Most styes heal on their own within two to five days, and the single most effective treatment is a warm compress applied consistently. A stye is a small, painful bump on your eyelid caused by a bacterial infection in an oil gland or hair follicle along your lash line. While it looks alarming, it’s rarely serious, and you can manage it at home in almost every case.
Warm Compresses: The Core Treatment
A warm compress is the first and most important thing you can do. Moisten a clean washcloth with warm water, wring it out, and place it gently over the affected eye for five minutes. Repeat this several times a day. The heat increases blood flow to the area and helps the clogged gland open and drain naturally. Most styes will begin shrinking noticeably within a day or two of consistent compress use.
The water should feel warm against your wrist but never hot. You want to avoid burning the delicate skin around your eye. The washcloth will cool down quickly, so you can re-wet it midway through each session to keep the temperature steady. Use a fresh washcloth each time to avoid reintroducing bacteria.
What Not to Do
Don’t squeeze or pop a stye. It might look like a pimple, but squeezing it can push the infection deeper into your eyelid and make things significantly worse. Let it drain on its own. Avoid wearing contact lenses and eye makeup until the stye has fully healed, since both can irritate the area or spread bacteria.
Managing the Pain
If the stye is throbbing or making it hard to concentrate, an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory like ibuprofen or naproxen can take the edge off. These reduce both pain and swelling. Aspirin works too, though it shouldn’t be given to children or teenagers.
External vs. Internal Styes
An external stye forms on the outer edge of your eyelid, right along the lash line. It looks like a small pimple and is the more common type. An internal stye develops on the inner surface of your eyelid, facing your eyeball. It appears as a small bump that may look yellowish or white when you flip your lid.
Internal styes tend to be more painful and take longer to resolve. They form when an infection develops in one of the oil-producing glands embedded deeper in the eyelid (called meibomian glands). Both types respond to warm compresses, but internal styes are more likely to need medical attention if they don’t improve.
When a Stye Needs Medical Treatment
If your stye hasn’t started improving after about two days of consistent warm compresses, or hasn’t resolved after a week, it’s time to see a doctor. A healthcare provider may prescribe an antibiotic ointment that you apply directly to the eyelid, typically up to six times a day. A small strip of ointment, about a third of an inch, is the standard amount per application.
Sometimes a stye or the firm lump it leaves behind (called a chalazion) simply won’t heal with compresses or medication, even after weeks. If it persists for one to two months, an eye specialist may recommend a minor in-office procedure to drain it. This involves a small incision on the inside of the eyelid, and recovery is quick.
Warning Signs of a Serious Infection
In rare cases, a stye can progress to a deeper skin infection called preseptal cellulitis, where the infection spreads beyond the bump into the surrounding eyelid tissue. This can cause significant redness and swelling across the entire eyelid. If cellulitis goes untreated, the infection can move deeper into the eye socket, a condition called orbital cellulitis that requires emergency treatment.
Go to the emergency room if you or your child develops a fever along with eye pain, swelling that extends across the entire eye socket, vision changes, or a bulging eye. Bulging is one of the clearest signs that the infection has moved into deeper tissue.
Preventing Styes From Coming Back
If you get styes more than once, the issue is usually bacteria and oil buildup along your lash line. A daily eyelid cleaning routine can make a big difference. Start by placing a warm, damp washcloth over your closed eyes for about two minutes to loosen oil and debris. Then gently wipe along your lash line using a clean pad or swab with an eyelid-specific cleanser.
Several good options exist for eyelid cleaning:
- Premoistened eyelid wipes: Convenient single-use pads designed to remove pollen, oil, and debris from the lash line.
- Hypochlorous acid sprays or gels: These kill bacteria and reduce inflammation, mimicking your immune system’s own germ-fighting chemistry. Look for preservative-free versions.
- Diluted tea tree oil: Mix one drop of tea tree oil with two or three drops of water or coconut oil, then apply gently with a cotton swab. Look for products with around 25% tea tree oil concentration.
Doctors used to recommend baby shampoo for eyelid cleaning, but it contains chemicals that may not be ideal for the delicate skin around your eyes. The options above are better choices. Always use a fresh pad or swab for each eye to avoid cross-contamination, and wash your hands thoroughly before touching your face.