Summary

Eye bags are cosmetic concerns characterised by swelling and puffiness in the lower eyelids caused by ageing, genetics, fluid retention, lifestyle, and environmental factors.

Unlike dark circles, which involve skin pigmentation, eye bags result from weakened tissues and fat accumulation. Treatments range from home remedies and skincare adjustments to professional non-surgical interventions like radiofrequency (RF) microneedling, dermal fillers, advanced lasers (PicoSure), and skin boosters (Profhilo, Rejuran).

These treatments promote collagen production, improve elasticity, and visibly reduce puffiness without invasive surgery. Effective management involves personalized treatment strategies based on individual anatomy, ensuring natural-looking results with minimal downtime.

Introduction

Eye bags refer to puffiness or swelling caused by fluid retention, fat accumulation, or weakened tissues around the eyes. In contrast, dark circles are characterised by discolouration of the skin due to genetics, poor circulation, or smoking.

So, while eye bags create a physical bulge that casts shadows on one’s skin, dark circles are purely a pigmentation issue without puffiness. Nonetheless, both conditions contribute to a tired and aged appearance.

Generally, all age groups are affected by these under-eye problems. While older people may encounter more chronic eye bags associated with ageing, younger people may experience temporary puffiness or discolouration due to lifestyle choices.

To successfully address these problems, Clique Clinic provides non-surgical options such as radiofrequency (RF) treatments, dermal fillers, and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy. This article seeks to extensively discuss eye bags and possible rejuvenation interventions that increase collagen formation and enhance skin suppleness.

What are under-eye bags?

Eye bags, sometimes referred to as under-eye bags, are a cosmetic condition characterised by puffiness or minor swelling in the lower eyelids. Generally, they are more of a cosmetic issue than a major medical one.

Clinically, they result from the weakening of tissues and muscles around the eyes. This is often due to ageing, which allows fat to herniate forward into the lower eyelid area. This fat herniation is sometimes accompanied by loose skin and fluid retention, creating a puffy or swollen appearance.

In practice, the anatomy of the under-eye area constitutes delicate skin, subcutaneous tissue, and fat pads supported by connective tissue and muscles. Over time, collagen loss and reduced skin elasticity exacerbate these features—making under-eye bags more prominent.

Dark circles vs eye bags

Although under-eye bags and dark circles are sometimes referred to interchangeably, they are two discrete conditions.

Dark circles refer to discolouration of the skin beneath one’s eyes. This can appear blue, purple, or brown depending on factors like genetics, thin skin, or hyperpigmentation. They are often exacerbated by poor blood circulation, lack of sleep, smoking—or even sun exposure.

Under-eye bags, on the other hand, are characterised by swelling or puffiness due to fluid retention, fat herniation, or ageing-related eye muscle weakening. So, while dark circles are primarily a pigmentation problem, under-eye bags involve structural alterations in the skin and fat beneath the eyes.

Read: Dark Eye Circles: Causes, Skincare & Non-Surgical Treatments

What causes eye bags?

Eye bags can be caused by several disparate factors, such as:

1. Genetics and hereditary factors

• Family predisposition: Some families’ lineages might have native traits like weakened connective tissues or fat distribution patterns.
• Structural facial anatomy: Variations in bone structure and fat placement can predispose individuals to under-eye puffiness.
• Ethnic variations: Because of changes in facial architecture and skin thickness, some ethnic groups may naturally have noticeable eye bags.

2. Aging process

• Weakening of orbital septum: As people age, the connective tissue that surrounds their eyes becomes weaker—enabling fat to bulge and create bags.
• Fat redistribution and herniation: As people age, their orbital fat may move or protrude, which adds to their puffiness.
• Loss of skin elasticity: Ageing might lead to reduced collagen and elastin breakdown, leading to sagging skin under the eyes.

3. Lifestyle factors

• Sleep patterns and quality: Poor sleep may disrupt the fluid balance, increasing puffiness under the eyes.
• Salt intake and fluid retention: High sodium consumption may lead to water retention. This may cause swelling around the eyes.
• Alcohol consumption: As a diuretic, alcohol dehydrates the skin and impacts fluid retention, worsening puffy eye bags.
• Smoking effects: Smoking often accelerates collagen breakdown and reduces circulation, contributing to puffiness.
• Stress and its physical manifestations: Stress-induced inflammation may worsen fluid retention and puffiness in the under-eye area.

4. Environmental factors

• Sun exposure and photoaging: UV radiation often damages collagen. This may consequently lead to sagging skin around the eyes.
• Pollution: Pollutants can trigger inflammation and weaken skin integrity, exacerbating eye bags.
• Climate considerations in Malaysia: Humid environments may exacerbate puffiness due to increased fluid retention.

5. Medical conditions

• Allergies and sinus problems: Allergies may cause inflammation and fluid buildup under the eyes, contributing to puffiness.
• Thyroid issues: Thyroid dysfunction can result in swelling around the eyes as part of systemic body changes.
• Kidney dysfunction: Impaired kidney function may lead to fluid retention, thereby, causing persistent under-eye swelling.
• Inflammatory conditions: Conditions like dermatitis or infections may contribute to localised swelling under the eyes.

How to get rid of eye bags?

Eye bags can be addressed from home with a variety of home-based remedies, such as cold compresses, caffeinated tea bags, and lifestyle changes. However, these treatments frequently have limited or temporary effects.

