.
- Gibson LE (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Aug. 12, 2009.
