Most styes clear up on their own within one to two weeks, but warm compresses are the single most effective thing you can do to speed that process along. A stye is essentially a small, infected bump on your eyelid, similar to a pimple, and the goal of treatment is to help it drain naturally while keeping the area clean.
What’s Actually Happening in Your Eyelid
A stye forms when one of the tiny oil glands along your eyelid edge gets blocked and infected by bacteria. The most common type sits right at the base of an eyelash, producing a red, tender bump that may develop a yellowish head as pus collects. Less commonly, a deeper gland on the inner surface of the eyelid gets infected, causing swelling that’s felt more than seen. This internal type tends to be more painful and slower to resolve, but both respond to the same initial home treatment.
Warm Compresses: The Most Important Step
A warm, moist compress applied to the affected eye is the standard first-line treatment. The heat softens the hardened oil plugging the gland and encourages the stye to drain on its own. Kaiser Permanente recommends holding a warm compress against the eye for 5 to 10 minutes, 3 to 6 times a day.
The easiest method is soaking a clean washcloth in warm water, wringing it out, and holding it gently against your closed eyelid. You’ll need to re-wet the cloth every couple of minutes as it cools. Don’t use hot water or microwave a wet cloth, as the temperature can spike unevenly and burn the delicate skin of your eyelid. The compress should feel comfortably warm, not hot.
Some people find that a washcloth loses heat too quickly. A clean sock filled with dry rice and microwaved for 15 to 20 seconds holds warmth longer, though you should always test the temperature against the inside of your wrist before placing it near your eye. Reusable gel eye masks designed for warm therapy are another option.
Keep the Area Clean
Gently washing your eyelids helps prevent bacteria from spreading and reduces the chance of the stye coming back. A simple method recommended by Stanford Health Care: add a few drops of baby shampoo to a cup of water, dip a cotton swab or clean washcloth into the mixture, and with your eyes closed, gently wipe across each eyelid and lash line about 10 times. Rinse well afterward. Doing this once or twice a day, especially in the morning and before bed, keeps the oil glands along your lash line from clogging again.
Avoid wearing eye makeup while you have a stye. Mascara, eyeliner, and eyeshadow can introduce more bacteria to the area and block glands that are already struggling. Throw away any eye makeup you used in the days before the stye appeared, since it may be contaminated.
What Not to Do
The most important rule: don’t squeeze or pop a stye. It might look like a pimple, but squeezing it can push the infection deeper into the eyelid or spread bacteria to surrounding glands. Let the warm compresses do the work. The stye will either drain on its own or gradually reabsorb.
Resist the urge to rub or touch your eye throughout the day. Your hands carry bacteria that can worsen the infection or spread it to your other eye. If you need to touch the area for compress treatment, wash your hands thoroughly first.
Over-the-Counter Products
You’ll find stye ointments at most pharmacies, but it’s worth knowing what they actually do. The most common OTC stye ointments contain mineral oil and white petrolatum, which are lubricants. They temporarily relieve the burning and irritation around the stye and protect the area from further friction. They don’t contain antibiotics and won’t fight the underlying infection. Think of them as comfort measures, not cures.
Over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen or acetaminophen can help if the swelling is making your eyelid throb. The anti-inflammatory effect of ibuprofen may also reduce some of the puffiness.
Contact Lenses and Styes
The American Academy of Ophthalmology advises against wearing contact lenses while you have an active stye. Contacts can trap bacteria against the surface of your eye and irritate the already inflamed eyelid. Switch to glasses until the stye has fully healed. If the bump has resolved but your eyelid still feels slightly tender, give it another day or two before putting lenses back in.
When a Stye Needs Medical Treatment
Most styes respond well to consistent warm compresses over a few days. But some need more help. If your stye hasn’t started shrinking after a week of home treatment, or if the redness and swelling are spreading beyond the bump to the surrounding eyelid or cheek, it’s time for a professional evaluation.
A doctor may prescribe antibiotic drops or ointment to target the bacterial infection directly. For more severe or widespread infections, oral antibiotics are sometimes necessary. In rare cases where a stye becomes very large, firm, and won’t drain despite treatment, a minor in-office procedure can be done to open and drain it. This is quick, done under local numbing, and provides almost immediate relief.
Preventing Styes From Coming Back
Some people get styes repeatedly, which usually signals a chronic issue with the oil glands along the eyelid margin. Daily eyelid hygiene is the best defense. The baby shampoo wash described above, done every morning as part of your routine, keeps the glands clear and reduces bacterial buildup. Pre-made eyelid cleansing wipes sold at pharmacies are a convenient alternative.
A few other habits that reduce your risk: replace eye makeup every three to six months, never share mascara or eyeliner, wash your hands before touching your face, and clean your contact lenses according to their recommended schedule. If you tend to get styes during allergy season, managing your allergies can help too, since rubbing itchy eyes introduces bacteria and irritates the glands.
People who get styes alongside crusty, flaky eyelids may have a condition called blepharitis, a chronic low-grade inflammation of the eyelid margin. Consistent warm compresses and lid scrubs keep it under control, but if the problem persists, an eye doctor can recommend targeted treatments to break the cycle.