Most styes clear up on their own within one to two weeks, but a simple warm compress can speed the process significantly and relieve pain in the meantime. A stye forms when a gland along your eyelid gets infected, usually by the common skin bacterium Staphylococcus aureus. The result is a red, painful bump that looks like a pimple at the edge of your eyelid.
How a Stye Develops and Resolves
A stye typically builds over a few days. It starts with pain and redness at the edge of your eyelid, and within about a day a small bump appears. That bump often becomes quite painful and fills with pus, looking increasingly like a pimple. After a few more days, the bump usually pops on its own, drains, and the pain fades quickly. The whole cycle from first twinge to full resolution takes one to two weeks without any treatment.
Warm Compresses: The Most Effective Home Treatment
Applying a warm, moist cloth to your closed eyelid is the single most helpful thing you can do. Hold the compress against the stye for 5 to 10 minutes, and repeat 3 to 6 times per day. The warmth softens the blocked gland, encourages drainage, and increases blood flow to the area. Don’t be alarmed if the bump temporarily looks bigger after a compress session. That’s normal and actually a sign the blockage is loosening before it drains.
Use warm water from the tap, not hot. Never microwave a wet cloth, as it can heat unevenly and burn your eyelid. A clean washcloth soaked in warm water works well, though it cools quickly. Some people prefer a reusable gel eye mask or a clean sock filled with rice, warmed briefly, which holds heat longer.
What Not to Do
Resist the urge to squeeze or pop a stye. Forcing it open can spread the infection deeper into your eyelid or to surrounding tissue. Don’t wear contact lenses while you have a stye, since bacteria can transfer to the lens and reinfect you or spread to the other eye. Skip eye makeup entirely until the stye is gone, then throw away any eye makeup you were using before the infection started. Bacteria grow easily in creamy and liquid products like mascara and eyeliner.
Over-the-Counter Products
You’ll find OTC stye ointments at most pharmacies. These are primarily lubricants, typically containing mineral oil and white petrolatum. They temporarily relieve burning and irritation and help prevent further dryness around the affected area. They won’t kill the bacteria causing the stye, so think of them as comfort measures alongside warm compresses rather than a cure.
Over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen or acetaminophen can help manage the soreness, especially during the first few days when the bump is most tender.
When a Stye Needs Medical Treatment
If your stye is very painful or hasn’t started improving after two days of warm compresses, it’s time to see a provider. Styes that don’t respond to home care sometimes need prescription antibiotics, either as eye drops, an ointment, or oral medication taken for about a week. An internal stye, one that forms on the inside of the eyelid rather than the outer edge, is more likely to need this kind of treatment.
For styes that persist despite antibiotics, a doctor can perform a quick in-office procedure to make a small incision and drain the pus. This is done under local anesthesia, relieves the pressure almost immediately, and heals within a few days.
Warning Signs of a Serious Infection
Rarely, a stye infection can spread beyond the eyelid into the tissue around the eye, a condition called orbital cellulitis. Seek immediate medical care if you notice swelling that extends well beyond the eyelid, a bulging eye, difficulty or pain when moving your eye, vision changes, or fever. These symptoms are especially urgent in children. A high fever combined with swelling around a child’s eye warrants an emergency room visit.
Preventing Styes From Coming Back
Some people get styes repeatedly, and the fix is almost always better eyelid hygiene. Wash your face and eyelids thoroughly every day, especially before bed. Baby shampoo diluted with water is a gentle, effective option for scrubbing the base of your lashes. Use a clean cotton swab to remove all makeup remnants along your lash line each night.
With eye makeup specifically, a few habits make a big difference:
- Replace eye makeup every three months. Bacteria thrive in mascara tubes and liquid eyeliner.
- Never share eye makeup, even with close friends or family.
- Apply products outside your lash line to avoid blocking the oil glands in your eyelids.
- Avoid glitter eye makeup if you wear contact lenses, as it’s a common source of irritation and infection.
- Skip store testers for eye products, or at minimum use only fresh, single-use applicators.
If you wear contact lenses, wash your hands thoroughly before handling them and follow the replacement schedule your eye doctor recommends. People prone to styes sometimes benefit from a nightly routine of warm compresses even when they don’t have an active bump, keeping the oil glands along their lids from clogging in the first place.