Styes are red, painful lumps near the edge of the eyelid that may look like a boil or a pimple. They are caused by bacteria from the skin, usually staphylococci bacteria, that get into and irritate the oil glands in the eyelids. These bacteria can sometimes get trapped along with dead skin cells on the edge of the eyelid, resulting in a swollen, red, and painful bump that can develop over the course of a few days.

Risk factors for developing a stye include touching your eyes with unwashed hands, inserting contact lenses without thoroughly disinfecting them or washing your hands first, leaving on eye makeup overnight, using old or expired cosmetics, and having long-term blepharitis, which is chronic redness on the edge of the eyelid.

To reduce swelling and help the stye heal, you can soak a clean flannel in warm water and hold it against your eye for 5 to 10 minutes, repeating this 3 or 4 times a day. You can also relieve the pain by taking painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen. It is important not to burst a stye or remove an eyelash yourself, as this can spread the infection.

Contact your doctor if the stye doesnt start to improve after 48 hours, or if redness and swelling involve the entire eyelid or extend into your cheek or other parts of your face. Reoccurring styes may indicate that eyelids need to be cleaned more often, which can be done by using a small amount of baby shampoo on a cotton swab or washcloth.