How to Get Rid of Puffy Face
Wake up with a swollen face? Combat morning puffiness with Gua Sha massage, cold compresses, or morning workouts. Prevent future swelling by staying hydrated, limiting sodium and evening carbs, and reducing alcohol intake. Consult a doctor if home remedies don't resolve persistent puffiness.
What are the symptoms of morning face puffiness?
Morning face puffiness typically presents as swelling or bloating around the eyes, cheeks, and jawline. The face may appear rounder and feel heavier. Individuals often notice indentations or creases left by pillows or sleep positions.
What are the causes of morning face puffiness?
- Not Enough Sleep
- Sleeping Position
- High Sodium Intake
- Alcohol induced inflammation
- Hot Showers
- Possible Allergy
What are ways to reduce face puffiness at home?
- Gua Sha Lymphatic Drainage Massage Use a Gua Sha to gently massage the face. Look up “How to do Lymphatic Self-Massage on Your Face”
- Cold Compresses Apply a cold compress, like a freezer chilled eye mask. The cold helps to constrict blood vessels and reduce facial swelling.
- Ice Roller is the best of both worlds because the cold helps constrict blood vessels and the rolling motion helps lymphatic drainage. I recommend The Skinny Confidential “Hot Mess Ice Roller”
- Try to get a morning workout in, it’ll get the blood flowing and improve circulation, meaning water won't accumulate and cause puffiness. Plus sweating helps so you shed excess water.
- Sleep on back with head elevated Sleeping on your side or stomach, can lead to fluid accumulation in the face
- Taking Cold Showers will trigger the circulatory system to reduce inflammation. A hot shower has the opposite effect.
- Interestingly although hot showers can lead to puffiness– a sauna can help since you will sweat out a lot of excess water.
What are ways to prevent morning face puffiness?
- Drink plenty of water and limit sodium intake: A diet high in salt or processed foods can cause water retention, while inadequate water intake can lead to dehydration, prompting the body to hold on to excess fluid.
- Avoid carb heavy dinners, it will lead to morning puffiness. For every gram of carbohydrate you consume, your body keeps 3 to 4 grams of water to help store the energy (glycogen). Try incorporating whole foods like fruits, vegetables and lean protein into your meals and limit refined carbohydrate sources such as white bread, rice and sugar.
- Consider taking a daily magnesium supplement: Magnesium citrate is a well-researched and highly bioavailable form of magnesium that can help with water retention and bloating. It has excellent absorption, and also helps attract water into the gut. That being said, you need to be careful not to take too much, as Magnesium citrate is also used as a laxative. 200-250 mg
- Limit alcohol consumption: Alcohol is a diuretic, meaning it increases the frequency of urination, which leads to dehydration. In response to dehydration, the body retains extra water, causing facial tissues to swell and giving the face a puffy appearance. Additionally, alcohol triggers inflammation throughout the body, which can manifest on the skin as redness, puffiness, and enlarged pores.
What are the causes of morning face puffiness?
Morning puffiness could be a possible sign of Hashimotos, which is the autoimmune form of hypothyroidism. Additionally, kidney or liver issues can contribute to fluid imbalance and swelling. Also excess cortisol levels can lead to facial puffiness as well as a constellation of other findings, known as Cushing’s syndrome, which can be a sign of excess cortisol production in your body from a variety of reasons.
When is it a good idea to contact a doctor about face puffiness?
If facial puffiness is recurring or worsening and at-home remedies aren’t helping, it may be worth consulting with a healthcare provider to rule out any underlying medical concerns.
For personalized recommendations, schedule a consultation at SOM Aesthetics to learn how we help dispel puffy face.
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