# Bags under the eyes **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 10, 2002, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bags-under-the-eyes/108345 "2002-05-10T19:19:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![OfBlinkingThings](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ebca7d/32.png) [@OfBlinkingThings](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OfBlinkingThings)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2002, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bags-under-the-eyes/108345/1 "2002-05-10T19:19:40Z")
My girlfriend is making me ask this…How does she get bags out from under her eyes. She doesnt even really have them bad, only a little darkness, but she still wants a remedy. thanks ---
**Author:** ![peepthis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9d8465/32.png) [@peepthis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peepthis)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2002, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bags-under-the-eyes/108345/2 "2002-05-10T20:08:23Z")
I remember reading an interview with a Hollywood makeup specialist who recommended using (no joke) **Preparation H** under your eyes to reduce the bags. It reduces the swelling. ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2002, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bags-under-the-eyes/108345/3 "2002-05-10T20:15:01Z")
Preparation H no longer contains the ingredient purported to accomplish this. AFAIK, the only way to get rid of those bags is to sleep more, stress less, eat better, and wear makeup. ---
**Author:** ![Avumede](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/avumede/32/7235_2.png) [@Avumede](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avumede)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2002, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bags-under-the-eyes/108345/4 "2002-05-10T20:35:50Z")
[Cecil has done this one](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a990305.html) ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2002, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bags-under-the-eyes/108345/5 "2002-05-10T20:37:28Z")
The master’s take on Preparation H for the eyes: [http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a990305.html](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a990305.html) Sorry I can’t address the OP. If I could, I wouldn’t look like Philip Baker Hall. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2002, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bags-under-the-eyes/108345/6 "2002-05-10T20:38:58Z")
Whoops. Slow fingers. ---
**Author:** ![Tsubaki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@Tsubaki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tsubaki)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2002, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bags-under-the-eyes/108345/7 "2002-05-11T00:20:31Z")
OK, what about BLACKNESS under the eyes? I’ve had it for as long as I can remember. Nothing I’ve tried so far has got rid of it. Alas, it looks like my two kids are heading down the same road, too. Is it genetic and nothing can be done about it? Or is there a cure? What causes it anyway? BTW, I don’t have puffiness, just dark circles. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2002, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bags-under-the-eyes/108345/8 "2002-05-11T02:03:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tsubaki \* > \*\*OK, what about BLACKNESS under the eyes? > > I’ve had it for as long as I can remember. Nothing I’ve tried so far has got rid of it. Alas, it looks like my two kids are heading down the same road, too. > > Is it genetic and nothing can be done about it? Or is there a cure? What causes it anyway? > > BTW, I don’t have puffiness, just dark circles. \*\* Try taking the spoon out of your coffee _before_ you drink it. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Tsubaki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@Tsubaki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tsubaki)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2002, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bags-under-the-eyes/108345/9 "2002-05-11T03:22:43Z")
Har har har 😃 ---
**Author:** ![jezzaOZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a9a28c/32.png) [@jezzaOZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jezzaOZ)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2002, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bags-under-the-eyes/108345/10 "2002-05-11T03:50:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tsubaki \* > **OK, what about BLACKNESS under the eyes?** It’s caused by blood pooling as a result of chronic sinusitus. Probably you don’t even notice you have it. Clues are a constant post-nasal drip (swallowing ‘stuff’), pain in your head when stooping, a ‘spaced out’ feeling a lot of the time, or recurrent ear infections. Try sinusitus medicine, nasal sprays etc, but you will probably need surgery to fix the problem. Your kids have it because sinusitus and hay fever have a strong genetic component ---
**Author:** ![Tsubaki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@Tsubaki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tsubaki)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2002, 9:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bags-under-the-eyes/108345/11 "2002-05-11T09:42:49Z")
Are you sure? No post-nasal drip. No pain in my head when stooping (just light-headedness when I stand up too quickly). No spaced-out feeling. Never an ear infection. I won’t rule it out…but it seems unlikely.