Who knew that the human eye came with so much baggage? Dark circles and puffiness underneath, we mean, both of which seem to become more pronounced as we age.

The thinnest layer of skin on our bodies lies around our eyes. As a result, the tiny veins and capillaries that run through that area are more visible. The blood in the veins under the eyes drains into the veins of the nose. If your nose is congested due to allergies or a cold, those veins constrict and the flow of blood is blocked. It pools in those under-eye veins, engorging them and making them appear larger and darker.

When you’re sleep-deprived, your circulation slows down and your skin gets a pasty tone to it, which will emphasize any dark circles you already have. Likewise, when you’re extra tired, your facial muscles tend to sag more, so those ol’ bags just pop right out. Have you noticed eye bags in the mirror first thing in the morning? While you sleep, fluid in your body tends to pool in low-lying areas, which includes the orbital cavities. If you had a lot of salt or caffeine during the previous day, the eye bags will be even more pronounced because your body retained that much more water.

Now that we’ve identified the main causes of puffy eyes, what can we do to prevent looking like we’ve just gone five rounds with Mike Tyson? Forget Preparation H. The stuff was re-formulated years ago and no longer contains the eye rejuvenation ingredient that fashion models once swore by. Medicos recommend lowering your salt/caffeine/alcohol intake, seeing an ENT specialist for any allergies, and sleeping with your head elevated. Of course, there’s no shame in seeking additional assistance from Maybelline or Max Factor.

Unless your name is Butch.