A stye is a small red bump, sometimes with a white head, inside or outside your eyelid, caused by a clogged and irritated gland along your eyelid. Most styes burst or go away on their own after several days, but cleaning it will help bring the pus out and drain on its own. Here are some self-care tips to treat a stye at home:
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Use warm compresses: Apply a warm washcloth to the eyelid for 5 to 10 minutes, 3 to 5 times per day. The warmth helps bring the pus to the surface, dissolving it so the stye can drain naturally. Wet a clean washcloth with warm water, wring it out, and gently place it over your eye. Don’t squeeze or try to puncture the stye.
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Clean your eyelid: Gently wash the affected eyelid with mild soap and water. Use baby shampoo mixed with warm water and a cotton swab to brush the solution onto your stye.
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Keep your eye clean: Get rid of any crust around your eye. Use a mild natural soap like baby shampoo to keep the area around your stye clean and uncovered.
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Take pain relievers: If the area is sore, take pain relievers like ibuprofen or acetaminophen.
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Don’t wear eye makeup: Avoid wearing eye makeup while you have a stye. Makeup can irritate the eye even more and delay the healing process. You can also transfer additional bacteria to your makeup and tools, adding another infection to the stye.
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Wear glasses instead of contact lenses: While you have a stye, wear glasses instead of contact lenses. After it’s healed, clean and disinfect your lenses before putting them in again or switch to a new pair.
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Massage the area: After you apply the compress, you can use your clean finger to gently massage the stye in order to unplug the oil gland. This not only helps the stye go away more quickly, but it can also alleviate some of your pain and inflammation.
If after 48 hours of self-care your pain and swelling aren’t getting any better, it’s time to call your eye care provider. Medical treatments for styes include antibiotics, prescription eye drops, or a procedure to lance the stye and clean out the infection.
