The various types of under-eye bags.

Lack of sleep, stress, smoking, alcohol consumption, etc... under-eye bags are the result of an unsuitable lifestyle. Unsightly, swollen, dark, they weigh down the gaze, making one appear older, tired and sad. We can distinguish two categories of under-eye bags:

• The under-eye bags known as adipose :

  The skin of the lower eyelid gradually slackens due to theaccumulation of sub-orbital fat. As we age, the production of collagen and elastin decreases. Coupled with the effect of gravity, we observe a downward shift of the fatty tissues, which protect the eyeball, accumulating in the lower eyelid. There is no miracle cure for the fatty bags that form under the eyes with age, however, their appearance can be limited by maintaining a healthy lifestyle. This promotes good ageing of the tissues, particularly the facial tissues which are particularly sensitive to external aggressions. The only effective technique otherwise involves surgically removing the excess fat cells from the lower eyelid.

• The under-eye bags, commonly referred to as 'watery' :

  Often very pronounced upon waking, the bags under the eyes gradually fade throughout the morning. This type of bag is the result of fluid accumulation in the area under the eyes. In a lying position, blood and lymph more easily stagnate in the vessels, which then fill with fluid. Under the effect of blood pressure, the aqueous part escapes from the capillaries and ends up in the extravascular sector, forming bags under the eyes. This is therefore an oedema of the lower eyelid, which forms throughout the night, and reaches its maximum volume upon waking. Everyone is susceptible to these bags appearing upon waking. A lack of lymphatic and venous drainage would be correlated with this phenomenon, as it promotes the passage of fluid from the vascular sector to the extra-vascular sector.