Emu Oil and Anti-Aging Eye Area Skin Care
As we grow older our skin thins and loses elasticity. For already fragile skin around the eyes, this translates to lines, puffiness and dark under-eye circles. Dark circles are caused by thinning skin and loss of fat and collagen that comes with aging, which can make the reddish-blue blood vessels under your eyes more obvious. Emu oil is made for this challenge. It penetrates deep into underlying tissue to deliver bio-nutrients which enhance the generation of new skin cells making skin thicker and stronger. Clinical studies indicated Emu Oil thickened skin an average of 14% when applied twice a day over a two week period. Some members of the study saw a 33% increase. Plumper, more elastic skin layer can better support both the blood system, bringing in more oxygen and nutrients; and the lymphatic system, draining away toxins and waste. Your eyes will show you the difference very quickly.
Pure Emu Oil alone will do wonders for your eyes. What causes bags under the eyes? Under eye bags happen as skin thins and is unable to hold tight the fat deposits behind it when they retain fluid. Fluid retention can be caused by a number of issues, here are just a few:
Seasonal allergies - a cold or sinus infection – Sinuses are the air-filled cavities located within the bones that surround our nose, cheeks and eyes. These cavities filter our air while a thin layer of mucus traps viruses, bacteria, and allergens before they enter the lungs. When these cavities become inflamed the membranes secrete larger amounts of mucus to help get rid of the irritants. This causes the membrane to swell and excess fluid to find its way into surrounding tissue.
A diet full of salty foods – the body can only store excess salt in fluid suspension. This will be stored in the skin around your eyes. Remember most salt is not coming from your shaker, it's coming from processed foods.
Lack of sleep – studies have shown that fewer than seven hours of sleep was likely to result in high blood pressure (both systolic and diastolic) at both the beginning of the study and five years later. In fact, each hour of sleep that a subject chronically missed meant a 37 percent increase in the risk for high blood pressure.
High blood pressure - pushes fluid into the tissue surrounding the eyes. This can happen with just one night’s troubled sleep.
Alcohol and food – (especially wines) lower anti-diuretic hormones (ADH) in the body causing dehydration. When the body senses dehydration it reacts defensively by storing fluid in soft tissue. Additionally, food sensitivities (gluten, lactose, sugar, nuts, etc) may contribute to inflammation. Over time consumption of too many processed or inappropriate foods can leave the body sluggish and unable to eliminate waste efficiently.
Sleep position - (stomach sleeping) if you sleep on your stomach, gravity naturally causes the under eye area to fill up with fluid.
Hormones and medications – fluid retention from hormones (both natural and prescribed) and drug induced hypothyroidism (such as lithium) can also cause puffy eyes.
Medical conditions - kidney and thyroid problems may result in round bags or pouches developing under eyes.
Genetics - under eye puffiness can be caused by heredity. If your parents have “baggage” under their eyes you may too.
What you can do today
First, gently wash your face and around your eyes with a gentle, natural, hypo-allergenic cleanser. Then rinse your face and eyes repeatedly with cold water. Treat eyes to a 5 minute cooling compress, best is green tea bags. Cover the bags with hot water to release tannins then allowed to cool in the refrigerator to a comfortable temperature. You can also use chamomile tea bags or raw cucumber, potato or apple. Potatoes can be very helpful for dark circles.
Using Pure Emu Oil or a gentle moisturizer gently massage around the eyes to drain the lymphatic system, increase blood flow and relax muscles. I highly recommend you watch this online demonstration by Janet Goodrich. She shows many fine acupressure and lymphatic drainage techniques that will relieve puffiness and improve your overall appearance as well as optical health. If you find the techniques helpful check with a local spa or therapy center for professional lymphatic massage. I’ve experienced amazing results with this technique when suffering from sinus problems.
Finish off by gently dabbing your favorite eye cream just above and below the eyelids.
Changes you can make
If you suffer from allergies - take an over the counter allergy medication. Also eliminate potential allergens which may include feather pillows, fabrics, and detergents and face creams with a lot of chemical additives.
If you indulge in salty snacks and processed foods – cut back.
If you are a stomach sleeper - try switching sleep positions. Try sleeping with your head slightly raised to avoid under-eye puffiness.
Don’t procrastinate – repeated swelling can permanently damage connective tissue under the skin resulting in pouches under your eye. These pouches do not respond to home remedies like normal, occasional puffiness does. There is a minor surgery that can be performed called “blepharoplasty,” where the surgeon makes a very small incision under the lower eyelid to remove the excess skin, eliminating the pouches.
And as always (the hint we hate to hear) a healthier lifestyle is essential to help your skin age better. A consistent exercise routine and fresh air goes a long way in keeping your skin healthy; adequate sleep and simple “eyes closed” resting is important. Minimize alcohol, caffeine, sugar and foods you may be sensitive to.