Air travel has plenty of side effects: jet lag, colds and lack of sleep from crying children and rowdy passengers. If you’re a frequent flyer, it’s highly likely you’ve also experienced puffiness and swelling in your hands, ankles and face at some point. That’s because air travel, particularly over extended durations, creates “cutaneous puffiness” which is characterised by swelling or bloating of the skin, notably around the eyes and extremities.
But why does it happen? Is it because you drank 12 mini wines? Or because you couldn't sleep until you had finished the entire Godfather trilogy? Below, we uncover why it happens and what to do about it.
What causes puffiness during air travel?
Dehydration is a common consequence of air travel due to the dry air in aircraft cabins and insufficient fluid intake (the aforementioned wine doesn’t count, just FYI.) The skin, as the body’s largest organ, is particularly susceptible to dehydration-induced changes, and a lack of fluids can mean that the barrier is compromised, leading to more water loss. That result is skin that looks dull, feels dry and is prone to puffiness, especially around the delicate under-eye area, which is vulnerable to dehydration-related oedema (caused by too much fluid trapped in the body’s tissues).
Another factor that adds to puffiness and bloating during air travel is the fluctuations in cabin pressure. Commercial flights operate at altitudes where atmospheric pressure is significantly lower than at sea level. This means that the cabin needs to be pressurised to maintain a breathable environment. But even with this, the cabin pressure is below what we’d experience at ground level, and the reduction in pressure can induce fluid shifts within the body, leading to edema, often in the legs and facial tissue.
A movie marathon may be tempting, but the sedentary nature of air travel also exacerbates cutaneous puffiness by impairing our circulation. When we’re too sedentary on a flight, our blood flow can stagnate and cause fluid retention, so our lymphatic system – which keeps body fluid levels in balance to defend against infections – is also compromised. The result? You guessed it: tissue swelling, water retention and puffiness. If we’re snacking hard during those movie sessions, that can also cause fluid retention.
Another factor is airline meals. Airlines often add extra salt and sugar to our foods to make them taste the same as on the ground because the 80-85 DB levels of engine noise we endure during a flight is said to negatively impact how we taste sweet and salty foods. The downside is that excess salt disrupts the body’s fluid balance promoting water retention known as osmotic oedema, which can cause puffiness in the face and hands.
How can we combat puffiness during flights?
It’s unfeasible to spend the entire flight doing laps of the plane and eating entirely salt-free food, so what can actually help?
Naturally, dialling up your hydration levels is key. It’s crucial to drink plenty of water before, during and after flights to counteract the dehydrating effects of flying and allow your body to return to normal. I love taking the Chilly's water bottles with me on flights. When you’re on the flight, minimising diuretic drinks like alcohol and caffeine can help, but here’s a clever hack from Rhian Stepheson, Nutritional Therapist, Naturopath, ex-athlete and founder of ARTAH. “Dehydration has been shown to worsen leg oedema on flights, so using an electrolyte powder can help. When choosing your electrolytes, avoid ones high in salt that are designed for sport; you don’t need this much sodium unless you’re an endurance athlete,” she adds.
Ensuring you’re also eating well helps with the bloat, so Rhian advises taking water-rich snacks on board, like fruit and vegetables, limiting consumption of high-sodium processed snacks and bringing homemade food can help, too. “Remember, our microbiome also follows a circadian rhythm as well, so food timing during long haul flights, in addition to poor quality food, can also throw us off. Try eating a large, predominantly plant-based meal with good quality protein before flying and then minimise eating on the plane. Taking gut support can also be helpful to avoid bloating,” she adds.
Snacks aside, does your flight workout routine need some help? Nobody expects us to do an entire yoga class mid-air, but promoting circulation through regular movement is essential for preventing oedema formation during flights. Ankle circles, calf raises, leg lifts, and seated marching all help to stimulate blood flow and prevent fluid accumulation, so doing this routine every 30 minutes can help your body function optimally and mitigate the effects of bloating. You could even take a stretchy exercise band to use in your seat.
If you don’t already wear compression garments, such as compression socks, they are brilliant for helping with circulation and reducing the risk of oedema formation.They counteract the effects of prolonged sitting and gravitational forces on blood circulation. Using the foot rests under the seats or these inflatable foot rests can also help to promote lymphatic drainage.
If you’re very concerned about bloating, fluid retention and puffiness, then see your doctor to check for underlying medical issues, but flight-induced oedema is pretty common and can be mitigated by taking the steps above. To get things really moving, Sandra Lanshin Chiu, L.Ac, Licensed Acupuncturist, Herbalist, and founder of Lanshin has created a Gua Sha routine to help mitigate fluid stagnation in the face during a flight. “Traditional or medical Gua Sha is an effective method used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries to clear blockages of blood, energy and fluid circulation in a way that can heal disease. But this gentler, facial version restores blood flow to the face, improves not only the skin and underlying tissues, brings the colour back to your face and helps fluid retention too.”