Puffy, Sagging Eye Bags? TCM Says 70% Are Linked to This Organ! Try These 2 Herbal Teas for Relief

Eye bags are a major skincare concern for many. Recent studies show that over the past decade, the number of young people developing eye bags has spiked—largely due to late nights and constant screen time. If you're not keen on surgery or cosmetic injections, you're not alone. In this blog, we explore the causes of eye bags from a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) perspective and introduce effective TCM remedies to help you say goodbye to under-eye puffiness naturally.

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Why Do We Get Eye Bags? A TCM Practitioner’s View

In Western medicine, eye bags are mainly caused by weakened orbicularis oculi muscles and bulging fat under the eyes. But in TCM, the issue is viewed holistically—eye bags are often a reflection of internal imbalances and organ dysfunction. Let’s compare both perspectives:

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4 Common TCM Causes of Eye Bags (It’s Not Just Poor Circulation!)

1. Kidney Deficiency Eye Bags

In TCM, the kidneys govern fluid metabolism. When kidney energy is weak, excess fluid builds up under the eyes. These eye bags often appear darker and are accompanied by symptoms like sore lower back and knees or ringing in the ears.

2. Spleen Deficiency Eye Bags

The spleen controls digestion and water transport. If it’s weak, fluids accumulate and form large, puffy eye bags—typically without dark circles. Other signs include a sallow complexion and fatigue.

3. Liver Function Imbalance

The liver helps detoxify the body. A sluggish liver hinders circulation and drainage, causing puffiness and fluid buildup around the eyes.

4. Lifestyle Factors

Aside from organ imbalances, poor habits like staying up late, improper eye rubbing, or cold womb syndrome can also contribute to the formation of eye bags.

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TCM Typing: 4 Body Constitutions Linked to Eye Bags (and How to Treat Them)

In TCM, personalized treatment based on your body constitution is key. Here are four common types:

1. Qi Deficiency Type

• Symptoms: Loose skin around eyes, low energy, weak voice, frequent sweating
• Cause: Lack of Qi fails to move fluids, leading to puffiness
• Recommendations:
Food Therapy: Astragalus & red date chicken soup, Codonopsis & lotus seed porridge
Herbs: Astragalus, Codonopsis, Atractylodes, Licorice
Lifestyle: Sleep early, avoid overexertion, deep breathing to boost Qi

2. Yang Deficiency Type

• Symptoms: Noticeable swelling, cold limbs, chills, frequent urination
• Cause: Poor yang energy blocks fluid evaporation, leading to retention
• Recommendations:
Food Therapy: Lamb with aconite soup, ginger and red date tea
Herbs: Aconite, cinnamon, dried ginger, Eucommia
Lifestyle: Stay warm, avoid air-conditioning, exercise to raise body heat

3. Yin Deficiency Type

• Symptoms: Dry under-eye skin, insomnia, hot flashes, irritability
• Cause: Lack of yin moisture weakens skin elasticity
• Recommendations:
Food Therapy: White fungus, lotus seed & lily bulb dessert soup, wolfberry & rehmannia porridge
Herbs: Rehmannia, goji berries, lily bulb, ophiopogon
Lifestyle: Avoid late nights, reduce spicy/greasy food, drink rose tea to nourish liver and kidneys

4. Phlegm-Dampness Type

• Symptoms: Thick under-eye bags, oily skin, chest tightness, greasy tongue coating
• Cause: Poor diet and lack of exercise lead to dampness accumulation
• Recommendations:
Food Therapy: Job’s tears & adzuki bean soup, dried tangerine peel congee
Herbs: Atractylodes, poria, tangerine peel, pinellia
Lifestyle: Avoid cold/oily foods, exercise regularly to expel dampness

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Herbal Eye Masks: Target Puffiness with “Damp-Clearing” & “Circulation-Boosting” Herbs

TCM believes in treating internal issues externally as well. Applying a herbal eye mask is a gentle and effective remedy, especially for those with poor circulation or dampness-related eye bags.

DIY TCM Herbal Eye Mask Recipe (for Puffiness & Poor Circulation):

• Astragalus (Qi boosting, improves circulation)
• Bletilla (tightens pores, reduces bruising)
• Atractylodes (dries dampness, reduces swelling)

Grind 5g of each into fine powder. Mix with a little warm water or cucumber juice to form a paste. Apply under the eyes for 15 minutes and rinse. Use 2–3 times a week. Always patch test first to avoid allergic reactions.

