8 De-Bloating Tricks that'll Put an End to Puffiness
Is your face looking a little fuller than normal? Or maybe your belly’s more bloated than normal?
The most common reason for bloating is excessive gas in your gut, which can be caused by certain food and drinks, such as some vegetables and fizzy beverages. It can even be caused be swallowing air when you eat, constipation, water retention, and hormonal changes.
Here are eight debloating tricks to try the next time you feel puffy. From belly bloat to facial puffiness, here are some quick fixes to beat the bloat.
#1: Chill Your Skin
A fast and easy way to debloat your face is by embracing the cold. Place chilled cucumbers on your eyes, apply a cold compress to your face, or run an ice cube across your face. There are even cold masks and rollers that can be applied to make your face appear less puffy.
"Whether you swear by cold spoons or chilled cucumbers, the key here is cold compresses constrict blood vessels and reduce inflammation, diminishing the appearance of puffiness," explains Kathleen S. Viscusi, MD, FAAD, FACMS, the co-founder/partner of Dermatology and Surgery Specialists of North Atlanta (DESSNA). "Any form of a cold compress or cooling applicator is a game-changer."
Product Pick: Eye Candy Anti-Puff Eye Cream
#2: Drink More Water, Less Alcohol
Bloating can often be caused by water retention, which is typically the result of excess sodium, carbs, and alcohol. As much as you might love that glass of red wine with dinner, swap it out with an extra large glass of water. Drinking water — and plenty of it — helps to hydrate the body while flushing out excess sodium your body is holding on to.
Struggle getting enough water down? Try sprucing up your glass of h20 with a squeeze of lemon juice or add in some cucumber slices. You can also drink natural teas and healthy smoothies to up your fluid intake and beat a bloated belly or face.
#3: Pop Probiotic Supplements
Probiotics are live microorganisms that provide health benefits when you consume them, such as a healthier digestive system. They can be consumed in pill form, but they’re also found naturally in some foods such as yogurt, sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha, and miso.
Studies show that probiotics can be effective in treating digestive issues like bloating by boosting bacteria in your gut, and thus reducing inflammation and gases in your gut. They can be especially useful for those dealing with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
#4: Try a Teatox
Teatoxes offer a slew of benefits, including cleansing your digestive tract, speeding up your metabolism, and reducing bloating. There are even reports that suggest teatoxes can aid in weight loss.
A teatox is basically drinking teas infused with natural diuretics, laxatives and stimulants such as caffeine to reduce bloat, boost energy, and help you lose weight. The most common ingredients found in a detox tea include dandelion root, cinnamon, peppermint, fennel, ginger, milk thistle, or licorice.
Alternatively, drink plain-old green tea instead, which is a mild diuretic that can help you lose water weight and de-bloat, says Gina Sam, M.D., director of the Gastrointestinal Motility Center at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City.
#5: Eat Better
As delicious as carbohydrates are, carbohydrate molecules bind with water, causing your body to hang on to more water and ultimately leave you feeling bloated. To beat the bloat, cut down on carbohydrates for a day or so and load up on fruits, veggies, and protein.
Just make sure you choose your fruits and veggies wisely, as some can leave you feeling even more puffy. Some foods to avoid include brussel sprouts, cauliflower, leeks, onions, watermelon, sweet potatoes, and apples.
Studies show that limiting certain carbs called fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols (FODMAPs) can help limit bloating. The foods are above are high in FODMAPs.
You’ll also want to cut down on salty foods, processed foods, sweeteners, sugar alcohols, gluten, and fiber-rich foods — which can often be the cause of bloating. Alongside this, avoid overeating in general which is known to bloat you up.
#6: Turn to Anti-Inflammatory Skincare
Many skincare ingredients can be highly beneficial for reducing inflammation and lessening puffiness. Look out for skincare products that contain soothing ingredients like aloe, green tea, shea butter, rose, or sea kelp.
Product Pick: Unicorn Fruit Whipped Body Butter
#7: Get Active
Lay out your yoga mat, grab your weights, or head to the gym. Just make sure you get moving if you want to banish bloat. Breaking a sweat can make a huge difference for your bloated face. When you sit for a long time, swelling accumulates and settles on the face. Working out helps to get your blood pumping, fluids moving, and can even help balance hormones — all of which can treat and prevent bloating.
#8: Turn to Makeup
A super quick fix for de-bloating your face is utilizing the power of contouring.
"You can use either a cream or powder matte bronzer or contour product," says New York-based makeup artist Neil Scibelli. Next, "create the classic three method: Blend product around the forehead up tot he hairline, down to the hollows of the cheekbones (you can suck in your cheeks to find the hollow), and finish along the jawline." Eassssy!!!
This is obviously not a long-term fix, but it will temporarily make your face appear more sculpted, and less puffy. And that’s the goal, right?
Everything from eating too many whole grains and gassy foods to chewing gum and sitting too long can contribute to bloating. Fortunately, there are different things you can try to beat the bloat so you can finally say farewell to the fullness around your face or stomach.
Speak to a dietitian or wellness expert if nothing you do helps. You may have an underlying food intolerance or health condition that needs to be addressed. They’ll be able to advise dietary changes and medications that may help.
In the meantime, cut down on carbs, reduce your fiber intake (only a little), drink more water, and guzzle ginger tea to deflate your bloated face or body.
