How can I treat puffy eyes myself?

Eyes can look swollen from allergies, too much partying, too much computer time, too much (or too little) sleep, or loose under-eye skin caused by heredity or aging. Whatever the cause of puffed-up peepers, here's how to deflate them fast.

• Slice a cucumber. Dermatologists aren't sure what's behind the anti-inflammatory effects of cucumbers, but here's a possible explanation: The veggies contain a combo of mild natural acids that reduce water retention. Some beauty pros say cucumbers work best when they're cold, which makes sense: Because cukes are 90% water, chilled slices are like delicate mini ice packs.
• Reach for the peas. Any bag of frozen food will do, but frozen baby peas have a way of fitting into the nooks and crannies around your eyes. Put a soft cloth around the plastic package to protect your skin from the frigid surface, then chill out for 5 to 15 minutes while the cold shrinks the swelling.
• Make a milk bath. Milk is a natural soother if eyes are irritated as well as puffy. "Just don't use skim milk, since it doesn't contain fat, one of milk's most soothing components," says New York dermatologist Amy Wechsler, MD. Other ingredients in milk that calm swollen skin: protein, amino acids, lactic acid, and vitamins A and D. Pour milk into a bowl of ice so it gets really cold, saturate a clean washcloth, and apply to eyes for up to 15 minutes. Soak and reapply when the cloth loses its cool.

P.S. If puffy eyes are a chronic problem, eye-shaped packs filled with gel that freezes are a worthwhile investment -- and they don't drip.

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Something as simple as massaging the area helps move extra fluidaway from it. This method manually distributes the fluid to other blood vessels, which can then drain it. There are plenty of home remedies for this particular problem, and, surprisingly, some of them actually might work. A cold compress isn't going to make a major change, but the cold does cause temporary vasoconstriction of the blood vessels. (Although once you remove the compress, the vessels dilate again.)

Slices of cucumber may have an anti-inflammatory effect, but it's likely that the chill of the cucumber is more helpful. It's believed that products containing caffeine may constrict the blood vessels and reduce swelling. This seems highly unlikely, since caffeine is probably not able to penetrate to the vessels. Preparation H, the hemorrhoid cream, is supposed to work in a similar way (and there are lots of fashion models who supposedly use this trick). A little facial massage sounds like a more appealing, and definitely safer, choice to me and probably works just as well.