Bonus Tip: Pair your herbal mask with internal herbal formulas like:

• Liu Wei Di Huang Wan (for kidney yin deficiency)
• Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang (for spleen Qi deficiency)
• Dang Gui Bu Xue Tang (for Qi and blood deficiency)

But remember: always consult a registered TCM practitioner before taking herbal formulas to ensure they suit your constitution. Avoid herbal eye masks if you have eczema, allergies, or active eye infections.

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Eye Acupressure: Massage the Right Points to De-Puff & Tighten

In TCM, “what appears on the outside reflects the inside.” Puffy eyes are often a sign of imbalances within. Regularly stimulating key acupressure points around the eyes helps promote circulation, ease fatigue, and reduce fluid retention.

4 Key Eye Acupoints to Know:

1. Sibai (四白穴) – Located below the pupil on the orbital ridge; great for relieving puffiness, eye strain, and dark circles.
2. Chengqi (承泣穴) – Just under the pupil at the edge of the eye socket; relieves tension and improves circulation.
3. Jingming (睛明穴) – At the inner corners of the eyes; helps with dry eyes, dark circles, and sleep.
4. Taiyang (太陽穴) – At the temples; soothes eye pressure, tension headaches, and eye sagging.

How to Massage:

Using clean fingers (ideally your ring fingers), gently press each point for 5 seconds, rest 2 seconds, and repeat 8–10 times. Do this morning and night. Combine with eye cream or essential oils for better absorption. You should feel a gentle warmth or slight pressure—don’t overdo it.

Breathing tip: inhale while pressing, exhale while releasing. Consistent massage improves circulation, decongests lymph nodes, and even firms the orbicularis oculi muscles—helping reduce both puffiness and fine lines over time.

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TCM Treatments for Eye Bags in Hong Kong: Services and Pricing

1. Common TCM Treatment Plans for Eye Bags

Many registered Chinese medicine clinics in Hong Kong now offer beauty-focused or eye-specific services, including periocular acupuncture and fire needle therapy. These treatments emphasize internal balancing with Chinese herbal medicine alongside facial acupuncture sessions. Some clinics offer a “Qi and Blood Circulation Eye Treatment” that lasts about 30 minutes per session.

2. Reference Prices for TCM Eye Bag Treatments in Hong Kong

3. TCM Eye Bag Treatments vs. Aesthetic Procedures

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In Summary: How Does TCM Help Eliminate Eye Bags?

TCM tackles under-eye bags by addressing internal imbalances, improving the flow of qi and blood to restore vitality from within. Here's a quick recap of popular TCM methods for treating eye bags:

1. Acupuncture

Acupuncture stimulates key acupoints around the eyes and body to improve circulation and reduce puffiness or stagnation. Commonly used points include Sibai, Chengqi, Jingming, and Taiyang. Some clinics enhance results by combining acupuncture with Bian stone therapy, a technique using warm mineral stones to dissolve superficial fat and boost blood flow. The gentle warmth of Bian stones also helps eliminate dampness and improve circulation around the eyes.

2. Herbal Medicine

TCM practitioners tailor herbal formulas to each individual based on constitution and underlying causes.

Common Herbal Approaches:

• Kidney Yin Deficiency Formula: Herbs like rehmannia root, Chinese yam, and goji berries nourish the kidneys, reduce puffiness, and retain moisture.
• Kidney Yang Deficiency Formula: Herbs such as cinnamon bark, aconite, and eucommia warm the kidneys and promote fluid drainage to reduce swelling.
• Herbal Eye Mask Paste: Mix 5g each of astragalus, baiji, and atractylodes, grind into a powder, and make a paste with warm water. Apply under the eyes for 15–20 minutes before rinsing off. This can boost circulation, reduce puffiness, and tighten the skin.

3. TCM Diet & Herbal Teas for Eye Bags

• Red Date, Chinese Yam & Coix Seed Tea: Red dates nourish blood, yam strengthens the spleen, and coix seed helps drain excess water—ideal for puffiness from spleen deficiency.
• Goji & Chrysanthemum Tea: Goji berries nourish the liver and kidneys, while chrysanthemum brightens the eyes—great for under-eye bags and dark circles due to liver/kidney weakness.

