Most sties clear up on their own within one to two weeks, and the single most effective thing you can do to speed that along is apply warm compresses consistently. A sty is a small, painful bump on the eyelid caused by a bacterial infection in one of the tiny oil or sweat glands along the lash line. It looks and feels a lot like a pimple, and the treatment approach is similar: keep it clean, encourage it to drain naturally, and resist the urge to squeeze it.
Warm Compresses Are the First-Line Treatment
Wet a clean washcloth with warm water, wring it out, and hold it gently against your closed eye for about five minutes. Do this several times a day. The warmth increases blood flow to the area and helps soften any blockage inside the gland, which encourages the sty to drain on its own. Harvard Health recommends repeating this routine throughout the day rather than doing one long session.
A few practical tips make a difference. Use a fresh washcloth each time to avoid reintroducing bacteria. The water should be comfortably warm, not hot enough to burn the delicate skin around your eye. If the cloth cools off quickly, re-wet it partway through your five minutes. Some people microwave a damp cloth for a few seconds, but test the temperature on the inside of your wrist first.
You may notice the sty comes to a head and drains after a few days of consistent compresses. When that happens, gently clean the area and continue the compresses until the bump is fully gone. Don’t try to pop or squeeze a sty. Forcing it open can push the infection deeper into the eyelid or spread bacteria to surrounding tissue.
Keep Your Eyelids Clean
Gentle eyelid hygiene helps the sty heal and reduces your chance of getting another one. Diluted baby shampoo is a common recommendation because it’s mild enough for the sensitive skin along the lash line. Put a small drop on a clean fingertip or cotton swab, mix it with warm water, and gently scrub along the base of your lashes. Look downward while cleaning your upper lid and upward while cleaning the lower lid to avoid touching the surface of your eye.
Pre-moistened eyelid wipes are another option. They’re sterile, disposable, and convenient if you’re on the go. Either method works. The goal is to remove the buildup of oil, dead skin, and bacteria that can clog the glands in your eyelids.
What to Avoid While You Have a Sty
Skip eye makeup until the sty is completely healed. Mascara, eyeliner, and eyeshadow can introduce more bacteria to the area and slow down healing. If you wore any eye makeup right before the sty appeared, throw those products out, as they may be contaminated. The same goes for makeup brushes or applicators that touched the infected eye.
Contact lenses should also stay out of your eyes for the duration. Lenses can trap bacteria against the surface of your eye and irritate an already inflamed eyelid. Switch to glasses until the bump is gone. Johns Hopkins Medicine advises against wearing cosmetics or contacts any time your eyes are red, swollen, or infected.
Over-the-Counter Products
You’ll find products labeled specifically for sties at most drugstores. These are typically lubricating ointments with active ingredients like mineral oil and white petrolatum. They work as emollients, meaning they temporarily relieve burning and irritation and act as a barrier to prevent further dryness. They do not treat the underlying bacterial infection. Think of them as comfort measures, not cures. Warm compresses remain more effective at actually resolving the sty.
When a Sty Needs Medical Treatment
Most sties respond well to home care, but some don’t. If your sty hasn’t improved after a week of consistent warm compresses, or if it’s getting larger, it’s reasonable to see an eye care provider. A doctor may prescribe a topical antibiotic ointment to apply along the eyelid margin two to four times daily. These help clear up secondary bacterial infection around the bump.
If the sty is large, firm, and not draining on its own, a provider can perform a quick in-office drainage. This involves a small incision with a fine-tipped blade to release the contents. It sounds unpleasant, but it’s a short procedure done under local numbing and typically provides immediate relief.
Oral antibiotics are rarely needed for a straightforward sty. They’re reserved for situations where the infection appears to be spreading beyond the bump itself, particularly if there’s significant redness and swelling extending across the eyelid or into the surrounding skin. This kind of spreading infection, called preseptal cellulitis, is uncommon but requires prompt treatment.
Sty vs. Chalazion
A sty and a chalazion can look identical in the first day or two, but they behave differently over time. A sty stays painful, red, and tender right at the edge of the eyelid where your lashes grow. A chalazion starts the same way but gradually becomes a painless, firm nodule closer to the center of the eyelid. The key difference is that a sty is an active infection, while a chalazion is a blocked oil gland without infection.
Both respond to warm compresses initially. But chalazia that persist for several weeks despite home treatment sometimes need a steroid injection or minor surgical drainage to resolve. If your bump has lost its tenderness but won’t go away, you’re likely dealing with a chalazion rather than a sty.
Warning Signs of a Serious Problem
In rare cases, a sty can progress to a deeper infection around the eye socket. Watch for swelling that spreads well beyond the eyelid, a fever, pain when moving your eye, bulging of the eye, or any changes in your vision. These symptoms suggest the infection has moved past the surface of the eyelid and needs urgent medical attention. For children especially, a high fever combined with significant swelling around the eye warrants an emergency room visit.
Preventing Sties From Coming Back
Some people get sties once and never again. Others deal with them repeatedly, often because of a chronic condition called blepharitis, which is ongoing low-grade inflammation of the eyelid margins. If you’re prone to recurrent sties, making eyelid cleaning part of your daily routine is the single best preventive step. A nightly scrub along the lash line with diluted baby shampoo or a lid wipe removes the oil and debris that feed bacterial overgrowth.
Other habits that help: wash your hands before touching your face or eyes, replace eye makeup every few months (bacteria accumulate in the products over time), and clean your contact lenses and case according to schedule. These are small changes, but they directly target the bacteria and gland blockages that cause sties in the first place.