# Puffy eyes and tea bags

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puffy-eyes-and-tea-bags/167329>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [April 8, 2003, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puffy-eyes-and-tea-bags/167329 "2003-04-08T16:13:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![beckwall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b487fb/32.png) [@beckwall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beckwall)\
**Post date:** [April 8, 2003, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puffy-eyes-and-tea-bags/167329/1 "2003-04-08T16:13:24Z")

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I did a lot of crying last night, I won’t bore you with the reasons.  
So now I have these big puffy eyes, and I have a staff meeting this afternoon. My question is - what is the ingredient in tea bags that helps reduce puffiness? Is it the tannic acid, or is it the caffeine??? I only have caffeine-free green tea bags in my house right now. Will they help reduce the luggage that has now settled  
around both eyes?

Maybe I should just go for the squinty look. It seems to work for Renee Zelwegger. Crap. Any help, quickly, will be greatly appreciated. (BTW, no I do not have a cucumber in the fridge, yes I do have one of those cold masks for sinus pain, but the eye holes are a problem since they actually keep the cold away from the part that is puffy.)

On the brigher side, I do have a smashing new haircut that no one at work has seen. Maybe they won’t notice the eye thing.  
Haaaaaaaaha.

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**Author:** ![MetalDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecb155/32.png) [@MetalDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MetalDog)\
**Post date:** [April 8, 2003, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puffy-eyes-and-tea-bags/167329/2 "2003-04-08T16:32:34Z")

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Anything cool and wet will help, so decaf teabags won’t hurt.  
Just tell them you have allergies.

And may your suckage cease swiftly.

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**Author:** ![beckwall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b487fb/32.png) [@beckwall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beckwall)\
**Post date:** [April 9, 2003, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puffy-eyes-and-tea-bags/167329/3 "2003-04-09T04:33:12Z")

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Thank you, **MetalDog**. You are indeed a king/queen among  
many (well, 23 or so who bothered to read this) Dopers.

The green tea bags worked like a charm. I’m sure that the additional benefit of aromatherapy involved was helpful in calming me as well.

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**Author:** ![Shana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3bc359/32.png) [@Shana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shana)\
**Post date:** [April 9, 2003, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puffy-eyes-and-tea-bags/167329/4 "2003-04-09T07:10:49Z")

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I do think tea bags work…but I have to tell you something that works much better for after your next crying session (although I hope there won’t be a next one!). It’s called “Anti Puffery” by Origins. This stuff is truly amazing. I can stay up really late and eat potatoe chips and not drink any water - and the next morning I just put it on and I’m good to go…No more puffs!

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**Author:** ![MetalDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecb155/32.png) [@MetalDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MetalDog)\
**Post date:** [April 9, 2003, 9:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puffy-eyes-and-tea-bags/167329/5 "2003-04-09T09:34:17Z")

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Heh, no worries.  
Having spent several days on a crying jag /at work/ I feel your pain.

“Hey, Marie, you know your eyes are /really/ bloodshot?”

_through teeth_ “Yes.”

_sigh_