How to Depuff Your Face: 7 Methods to Treat a Puffy Face

Depuffing is any element of your skincare routine that focuses on reducing facial puffiness and dark circles under your eyes. There are several techniques and products you can use to achieve this end, but even water and ice cubes are helpful tools to add to your arsenal. Do your best to combine a proactive and preventative approach to facial bloating with in-the-moment problem-solving strategies to depuff your face when necessary.

You’re most likely to experience a puffy or bloated face when you’re suffering from a lack of hydration. Alcohol, caffeine, and sodium can all dehydrate you and lead to a buildup of puffiness in your face, especially overnight. They do so by causing your body to hold on more desperately to the water reserves it already has. This fluid retention interacts with your blood vessels to make your face look red and puffy.

There are multiple ways to depuff your face, all relatively easy. Here are seven strategies you can try to reduce facial bloating:

• Dip your face in cold water. If you wake up with a puffy face, fill your sink with cold water or take a cold shower. The water will constrict blood vessels to cut down on redness, hydrate your skin, and debloat your face overall. You can also include an anti-inflammatory soap, oil, or supplement in your sink for added skin benefits. Think about throwing some ice cubes into the mix, too, to expedite the process.
• Hydrate regularly. Your face is less likely to become puffy when you’re fully hydrated.Your jawline and under-eye region, along with the rest of your face, will all benefit from hydrating regularly, especially if you're looking to avoid puffiness. While products like moisturizers can help keep your skin debloated, they can’t fully substitute for the benefits of simply drinking enough water every day.
• Massage your face with ice cubes. As you treat yourself to a facial massage with the ice cubes, focus on any areas that look particularly red or puffy. Gradually, your face will start to debloat as you use the chill and hydration of the water alongside the pressure of your hands to encourage greater blood circulation.
• Monitor the foods and drinks you consume. Alcohol, caffeine, and sodium all dehydrate you and cause water retention and bloating as a result. Alcohol also disrupts your natural sleep cycle, and caffeine too late in the day can lead to a lack of sleep overall. Alongside dehydration, not getting enough sleep is a leading cause of facial puffiness.
• Sleep on your back. Grab an extra pillow and sleep on your back with your head elevated to prevent water retention in your face. When you sleep on your side or stomach, your face is more likely to bloat. Alternatively, when you sleep in an elevated position, facing the ceiling, you give your body less of a chance to let fluid store itself in your face even if you’re dehydrated. Still, it’s best to maintain adequate hydration alongside trying this as a supplemental technique.
• Try a green tea eye cream. Caffeine too late at night can dehydrate you and keep you awake, but using a caffeinated green tea eye cream or face oil in the morning can help depuff your face. The light caffeine combined with the antioxidants in green tea products will help reduce the redness and bloating around your puffy eye areas. If you have enough time, try a face mask with green tea ingredients.
• Use a cold face roller. Depuffing your face is easy with a facial roller, especially if it’s cold. Place a jade roller in your freezer overnight, and then use it to give yourself a face massage the next morning, stimulating both your skin and lymph nodes. This lymphatic drainage massage technique stimulates collagen, positively affects both blood circulation and constriction, and leads to less facial bloat. Combine a roller with a gua sha tool for an even more vigorous and effective massage, provided you’ve researched how to use both tools safely.

Individuals experience different levels of sensitivity to ingredients found in various skincare products. To prevent adverse reactions, consult a dermatologist before applying a new product to your skin. This article is for educational and informational purposes only, and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.

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