The main treatment for a stye is a warm compress applied to the affected eye for five minutes, several times a day. Most styes resolve on their own within a week or two with this simple approach. But the type of stye you have, how long it lingers, and what you do (or don’t do) in the meantime all affect how quickly it clears up.
Warm Compresses Are the First Step
Soak a clean washcloth in warm water, wring it out, and hold it gently against your closed eyelid for about five minutes. Do this two to three times a day. The heat loosens the clogged oil that’s causing the bump and helps it drain naturally. The washcloth cools down fast, so you may need to re-soak it partway through to keep it warm.
This is genuinely the most effective thing you can do at home. It works for both types of styes: external ones, which form along the base of your eyelashes, and internal ones, which develop deeper inside the eyelid. External styes are far more common and tend to look like a small pimple right at the lash line. Internal styes sit beneath the eyelid surface and can be harder to see but often cause more swelling and discomfort.
What Not to Do
Never pop or squeeze a stye. The American Academy of Ophthalmology warns that this can release bacteria and spread the infection to other parts of the eye. It’s tempting because a stye looks like a pimple, but the tissue around your eye is delicate and infection here can escalate quickly. Let it drain on its own with the help of warm compresses.
You should also avoid wearing contact lenses or eye makeup on the affected eye while the stye is active. Both can introduce more bacteria and slow healing.
Over-the-Counter Products
Stye ointments sold in drugstores are primarily lubricants. The active ingredients are typically mineral oil and white petrolatum, which are emollients that soothe the irritated eyelid and keep the area moist. They won’t kill bacteria or speed up healing in a dramatic way, but they can relieve discomfort, especially if the stye is making your eye feel dry or gritty.
Artificial tears can also help if the stye is irritating the surface of your eye. Neither product is a substitute for consistent warm compresses.
When a Stye Needs Medical Attention
Most styes start improving within a few days of regular warm compresses. But if pain and swelling are getting worse after the first two to three days rather than better, it’s time to see a doctor. Other signs that need professional evaluation include:
- Your eye swells shut
- Pus or blood leaks from the bump
- Blisters form on your eyelid
- Your eyelids feel hot to the touch
- Your vision gets worse
- Styes keep coming back
These symptoms can signal that the infection is spreading beyond the oil gland into the surrounding tissue, which requires more aggressive treatment.
How Doctors Treat Stubborn Styes
An external stye that won’t respond to warm compresses can be drained in a quick office procedure. Your doctor numbs the area, makes a small incision over the bump, and gently removes the trapped material. A small clamp holds the eyelid steady, and the whole thing takes just a few minutes. You’ll typically have antibiotic ointment applied afterward to prevent reinfection.
Internal styes are treated differently. Because they sit deeper in the eyelid, topical treatments applied to the surface usually can’t reach them effectively. Internal styes often require oral antibiotics, and if they don’t shrink with medication, incision and drainage may be needed as well.
In either case, your doctor may also use a steroid injection near the site to reduce inflammation and lower the chance of the stye coming back.
Preventing Styes From Coming Back
Styes form when bacteria get into the tiny oil glands along your eyelid. You carry bacteria on your hands constantly, and touching or rubbing your eyes transfers it directly to your lash line. That single habit, rubbing your eyes with unwashed hands, is one of the most common triggers.
Daily eyelid hygiene makes a real difference, especially if you’re prone to recurring styes. Washing your face alone isn’t enough because it doesn’t target the lash margin where styes develop. Use a small amount of baby shampoo (it’s formulated to be gentle near the eyes) with warm water and gently clean along the base of your lashes. This removes the oil and debris that bacteria feed on.
A few other habits that reduce your risk:
- Replace eye makeup every six months. Mascara and eyeliner can harbor bacteria over time.
- Clean contacts daily and never sleep in them. Bacteria thrive in the moist, warm environment between a contact lens and your eyelid.
- Rinse your eyelids after swimming or sweating. Chlorine, sweat, and oil can all clog eyelid glands and set the stage for infection.
If you get styes repeatedly despite good hygiene, your doctor may evaluate you for a chronic condition called blepharitis, which is ongoing inflammation of the eyelid margin that makes the glands more prone to blockage.