Other Skin Conditions: Moles, Birthmarks, Dryness, Etc. / Question
Published: May 9, 2001
Dear TeenHealthFX,
I'm 15 years old and get 7-10 hours of sleep a night. Sometimes on the weekends I sleep 12-14 hours. However I still have bags underneath my eyes. Why are they there and how do I get rid of them?
Signed: Bags Under My Eyes - Get Enough Sleep
Dear Bags Under My Eyes - Get Enough Sleep,
The bags you see under your eyes are the result of multiple things one of which can be tiredness or lack of sleep. However, you seem to be getting plenty of sleep so these bags are most likely not a result of sleep apathy. Your body can be tired or run down if you are doing a lot during the day or if you are under excess stress. The bags can also be genetic, where some people are more sensitive to having them than are others. Look to see if your mom, dad or siblings also exhibit dark circles beneath their eyes as well.
If you do not think that you are genetically predisposed to them than look at other aspects of your life like your diet. You need to be eating a healthy diet full of protein and nutrient dense foods. Anemia, which is a lack of iron, can often manifest itself in these dark circles under the eyes. Dehydration, or the lack of enough water and fluids, can make some people develop bags.
As long as you are eating properly, partaking in regular exercise, and getting enough sleep each night than you are doing all that you can to relieve this condition. There are multiple eye relief creams on the market that help to reduce puffiness under the eyes that you may consider trying. If you do however feel that your body is overly tired and worn down consult your doctor. You may be lacking iron or vitamins and your doctor will be able to help you correct that.
Signed: TeenHealthFX
More than four in 10 young women become pregnant at least once before they reach the age of 20 - nearly one million a year teen pregnancies a year 