As such, it’s imperative to visit a professional for more long-lasting solutions. Compared to at-home treatments, visiting a professional guarantees access to a tailored strategy that takes into account one’s unique anatomy and demands.

At-home prevention and management of eye bags

To effectively prevent and manage eye bags from home, consider the following tips:

1. Maintain a daily skincare routine: Utilise creams containing caffeine (to reduce puffiness by constricting blood vessels), peptides (to tighten skin), and retinol (to stimulate collagen production and improve skin elasticity).
2. Make lifestyle changes: Adjust your sleep position adjustments (elevated head to prevent fluid accumulation under the eyes). Additionally, reduce salt intake, hydrate frequently, manage allergies, and employ lymphatic drainage techniques.
3. Diet and nutrition: Incorporate anti-inflammatory foods into your diet, for instance, leafy greens and fatty fish. Furthermore, limit processed foods, caffeine, and alcohol, which can dehydrate the skin.

Professional non-surgical treatments for eye bags

For visible and longer-lasting results, consider non-surgical treatments for eye bags like:

Skin tightening treatments

Ultherapy is a non-invasive technique that stimulates the creation of collagen deep beneath the layers of the skin using concentrated ultrasound waves. In practice, ultherapy tightens and lifts the drooping skin around the eyes— minimising the appearance of wrinkles and eye bags.

For Malaysians seeking noticeable results without invasive surgery, the procedure is a practical alternative because it doesn’t involve any downtime.

Titanium lifting is another version of therapy that provides targeted energy to facilitate skin tightening and collagen remodelling.

Advanced Laser Solutions

The PicoSure Pro laser targets pigmentation and promotes the formation of collagen by delivering ultra-short laser energy bursts to the skin. To reduce the visibility of under-eye bags, pico laser treatment stimulates the formation of collagen, thus giving the appearance of more youthful skin.

Radiofrequency Microneedling

Potenza RF Microneedling tightens skin and promotes the generation of collagen by combining the advantages of microneedling with radiofrequency energy.

In practice, the intervention generates controlled micro-injuries that activate the body’s natural healing response. Thus, appreciably increasing the production of collagen and elastin.

Subsequently, radiofrequency energy is delivered deeply into the epidermis, which increases the firmness and suppleness of one’s skin and counteracting eye bags.

Injectable Treatments and dermal fillers for eye bags

Dermal fillers are methodically injected into the tear trough area to restore volume and smooth the transition between the lower eyelid and cheek, thereby minimising visible puffiness and skin sagging.

Read: What To Avoid After Dermal Fillers?

Typically, hyaluronic acid is utilised to make fillers. In fact, a popular hyaluronic acid dermal filler brand for strategic volume replacement is Juvederm. With a blend of safety, durability, and efficacy, this line of hyaluronic acid solutions improves indications of ageing and restores facial features.

Skin Boosters and Biostimulators

PROFHILO is an injectable bio-modeling hyaluronic acid treatment that enhances the overall quality, hydration, and flexibility of one’s skin. In contrast to conventional fillers, PROFHILO hydrates and promotes the formation of collagen and elastin by spreading beneath the skin.

Rejuran is a skin booster that contains polynucleotides (PN) derived from salmon DNA. These polynucleotides stimulate collagen production and promote tissue repair, thus improving skin elasticity and reducing inflammation.

PLINEST is another cutting-edge biostimulatory treatment that contains polynucleotides to promote skin regeneration and collagen production. It can help improve skin elasticity and counteract eye bags.

Cutting-Edge Technologies

Sylfirm X is a cutting-edge radiofrequency (RF) microneedling system that targets both skin laxity and pigmentation. The device exploits ultra-short pulsed waves to deliver RF energy to the skin. Thereby, stimulating collagen production and improving skin elasticity.

In practice, this intervention appreciably reduces eye bags by tightening the skin and improving its overall texture and tone.

How to choose the best treatment for eye bags?

Choosing the right aesthetic clinic necessitates a careful process that takes into account one’s requirements, underlying causes, and intended results.

To ensure that the treatment plan is customised to your particular anatomy and skin type, speaking with an experienced dermatologist or oculoplastic surgeon is advised.

While older patients with more noticeable bags may need more sophisticated procedures like dermal fillers or skin-tightening technology, younger people with minor puffiness may benefit from non-invasive solutions like laser treatments.

Tailored treatment regimens are necessary to meet personal objectives and preserve organic outcomes. To get the best results, professionals might mix treatments like radiofrequency microneedling for skin tightening and fillers for volume loss.

Setting reasonable goals for outcomes and deadlines is also crucial. Non-surgical procedures like fillers or laser rejuvenation frequently exhibit instant or gradual results with little recovery time. But they may require maintenance sessions.

In contrast, more intrusive procedures like surgical blepharoplasty offer longer-lasting results. However, they often involve a longer recovery period.

Conclusion

Eye bags are a distinct cosmetic concern characterised by puffiness or swelling in the lower eyelids. Although ageing is a major contributing factor, additional factors include heredity, lifestyle choices like excessive salt intake, allergies—and illnesses like thyroid malfunction.

Individuals of all ages can get eye bags. However, as people age, the condition tends to get worse because of skin laxity and collagen degradation. Fortunately, Clique Clinic offers several tailored interventions to help rejuvenate saggy eye bags. Reach out and schedule a consultation.