Cucumber is not only popular as a complement to dishes or processed drinks, but can also be useful in relieving complaints in the eye area. Compressing cucumber on the eye area is believed to relieve puffy eyes and panda eyes. Is it true that the treatment is effective?

Causes of Dark Circles and Puffy Eyes

Dark circles is the term for dark or dark circles under the eyes. Depending on your skin color, these circles can be bluish, purple, brown, or black. Generally, dark circles are not a dangerous condition or indicative of a health problem, but they can make you look more tired or older than you actually are.

The causes of dark circles can be varied, which include:

• Lack of sleep/sleep deprivation
• Genetics factors
• Habitual eye rubbing 
• Fluid deficiency
• Unhealthy lifestyles such as stress, alcoholism, and smoking

Puffy eyes, also known as periorbital puffiness, is caused by fluid retention (fluid that gets trapped and makes the area swollen) under the eyes. There are various causes of puffy eyes, including:

• Allergies
• Lack of sleep/sleep deprivation
• Eating too much salt
• Medical conditions such as thyroid gland disease in the neck
• Age-related factors

Both dark circles and puffy eyes are generally less of a serious problem and more of a cosmetic issue. You can try to camouflage or get rid of dark circles or puffy eyes in a variety of ways, from changing your lifestyle, doing home treatments or treatments at beauty clinics.

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Benefits of Cucumber Compress for Eyes

One home treatment for dark circles and puffy eyes is to apply a cucumber compress. Cucumber has several benefits for skin health. Cucumber contains about 95% water, so it is good for hydrating the skin both when placed on the skin and when consumed.

Cucumber also contains high levels of vitamin C, lignans, cucurbitacin, flavonoids, antioxidants, and other minerals that are good for the skin. Cucumber is naturally cooling to the skin and does not contain acids or other aromas that irritate the eyes.

Some studies have shown that applying cucumber compresses to the eyes can provide benefits such as:

• Provides a soothing effect on the skin
• Hydrates the eyes and the surrounding tissues
• Reduces dark circles and puffy eyes
• Reduces inflammation due to the presence of lignans
• Helps to treat sunburns
• Lightens skin due to its ability to inhibit tyrosinase, an enzyme involved in melanin production

The cooling effect of cucumber can relax the skin and relieve irritation and puffiness around the eyes. Cucumber also contains silica compounds that can encourage collagen production and offer skin-brightening benefits around the eyes. Cucumber is also believed to improve skin hydration and viscoelasticity.

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How to Compress Cucumber for Eyes

If you want to compress your eyes using cucumber, you should first store the cucumber in the refrigerator. Wash and dry your face as usual. After that, wash the cucumber, remove the skin to taste, and then cut the cucumber into 1 cm thick pieces. For eye compresses using cucumber, try to make the cucumber pieces cover the eyebrow area and the upper and lower eyelids. You can use one or several cucumbers until the area is covered.

Apply the cucumber compress for 15 minutes or so. If the cucumber feels warm, you can turn it on its side to enjoy the cool sensation again.

You can do this treatment as often as you like, according to your needs. Puffy eyes and dark circles can generally subside on their own or with healthier lifestyle changes such as improving sleep quality, staying hydrated, applying moisturizer to the face, and avoiding UV exposure. However, if you feel there is no significant result from this home treatment, you can consult a doctor.

If you need medical advice or consultation, you can either visit a doctor or make use of the consultation features that are available in the Ai Care application by downloading the Ai Care application from the App Store or Play Store.

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