A stye is a small, painful bump on your eyelid caused by a bacterial infection, and the good news is that most cases resolve on their own within a week to 10 days. The single most effective thing you can do is apply warm compresses consistently. Beyond that, there are a few important things to avoid and some signs that mean you need professional help.
Start With Warm Compresses
Warm compresses are the cornerstone of stye treatment. Soak a clean washcloth in warm water, wring it out, and hold it against your closed eyelid for 5 to 15 minutes at a time. Do this 3 to 6 times a day. The warmth helps the clogged, infected gland open up and drain naturally. Re-soak the cloth frequently to keep it warm throughout the session.
Avoid using hot water straight from the tap or heating a wet cloth in the microwave. Both can get hot enough to burn the thin skin on your eyelid. The goal is steady, comfortable warmth, not heat.
What Not to Do
Do not squeeze or pop a stye. It’s tempting because it looks like a pimple, but the risks are real. Popping a stye can spread the bacterial infection to other parts of your eyelid or into the eye itself, worsen the infection inside the bump, or leave permanent scarring. Scars on the eyelid can range from dark pigmented marks to pitted, hole-like indentations. Let the stye drain on its own with the help of warm compresses.
While the stye is active, stop wearing contact lenses and eye makeup. Contacts trap bacteria against the eye, and makeup applicators can reintroduce infection or spread it to the other eye.
Over-the-Counter Products
You’ll find products marketed specifically for styes at the pharmacy, but it’s worth knowing what they actually do. Most contain mineral oil and petrolatum, which are lubricants. They can temporarily relieve the burning and irritation around the bump, but they don’t treat the underlying infection. Think of them as comfort measures, not cures. Warm compresses remain more effective than anything you can buy over the counter.
Stye vs. Chalazion
If your bump isn’t very painful, you might not have a stye at all. A chalazion looks similar but forms when an oil gland in the eyelid gets clogged without an active infection. The key difference: a stye is very painful, especially to the touch, and typically appears right at the edge of the eyelid near the lash line. A chalazion tends to be further from the edge, is usually painless at first, and grows slowly. As a chalazion gets larger, it can press on the eye and blur your vision.
Both conditions benefit from warm compresses. But chalazia are more likely to need medical treatment if they don’t shrink, since they can linger for weeks or months without intervention.
When a Stye Needs Medical Attention
Most styes clear up within a week. If yours hasn’t improved after one to two weeks of consistent warm compresses, it’s time to see a doctor. Seek care sooner if you notice any of the following:
- Fever or chills, which suggest the infection may be spreading beyond the eyelid
- Vision changes, including blurriness
- Worsening swelling, especially if your eyelid swells shut
- The eyelid feels hot to the touch or the pain is getting worse despite home treatment
- Thick pus or blood draining from the bump
- Blisters on the eyelid
These can be signs of a deeper infection called periorbital cellulitis, where bacteria spread into the soft tissue around the eye. This is uncommon but requires prescription antibiotics. For very large styes that won’t drain, an ophthalmologist can perform a small in-office procedure to open and drain the bump.
Preventing Styes From Coming Back
Some people get styes once and never again. Others deal with them repeatedly. If you’re in the second group, daily eyelid hygiene makes a noticeable difference. Washing your whole face isn’t enough. You need to clean along the lash line specifically, where oil glands are most likely to get clogged and infected. A gentle scrub with baby shampoo and warm water works well for this.
Replace your eye makeup every six months. Mascara wands and eyeliner pencils collect bacteria over time, and old products are a common source of reinfection. If you wear contacts, disinfect them daily and avoid sleeping in them. Bacteria thrive in moist, dark environments, and a contact lens sitting on your eye overnight creates exactly that.
A few other triggers are easy to address once you know about them. Rinse your eyelids after swimming in a pool or soaking in a hot tub. If you sweat from exercise, wash your eyelids afterward, since sweat and oil can clog the glands and set the stage for infection. Eyelash extensions also deserve a mention: they trap dirt and bacteria close to the gland openings, increasing stye risk for people who wear them regularly.