Dermatologist explains why face swells in morning and how to avoid it
Why your face swells and how to avoid it (photo: Freepik)
Swelling of the face in the morning concerns many women and men. If it happens only occasionally and for objective reasons, there's no need to worry. However, when swelling occurs daily without significant reasons, it's important to address the underlying cause, according to the Huffpost website
Why the face swells
Dermatologist Zakia Rahman says that at the end of the day, people can also experience swelling in their feet or legs.
Certain diseases can cause facial swelling
Certain conditions like allergies, eczema, and asthma can cause facial swelling. Increased facial swelling may be noticeable in the morning due to these conditions.
Anything that triggers allergies can lead to facial swelling.
Additionally, those with rosacea experience increased facial swelling. During rosacea, blood vessels expand and contract, causing swelling and redness.
Genetics
According to the doctor, if your parents experienced morning facial swelling, it's likely you might too.
Some people are genetically predisposed to swelling in the morning.
Alcohol consumption can contribute to morning facial swelling. Alcohol reduces the production of natural anti-diuretic hormone, causing the body to lose more fluid and become dehydrated. When the body is dehydrated, it retains water, leading to a more swollen appearance than usual.
Foods with a high salt content
Eating salty foods, especially late at night, is the main cause of nighttime facial swelling.
Excess salt in the diet leads to swelling of the body. The body retains water when it detects an influx of salt so that the cells do not become too salty.
Sweets
Sugar also retains fluid in the body. Typically, we consume more sugar than salt, making desserts a threat to swelling, especially when eaten late at night.
How to reduce facial puffiness
Adding an extra pillow to your bed can help minimize morning facial swelling.
Sleeping on a higher incline can help drain fluid from the face overnight.
If you wake up with particularly swollen eyes, you can place a chilled cucumber slice over them for 15 minutes. Cooling combined with cucumber's high water content helps soothe the skin.
The quickest method is to wash your face with cold water.
British research found that drinking coffee reduces rosacea symptoms because caffeine is a vasoconstrictor.
Caffeine can also help with general facial swelling.
