Nobody wants to look in the mirror and see a swollen face. Not only is it uncomfortable, but the puffiness actually changes your face shape, shaking your confidence. And depending on the severity, that puffy face might not even look like yours!
Luckily, there’s plenty you can do to tackle it. But first, it helps to understand why your face is swelling so you can address the root cause. In some cases, that puffiness is actually a cause for concern.
Knowing what triggers facial swelling is the first step to keeping it under control. That way, your strategies will be permanent fixes rather than one-time remedies.
How to Reduce Swelling in Face FAST: Our Easy Go-To Tips
In this post, we’ll cover common triggers for facial swelling, when puffiness might be a red flag, and our top tips for getting your face back to feeling and looking its best.
Here’s how to beat the bloat fast:
Is Face Swelling Dangerous?
Usually no. Most of the time, facial swelling is harmless and triggered by something you ate, a night of drinking, or just poor sleep.
However, sometimes swelling can signal something more serious. Below, we’ll list some causes of facial bloat to look out for.
What Are the Causes of Face Swelling?
High Salt Intake
High-sodium foods like refined carbs, processed sugars, fried foods, and trans fat can completely disrupt the body’s fluid balance. This causes you to retain water everywhere on the body, including the face—especially around the cheeks, jawline, and eyes.
Dehydration
Believe it or not, when you’re dehydrated, you’ll see more fluid buildup. Ironic, we know, but this is because your body worries it won’t get enough water. So what does it do? Hold onto every drop it can until you’re fully rehydrated. And that, in turn, results in swelling.
Poor Sleep
Every part of your body benefits from good sleep, including the lymphatic system, which helps flush out toxins and regulate fluid balance.
Poor sleep slows that drainage, causing fluid to build up. Beyond that, a bad night’s sleep increases inflammation, making facial puffiness even worse. Our number one tip is to find a good routine and stick with it—it’s game-changing. Want some inspiration? Take a peek at our founder Lauryn Bosstick’s evening routine.
Alcohol Consumption
We all like to enjoy a few drinks from time to time, but no one loves waking up to a puffy face. Drinking alcohol dilates your blood vessels, which makes your face look red and swollen. Plus, alcohol dehydrates you, triggering fluid retention.
Want a targeted approach for this one? Here’s how to de-puff your face after drinking.
Menstruation or Pregnancy
The hormonal fluctuations during your period and pregnancy can trigger bloating and facial swelling. Like all the other symptoms weren’t enough, right? Symptoms vary a lot from person to person, but swelling is super common in both situations!
Allergic Reactions
When you’re allergic to food, pollen, cosmetics, medications, or anything else, the immune system overreacts and causes tissue swelling. It can also cause redness, itching, and watery eyes.
If you think this is why you’re having ongoing issues, talk to your doctor about allergy testing.
Infections
Certain illnesses can also cause swelling. Sinus infections, tooth or gum infections, and skin infections can all trigger inflammation, redness, tenderness, and puffiness.
If your face isn’t painful or warm, it’s probably not an infection. But if you think it might be, see your doctor as soon as possible.
Injury
A facial injury or surgery can cause significant inflammation as your body sends extra fluid to help with healing.
This usually comes with bruising and tenderness—and, almost always, some swelling.
Certain Health Conditions
There are lots of common health conditions that can cause fluid buildup in the face. Here are a few:
-
Kidney problems
-
Heart conditions
-
Liver disease
-
Thyroid disorders
Medication Side Effects
Pretty much every medication has a super long list of potential side effects, right? Some of them sound pretty scary, too. Because of the severity of some symptoms, you may have overlooked more mundane ones like facial swelling.
If you notice puffiness and aren’t sure why, it’s a good idea to review your current medications with your doctor. One of them could be the culprit!
How to Reduce Face Swelling Instantly
Use an ice roller.
We’ve all held an ice pack or even a bag of frozen corn on a swollen injury. Ice has long been our go-to remedy for reducing inflammation and bringing down swelling. This is no different!
But fortunately, there are tools specifically for icing the face, no need to grab the frozen vegetables. The TSC Ice Roller makes it super easy to massage those swollen areas and melt away facial puffiness.
Elevate your head while sleeping.
Let gravity work in your favor. Keep your head elevated while sleeping to encourage lymphatic drainage, reduce puffiness, and ease pressure.
Hydrate with electrolytes.
Staying hydrated is essential for proper fluid balance. Reduce bloating and swelling by drinking plenty of water, and don’t forget to add electrolytes for an extra hydration boost.
The best way to ensure optimal hydration and fluid balance daily? Elevate your morning water with TSC Beauty Salt.
Give yourself a lymphatic drainage massage.
As we mentioned, the lymphatic system plays an essential role in flushing our toxins and excess fluid. The catch? It doesn’t have a pump like other systems in the body, like the heart in the cardiovascular system.
When you massage the face with lymphatic drainage in mind, you can help manually move those impurities along, reducing swelling all over.
The best hack for lymphatic drainage? Our TSC Face Massager. The circular motion and intuitive design are perfect for targeting lymph nodes and encouraging drainage.
Eat or drink something anti-inflammatory.
Anti-inflammatory foods and drinks are another one of our favorite home remedies for swelling. They can reduce puffiness naturally and quickly.
Here are some anti-inflammatory foods:
-
Avocados (try Lauryn’s lentil avocado tomato salad)
-
Berries
-
Salmon
-
Chia seeds
-
Flaxseeds
-
Green tea (or green tea latte)
-
Turmeric
If you deal with facial swelling a lot, it may be time to rethink your diet. Make sure to incorporate plenty of anti-inflammatory foods into your daily diet. Also, make sure to listen to this episode of the Him & Her Show on clean eating and better dieting.
Understand why you’re experiencing facial swelling so you can reverse it FAST.
Facial swelling is frustrating, but it doesn’t have to take over your day. Once you understand the cause and make a few habit changes, you can get puffiness under control with ease. Plus, once you’ve got the swelling under control, you’ll be back to a fresh, sculpted look in no time.
For more skincare tips, wellness finds, and must-have beauty products, browse The Skinny Confidential Shop.
