In the early stages of dehydration, your body tries to hold on to fluid causing water retention. Water is drawn into the blood vessels, causing them to swell. This leads to areas of the body, especially the face, becoming bloated and puffy looking.
There are lots of things that you can do to try and reduce facial swelling, ranging from drinking plenty of fluids, especially water and green tea, rollering your face, splashing your face with cold water and sleeping on your back.
Dehydration can cause blood vessels to enlarge that can lead to water retention, especially in the face causing it to be puffy.
"Most changes in the face are from water retention," explained Cynthia Sass, RD, Health's contributing nutrition editor. "The three biggest culprits for fluid retention that shows up on the face are sodium, excess carbs, and alcohol."
Key takeaways. A puffy face may be a normal reaction to an allergy, part of being pregnant, or a side effect of taking steroids. A puffy face may also be a sign of an underlying medical condition such as a thyroid disorder, Cushing's disease, or an infection.
Causes of facial swelling may include: Allergic reaction (allergic rhinitis, hay fever, or a bee sting) Angioedema. Blood transfusion reaction.
A swollen face has many different causes, ranging from dehydration to a life-threatening allergic reaction. Infections in the eyes, mouth, or salivary glands are other common causes. If you're having an allergic reaction, you may also experience hives, wheezing, or difficulty breathing.
Massaging your face or body where you're retaining water may help reduce swelling. Try stroking the affected area toward your heart using firm—but not painful—pressure, which can help move excess fluid out of the area. If you're feeling fancy, try using a jade roller or gua sha tool.
Drink a cup of hot water and lemon as soon as you wake up. This will help kick start and aid in your body's natural detoxification process. Applying a cool, damp compress over your face and leaving it for 10 minutes or so will also work. The colder the compress the better so I recommend using ice water.
Stay hydrated
Staying hydrated is crucial, especially if you're trying to lose facial fat. Drinking water between meals can keep you full and help you lose weight. Moreover, not drinking enough water leads to water retention, which can cause your cheeks to bloat and look puffy.
Antihistamines can reduce the swelling and itchiness of rashes and hives on the face. They can also help with symptoms such as watering eyes, stuffy nose, and breathing difficulty.
If your skin or under-eye area has ever gotten puffy or swollen after indulging in too much candy (or cocktails), cytokines are responsible. Best practice is to avoid sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, and anything ending in -ose—after all, none of these are exactly good for your waistline, either.
Carbohydrates, such as bread, white rice, and pasta, cause facial bloating due to water retention and an increase in inflammation. Limit the intake of processed carbs and replace them with whole foods, such as vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds.
Why is my face getting fat but not my body? Increased facial fat is typically due to weight gain. It may also be as a result of water retention, which can make the face appear puffy or swollen. Making changes to a person's diet and lifestyle can help support weight management and prevent excess facial fat.
A lack of thyroid hormone can be associated with facial swelling, though not everyone with hypothyroidism experiences this symptom. Facial puffiness is most common in advanced hypothyroidism. It usually accompanies other changes in a person's appearance, including a change in skin texture and tone.
Periorbital and facial swelling with erythema are clinical manifestations of dermatomyositis and systemic lupus erythematosus.
Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome is a rare neurological disorder characterized by recurring facial paralysis, swelling of the face and lips (usually upper lip), and the development of folds and furrows in the tongue. Onset is in childhood or early adolescence.
Cases of angioedema without an identifiable cause are known as idiopathic angioedema. It may be that a problem with the immune system sometimes causes it to "misfire". In cases of idiopathic angioedema, certain triggers may lead to swelling, such as: anxiety or stress.
Mumps: Virus Causes Puffy Cheeks and Sometimes, Serious Complications. The bottom line: Mumps is a viral contagious disease. People know mumps for patients' swollen cheeks and jaw, but patients also suffer fever, headache, muscle aches, tiredness, and loss of appetite.