Horrible under eye circles and bags!

[lerenard]

Hey there.

I stopped smoking a month ago, after about 7 years. It was always on and off, sometimes I had a pack a day, sometimes a pack in one week. Never felt addicted, just liked it, but I guess everybody tells that, right?)

Surprisingly quitting wasn't hard! I had less and less lately, and then decided to stop at all. I don't have cravings, I don't want to eat more or something like this.

My only problem is my skin has been a b*tch these last couple of weeks after I quit, and I have very bad eye bags and dark circles! Never had these in my life, can it be associated with quitting somehow? I have enough sleep, I eat well, I have enough water everyday, I take vitamins, I do exercise, so I have no idea why else can my skin and under-eye area be that bad lately. Any advice? I do work at the computer though, but its never been an issue. I do eye exercises and tea compresses every now and then. Still it keeps getting worse. I used an under-eye serum for this whole month too - no visible result.

[Ayanokōji]

Could it be just natural aging?

[lerenard]

I'm 23 and I don't have it in heritage. It looks like I'm just lacking sleep and am very tired, but I'm not.

So I was wondering what can be the reason, and the only big change I had in my life style lately is quitting cigarettes. But shouldn't they become better after that instead of being worse?

[itsallgrand]

All kinds of weird things happened when I quit to my skin. the glowing right after quitting that some people report?? Didn't happen to me.

 

Give it much more time than a month. You smoked for a long time.

[puppyturtle]

Hey

 

Quitting smoking can have an effect on skin conditions, etc due to the withdrawal from nicotine, however you shouldn't just assume that's what the cause is, this may be indicative of something else- especially if its something new. There are many different things which may cause differences in the skin organ, for example hormones (as seen in teenage years), a deficiency of vitamins D (maybe caused by lack of sunlight exposure- may require supplements), and of course far more serious things (as seen when someone is ill, their skin may grow pallid, break out, etc). If it bothers you/ isn't getting better/ you see any other changes- I would suggest seeing a doctor and not try to self diagnose. (Sorry I may have made this slightly more intense than necessary)

[7thSign]

You can get bags under your eyes for a number of reasons. Most often, it indicates a poor liver function. I find i get them if: i eat too much sugar, don't get enough sleep, too much wheat in diet, drinking alc. basically, bags under the eyes means you are putting too many toxins into your body. Do you get miagraines too?

[lerenard]

No, can`t say I have migraines. I don't drink (red wine on a rare occasions) and as said before I eat healthy. I barely eat anything sugary, one chocolate candy with coffee in the morning maybe. So i have no idea where these "toxins" are coming from. Besides these bags and dark circles I feel very good physically.

I heard that at first when you expect your skin to become nice and glowing it gets worse then ever because you are going through this elimination process at first. Thats ok, but these bags... omg.

[T Rex]

I was in my early twenties when I started getting dark under eye circles. The intensity comes and goes. They seem their worst when I'm going through stress and when I drop weight, but can crop up for reasons others have described.

 

I think people often lose a lot of that cherubic face-chubbyness toward their early twenties, and gradually more over time. Sometimes bodies just do weird things while adapting, usually temporary.

 

My semi-cure for my circles, other than the obvious routes of sleep/diet/water, is using a face moisturizer after every time I wash my face/get out of the shower. Not a wrinkle or under-eye cream, just a face lotion. Also I avoid creamy concealers/foundations and stick to lose mineral powders. My skin tone seems to look its healthiest when not bogged down with pastey chemicals. What works for you may be very different, but don't give up.

[lerenard]

Thanks T Rex! I will try some good moisturizer. Also I wore only a BB cream recently, but for the last week I needed a concealer because I just looked like a homeless person that sleeps in a TV box))) Also never tried mineral powder, well, maybe its time. ))

[Heather Dawn]

A lot of times, when you quit smoking, your skin is affected because your body is purging itself of the toxins. Give it time.