Do you get puffy face in the morning? Check out expert tips on how to avoid and solve this problem

Waking up in the morning and having a swollen face, who has never been through this, right? But, although the situation may seem natural, it is just a symptom that can reveal a series of questions about your own body, such as the need to change habits or even a health check-up. Want to understand more about it? Check out expert tips on the causes, how to avoid and solve this problem.

What are the causes of puffy face in the morning?

"Morning swelling on the face appears - and it has several causes. During sleep, the lymphatic system slows down and, as it is responsible for the absorption of liquid from the cells, there is a predisposition for this swelling", explains dermatologist Dr. M&ocirc;nica Aribi, "But the most important triggers are a high-sodium diet, alcohol consumption, medication, hormonal changes, sleeping position, and even genetic causes."
According to the doctor, thyroid dysregulations may also be related to this issue. "The gland produces a hormone that regulates metabolism and body temperature. If you are producing too little, the metabolic changes can cause the swelling to increase as well", he says. "In this case, it is advisable to see a doctor to prescribe the correct medication."
"edema is also closly related to the inflammation of the skin produced by the stress hormone, which is cortisol. The more this hormone is produced, the more it attacks the skin structure, and the greater the edema. The eye area, because it has a slightly thinner structure, when we release cortisol due to stress, with difficulty sleeping, a lot of work, shifts, is quite affected, as all this compromises its structure due to the inflammation produced", highlights Ludmila Bonelli, specialist in dermatocosmetics aand scientific director of Be Belle.

How to solve swelling on the face in the morning?

Drink more water and eat more vegetables The body retains more water in response to the dehydrating effects. So, first of all, take steps to reduce these effects. “Watching your diet, eating more vegetables, and drinking plenty of water throughout the day are the best ways to fight the causes of bloating. Coconut water and green tea are also options”, explains the doctor. But remember: give the sodium a break, okay? Wash your face with cold water As soon as you wake up, wash your face with cold water and a specific soap for your skin type, preferably with botanical extracts with anti-inflammatory, calming and decongestant action, such as chamomile and fennel. They will help to reduce the swelling.

Use thermal water
The night before, leave your thermal water bottle with soothing actives in the fridge. &ldquo;Right after washing your face in the morning, spray it on your face. The product's cold temperature refreshes and decongests the skin. In addition, it is rich in trace elements, mineral salts that help to provide better water balance, with a complementary phytodraining action&rdquo;, he explains.
Get a face massage
Swelling in the face can also be controlled by performing a massage. &ldquo;Facial massage improves blood circulation, which contributes to efficient oxygenation and makes skin cells properly nourished. This is also an excellent form of self-care to relax and reduce stress,&rdquo; explains vascular surgeon Dr. Aline Lamaita, member of the Brazilian Society of Angiology and Vascular Surgery.

Apply a caffeine-containing cream to the eye area Puffy eyes are a super common complaint because the skin is so thin. “All of the above tips and tricks can help, but consider a caffeine-based eye cream as well. Caffeine constricts blood vessels and reduces swelling as a result&quot;, says the doctor. Therefore, we need to fill this space of sagging with good collagen”, explains Ludmila Bonelli, cosm iatra , specialist in dermatocosmetics and scientific director of Be Belle. The professional suggests Be Shiny eye cream. “It enters this process precisely because it has collagen-producing assets, such as Vitamin C that stimulates fibroblasts, Coenzyme Q10 itself, which improves cellular energy, but it also has an antiglycant, Alistin, which manages to improve the structure of collagen that has been attacked. for a high-sugar diet. Usually, the people who suffer the most from edema are those who have the most glycated skin, damaged by sugar.

On the face, remember the Vitamin C and protector “Internally, Vitamin C works to provide topical antioxidant action, with a decrease in collagen-degrading enzymes, which is particularly important if the reason for the swelling is the diet”, says Dr. Monica. “Sunscreen should be used daily. to avoid damage to the skin”, he adds. Don&#39;t skip exercise Regular physical activity is an excellent way to relieve and prevent swelling. “Exercise doesn&#39;t just increase your heart rate, which improves blood flow. In addition, the muscle contraction itself already contributes to the drainage of liquids”, explains Dr. Monica. Dr. Aline also points out that exercising also helps with weight control. &quot;Extra pounds put more pressure on the heart and reduce blood flow throughout the body, predisposing to swelling problems,&quot; says the vascular surgeon.

