B2-12 Marina Bay Link Mall, 8A Marina Boulevard, Marina Bay Financial Center, Singapore 018984
Monday to Friday | 11 am to 8 pm
Saturday & Sun | 11 am to 6 pm
Closed on public holidays
Eye bags, undereye bags or puffy eyes are a common cosmetic concern. While harmless, they can make you appear tired or older. Suffering from eye bags and puffy eyes? Here’s a list of the most common causes of eye bags and tips for managing them.
As you get older, the muscles and tissues around your eyes weaken. The orbital septum weakens, leading to herniation of the orbital fat. Periorbital skin also loses collagen and elasticity, developing fine lines and becoming loose and saggy. For most people, eye bags start to develop in their 40s and become significant in their 50s and 60s.
Excess salt intake, alcohol consumption and hormonal fluctuations can cause your body to retain fluid — especially around your eyes. This puffiness often appears worse in the morning after lying down overnight. Fluid retention often worsens the appearance of pre-existing eye bags. In patients who have had undereye fillers, a common scenario is when Hyaluronic acid gel-based undereye fillers draw in water, known as the Tyndall effect.
Lack of adequate sleep contributes to fluid buildup and poor circulation, making eye bags more pronounced. Chronic sleep loss also contributes to dark eye circles, which often co-exist with eye bags
Seasonal allergies or sensitivities to dust, mould, or pet dander can trigger inflammation and histamine release, resulting in red, itchy, and puffy eyes. This often happens in children and teenagers who have nose allergies (allergic rhinitis) and eye allergies (allergic conjunctivitis). When exposed to the allergen trigger, these individuals develop symptoms of red, itching, puffy and tearing eyes, stuffy noses and sneezing.
In extreme cases, eyelid puffiness may be due to angioedema, where it is accompanied by sudden and severe eyelid, lip and tongue swelling. This is a potentially life-threatening condition and needs urgent treatment. Another rare but potentially serious condition that may present with eyebags and puffy eyes is thyroid eye disease, where the individual experiences gradual swelling and inflammation of the upper and lower eyelids, as well as the orbital (eye socket) tissues, leading to proptosis (eye bulging). This usually occurs in patients with established hyperthyroidism due to Graves' disease.
Eye bags that form gradually due to the natural ageing process are harmless, with treatment only required for the purpose of improving the appearance of the individual (ie, cosmetic purposes).
However, eye bags and puffy eyes may be a sign of a more serious medical condition
You should consult a doctor if:
While some causes of eye bags—like getting older—can’t be changed, you can take some steps to reduce their appearance.
At Bay Aesthetics Clinic, we offer evidence-based treatments tailored to the severity of eye bags. In general, early to moderate eye bags can benefit from in-clinic, minimally invasive treatments, while severe eye bags may require eyebag removal surgery (Lower blepharoplasty).
Strategically placed undereye fillers improve the appearance of eye bags by providing structural support to the undereye, ‘pushing back’ against the bulging orbital fat. Results can be seen right away and last for up to a year. The current trend now is to inject Deusaderm Collagen Eye - a highly purified collagen that restores volume, improves skin quality and lightens dark eye circles without the risk of filler migration or fluid retention causing Tyndall's effect.
Loose and sagging skin is a key contributing factor to the formation of eye bags, hence, skin tightening treatments for the delicate eye area are helpful when treating early to moderate eye bags. Oligio RF Eye utilises monopolar radiofrequency and a specialised eye tip to target the delicate eye area. Oligio RF Eye treatment is a non-surgical treatment for: mild droopy upper eyelids, mild eye bags, fine lines and loose skin around the eye. The treatment is not painful and has no downtime, with results that can last for up to a year.
For more significant or persistent eye bags, we will recommend eyebag removal surgery, aka lower eyelid blepharoplasty. This minor surgery removes and repositions fat and tightens the skin. Downtime is minimal (about a week), and the scar can be kept hidden via internal incisions.
During your consultation, we will assess your under-eye anatomy, skin quality and contributing factors (like volume loss or fluid retention). You’ll receive a tailored treatment plan that may include aesthetic or surgical options, depending on the severity of your eyebags and your preferences.
Non-surgical treatments such as fillers and radiofrequency are performed in-clinic with minimal discomfort. Blepharoplasty is done under local anaesthesia and usually takes about 1–2 hours.
Expect mild swelling or bruising that resolves within days to a week for non-invasive options, or up to 1–2 weeks for surgery.
We provide detailed aftercare instructions and support to ensure your recovery is smooth.
Eye bags don’t have to be permanent. Whether you prefer non-invasive treatments or are considering surgery, our team is here to guide you every step of the way.
At Bay Aesthetics Clinic and Medical Spa, Medical Directors Dr Bernard Tan and Dr Hoe Ying Min are both experienced doctors with over 20 years of combined experience and thousands of patients. With their steady hands, deep knowledge of aesthetic medicine and a keen eye for beauty, they have accumulated a loyal following of patients. A high volume of Deusaderm Eye and Oligio RF Eye is performed at Bay Aesthetics Clinic. Eyebag removal surgery (lower blepharoplasty) is performed by our partner Plastic surgeon, Dr Jonah Kua
Book a consultation with us today.
