# Under eye bags: Fat or fluid retention?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/under-eye-bags-fat-or-fluid-retention/316623>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 11, 2005, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/under-eye-bags-fat-or-fluid-retention/316623 "2005-08-11T18:50:22Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![dre2xl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/34f0e0/32.png) [@dre2xl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dre2xl)\
**Post date:** [August 11, 2005, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/under-eye-bags-fat-or-fluid-retention/316623/1 "2005-08-11T18:50:22Z")

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From my research on getting rid of eye bags, I see that they are either caused by fat (surgery needed) or fluid retention (remedies might work). Before I spend $50 on some department store cream, is there a way to differentiate?

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**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\
**Post date:** [August 11, 2005, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/under-eye-bags-fat-or-fluid-retention/316623/2 "2005-08-11T20:53:37Z")

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What makes you think a topical treatment might do for either of those conditions? The best it may do is perhaps tighten skin temporarily but it won’t do a thing for fluid within the tissue underneath. In any case there are cheaper remedies to tighten skin temporarily.

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**Author:** ![MaryEFoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@MaryEFoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaryEFoo)\
**Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/under-eye-bags-fat-or-fluid-retention/316623/3 "2005-08-12T02:51:47Z")

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Fat springs back differently than edema when you press it with your fingertip. Don’t press hard enough to hurt, but press for 20 seconds or so.

Edema tends to leave a dent that fills in a couple of seconds; fat springs back.

Note this is medical-type information and an amateur is speaking.

And do you find puffiness anywhere else? (ankles, …) If so, pursue.

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**Author:** ![dre2xl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/34f0e0/32.png) [@dre2xl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dre2xl)\
**Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 10:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/under-eye-bags-fat-or-fluid-retention/316623/4 "2005-08-12T10:07:51Z")

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Figures that **Padeye** would be first to answer this question. 🙂 I was half kidding about the $50 cream–I just don’t want to mess with teabags, cuke slices, and the like if it’s permanent fat.

And, it does indeed look like permanent fat, and at such a young age too. ☹ Thanks, **MaryEFoo**.