It is necessary to change some lifestyle habits, add some types of skin care, but if the problem is not resolved, it is better to see a doctor for hormonal investigation.
Change sleeping position:
Lying on your stomach or side is like "kneading" your face, so it favors morning swelling. &ldquo;If possible, elevate your head with more than one pillow and sleep on your back. This also helps not to mark the face so much, which is related to the appearance of wrinkles&rdquo;, says dermatologist Dr. Monica Aribi.
Keep an eye on the amount of water
Drinking water is good to solve and also to avoid the problem. Make sure you consume at least 2L of water a day &ndash; and increase that intake if necessary.

Watch out for sugar and extra salt in your diet
Especially before bed, the ideal is to reduce salt. "Eating high-sodium foods at night makes people thirsty, so they drink more water before bed. Water is retained by our bodies and accumulates in different areas, including the face," explains Dr. Monica. &ldquo;Consuming more canned, preserved, processed and ultra-processed products, which are high in sodium, can be a danger. These foods can also be more potentially inflammatory, high in sugar, simple carbohydrates, and bad fat.
Also keep an eye on boxed juices and light, diet and zero products, which also have a lot of sodium in their composition&rdquo;, says Dr. Monica. &ldquo;Remember that in the short term some effects of food on the skin are quite noticeable. After a weekend of binge eating, drinking alcoholic beverages and very sweets, we woke up swollen, with bags under our eyes and even a few extra kilos&rdquo;, explains plastic surgeon Dr. Beatriz Lassance, member of the Brazilian Society of Plastic Surgery.
&ldquo;Instead, eat fresh fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, and complex carbohydrates like whole grains and brown rice to prevent bloating. Natural diuretics &ndash; such as celery, cucumber, watermelon, tomato, asparagus and garlic &ndash; can also help reduce swelling.

Reduce the consumption of alcoholic beverages When drinking two or more drinks a day, there is an enormous amount of damage that occurs to the skin: “Alcohol affects every membrane, mucous membrane, from the pancreas and liver to the skin. The first effect is dehydration as it actually draws all the fluid out of the skin. This dehydration can also translate into facial swelling, especially in the eye region,” says the dermatologist. “Alcohol is similar to glucose, but the molecule is smaller and more easily absorbed, increasing blood glucose even faster. The glycemic index of alcohol is even higher than that of sugar. This causes a huge increase in the production of free radicals and glycation, in a way a generalized inflammation. Glucose storage, at first, is in the form of glycogen, which requires a lot of water. That&#39;s why we feel thirsty after eating sugar, and consequently we bloat, we retain water to deal with this excess sugar and free radicals”, details Dr. Beatriz Lassance. “If you look at a woman who has been drinking for 20 or 30 years and a woman the same age who has not been drinking, you will see a huge difference in the skin. A hint? Don&#39;t drink,&quot; explains Dr. Monica Aribi. Keeping an eye on skincare: Some seaweed extracts act as a metabolic stimulant, which helps improve cellular energy production, helping against bloating. But also invest in products that have action against edema: this is the case of those that have decongestant actives. “The phytodraining actives manage to rebuild the entire circulatory structure that is inside the skin, where this edema forms. The greater the circulation optimization, decongesting with phyto-draining actives, the better the circulation and the smaller the edema”, says Ludmila, who indicates the cream with draining action Reduct, by Be Belle.

&ldquo;Reduct is a very interesting product to be used twice a day on the entire face to reduce edema in the entire region, but it can also be used in the eye area to reduce edema in the upper and lower eyelids of the eye area. Passing the product at night, when you wake up, you feel like you have drained. It helps to reduce these inflammations produced by cortisol and which are related to edema. At the same time, it is also indicated for skin problems such as dermatitis&rdquo;, adds Ludmila.
Finally, the dermatologist reinforces that it is also important to remember to remove makeup before bed. &ldquo;Inflammation in the skin makes the swelling worse and sleeping with makeup on will contribute to that. If the problem is persistent, hormonal medical investigation will be necessary&rdquo;, he concludes.

Swollen face in the morning: Here's how to avoid and solve it

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