4. Eye Acupressure Massage (Quick DIY: Sibai Point)

• How-To: Use your middle fingers to press the Sibai acupoint gently until you feel slight pressure or tingling. Massage in small circular motions toward the bridge of the nose for about 3 minutes, 2–3 times daily.
• Location: About one thumb-width directly below the center of the lower orbital bone (beneath the eye).
• Benefits: Boosts circulation, improves eye bags, dark circles, and sagging lids.

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Seasonal Eye Care with TCM: Adjusting According to the Time of Year

In TCM, syncing your wellness routine with the seasons is key to maintaining eye health. Here’s how to care for your eyes throughout the year:

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Say Goodbye to Eye Bags — TCM Says Start With Your Lifestyle

Eye bags aren’t just an aging issue or genetic destiny. From a TCM perspective, poor habits can deplete your body’s energy and organ function, particularly the kidneys, spleen, and liver. This can disrupt fluid balance and blood flow, leading to puffiness, stagnation, and eventually chronic eye bags.

4 Lifestyle Habits That Can Worsen Eye Bags

1. Late Nights Hurt the Kidneys: In TCM, the kidneys “open into the ears, manifest in the hair, and store essence in the eyes.” Staying up late drains kidney essence and blood, weakening circulation to the eyes, which leads to loose skin and water retention under the eyes.
2. High-Salt, Heavy Diet Damages the Spleen: Salty, greasy, and spicy foods burden the spleen and stomach, making it harder to process dampness. This excess moisture accumulates under the eyes, forming swollen eye bags.
3. Stress and Emotional Suppression Stagnate Liver Qi: Chronic stress and emotional tension disrupt the liver’s energy flow, causing poor circulation and a combination of under-eye bags with dark circles.
4. Too Much Screen Time Weakens the Eyes: Prolonged eye strain tightens the eye muscles and surrounding blood vessels, causing discoloration and sagging that contribute to early signs of eye bags and fine lines.

What You Can Do:

• Stick to a Consistent Sleep Schedule: Try to sleep by 9 PM to give your body and organs time to restore.
• Eat Clean: Reduce intake of salty, cold, and heavily seasoned foods to prevent fluid retention.
• Take Breaks from Screens: Rest your eyes for 15 minutes after 45 minutes of screen time. Massaging eye acupoints can also relieve fatigue.
• Avoid Drinking Too Much Water Before Bed: This can help minimize morning puffiness.

Bonus Tip: Use the Right Eye Cream

Choose eye creams with ingredients like vitamin E, hyaluronic acid, retinol, and collagen to hydrate and strengthen the skin, fade dark circles, and improve under-eye firmness. Apply gently with light pressure to aid absorption and enhance results.

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Want Faster Results? TCM Takes Time—Try Perfect Medical’s R6 Miracle Eye Rescue Treatment for Visible Results!

While TCM treatments work gradually by restoring overall health, they can be time-consuming and costly. Even if your body improves, there’s no guarantee your eye bags or dark circles will disappear completely.

If you want fast, targeted results—especially for puffiness, dark circles, or eye bags—a non-invasive aesthetic treatment may be more suitable.

Thousands of satisfied users have recommended Perfect Medical’s signature R6 Miracle Eye Rescue Treatment for its safe and effective results. It’s also a great option for first-timers considering non-surgical solutions like radiofrequency.

The R6 treatment uses medical-grade RF technology combined with red and blue light therapy to penetrate multiple layers of skin around the eyes, delivering benefits such as:

• Stimulating collagen production to tighten sagging under-eye skin
• Boosting blood circulation and lymphatic drainage to eliminate pigmentation and puffiness
• Addressing eye bags, fine lines, and dark circles all at once

Compared to surgery or injections, R6 is non-invasive, painless, and requires no downtime—ideal for those who fear needles or scalpels. Especially for mild to moderate under-eye issues, R6 offers a safe and effective alternative.

Click the link below to learn more about the R6 Miracle Eye Rescue Treatment and pricing at Perfect Medical. You can even fill out a quick 1-minute form to claim a free first trial!