The middle-aged puffy face

[davidcameronsshed]

I'm 44 and for the past 2 years or so I have witnessed my face becoming more "puffy", and my once large-ish eyes looking smaller. (I also had a baby at 41 so it could be that, but I'm pretty sure I've seen other "middle-aged" women complaining about this on here so I think it's just age and hormones / peri)?

The other day on a Zoom I noticed my face looked more puffy and round than ever. Coincidentally (or not) the day before I had consumed more alcohol than normal due to a special occasion - nearly a whole bottle of wine. Normally I either don't drink or only have 1-2 glasses.

So... questions:

• does middle age puffy face get worse with alcohol?
• conversely, can it be improved by drinking even less?
• has anyone on here ever successfully reduced their middle-age puffy face and had their eyes back to looking bigger???

I wake up with a puffy face but it goes as I get more awake. Anyone experience this? It doesn’t last all day

@SaltPepperPotato

I use a Gua Sha tool in the morning after washing my face and it really helps with puffiness, much better than a jade roller,

loads of videos on YouTube

Oh brilliant, I will give it a go

I notice when I stop drinking - completely - for a month or so, my eyes are about double the size, and in holiday photos I start off looking perfectly presentable and end up with peepers like pissholes in the snow by the final day. If you want to check, why not knock it on the head, just til Christmas, you might get a shock. Drinking lots of water makes a difference as well. Can’t speak to jade rollers, I can barely be arsed to shave my armpits.

And now - a glass of wine to celebrate my useful learnings 🤣

Stress/ high cortisol can cause a puffy face apparently. Could that be a factor if you’ve had a baby and gone back to work etc? I have to force myself but meditation helped me along with healthy food, very low alcohol and exercise (not too high impact)
getting older is boring 😆

I don’t drink alcohol and I’m sugar-free bug I’ve developed a puffy round face iver the last few years… Mid-forties.

Either hormones or all the cheese.

That's interesting. I am quite stressed and have puffiness but also double chin but am also quite fat atm

@FMLife I started HRT in September. No changes yet unfortunately...

How do people use their jade rollers anyway? Do you use serum or just water on your face with it? And for how long?

There are medical conditions that can cause what you're describing OP, I can't remember what they are though.. Otherwise not drinking enough can make you retain water and obviously alcohol.

If you want to experiment, lay off alcohol and excess salt, drink loads of water for a month and see what happens.

I'm 45 and no issues with puffy face. I don't really drink though so maybe that helps?

I don't think I have the puffiness you've described, but my face has definitely changed. My eyes, already small, now seem to be disappearing and my features seem to have less definition. I read a description here on MN a few years ago and it was spot on - potato head. Does that make sense!?

It's definitely booze. Even a tiny amount changed my face shape the day after in a way it never did before. I've started the facial massage, don't know if it will work but I figure it can't hurt and I do it at night with facial oil which feels nice if nothing else

I love it when I get a facial massage. My face looks really different for about 48 hours until the puffiness comes back. Unfortunately I can’t be arsed to do that for myself for half an hour a day so puffy it is.

I think your eyes also get smaller as your eyelids get more droopy. The only real treatment for that is a bleph surgery.