How To Get Rid of a Stye

A stye is a bacterial infection in an eyelash follicle or an eyelid oil gland. If you scratch or get bacteria in the area, the follicle or gland sometimes gets blocked and infected​.

“Styes typically occur on the outside edge or just under the eyelid,” says family physician Matthew Goldman, MD​. “They’re bumps that look like pimples, surrounded by redness. Styes often drain and improve over several days, but some can take up to one to two weeks to fully resolve.”

Still, they can be painful (and almost always uncomfortable). If you’re looking for a way to get rid of a stye, Dr. Goldman has some strategies to help the healing process.

Self-care for a stye

If you’re wondering what to do for a stye, there are a few things you can do at home to find relief.

“Before touching your eyes or applying any remedies, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water,” instructs Dr. Goldman.

Once you do that, try the following six strategies to speed up healing.

1. Apply a warm compress

Hold a warm, clean, damp cloth on the affected eye for at least 10 to 15 minutes a few times a day. Just be careful the cloth doesn’t get so hot that you irritate your eye or the skin around it. And use a clean cloth every time without sharing it between both eyes to prevent spreading bacteria back and forth.

“The heat allows the stye to drain on its own,” Dr. Goldman explains. “Just continue to reheat the washcloth because it will lose heat over time.”

Can you use a tea bag to treat a stye?

Some say warm tea bags are helpful alternatives to a warm compress. The theory comes from the notion that green tea has anti-inflammatory properties that can reduce inflammation.

Research suggests green tea has potential therapeutic effects for certain eye diseases like dry eyes. But there haven’t been enough clinical trials to suggest that tea bags are more effective at treating styes than a traditional warm compress. Plus, tea bags may irritate your eyes or introduce debris, so a clean washcloth is usually the safer choice.

“Applying warmth to a stye is what helps it come to a head and resolve itself,” says Dr. Goldman. “A warm washcloth is enough to get that process started.”

2. Try an over-the-counter medication

Looking to relieve stye pain? Try over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers like acetaminophen or ibuprofen (when safe) for discomfort. You can also use antibiotic ointments when prescribed by a healthcare provider.

3. Use baby shampoo

As a stye is caused by a bacterial infection, it helps to keep the area clean. Try using baby shampoo or another gentle soap that’s free of harsh chemicals, fragrances or dyes. When applying it, don’t rub it in or scrub your eye. Instead, gently wipe your affected eyelid.

“Dilute the shampoo or soap in warm water and apply to your eyelids gently with a clean cotton swab or washcloth,” advises Dr. Goldman.

4. Avoid using makeup

To avoid further irritation and infection, avoid wearing makeup until your stye is fully healed.

“Wearing makeup when you have a stye may delay the healing process,” warns Dr. Goldman. “You want to keep the area clean and uncovered.”

You also want to clean your makeup brushes and throw away any eyeshadow, mascara or eyeliner that you may have used when you had a stye. Bacteria can travel to those items and cause a recurring problem down the line.

5. Don’t wear contact lenses

If you normally wear contact lenses, Dr. Goldman recommends taking a break from them when you have a stye. When your eye is swollen, a contact lens may not fit as well as they usually do, causing further irritation. Plus, bacteria from the stye can travel to your contact lens, causing another infection.

Once your stye is healed, start with a fresh pair of contacts to avoid further irritation or infection.

6. Avoid touching or popping a stye

Unless you’ve washed your hands and you’re applying a warm compress or ointment, avoid touching the stye. You want to limit the amount of bacteria you introduce to the area. Plus, popping it can cause a worse infection or further damage to your eye and the surrounding tissues.

Can you get rid of a stye overnight?

A stye will almost never go away within 24 hours. But the more consistent you are with self-care, the better success you’ll have with the healing process.

“Most styes can take up to seven to 10 days to heal with at-home treatments,” says Dr. Goldman.

When to see a doctor

Sometimes, styes can be confused with other things, like a chalazion, a painless lump in your eyelid, or xanthelasma, a fatty deposit that results from having high cholesterol. If you’re unsure what’s causing your symptoms, make an appointment with your primary care provider or an eye specialist who can determine if additional treatment is needed.

You should also see a healthcare provider if:

• Your symptoms haven’t improved in one to two weeks.
• Your symptoms quickly get worse.
• It becomes extremely painful.
• It grows in size.
• It bleeds.
• It affects your vision.
• You have significant redness or discharge.
• You’ve got swelling or redness around the eye.
• You have difficulty opening your eye.
• You develop a fever.
• You see redness in your cheeks or other parts of your face (indicating that the infection is likely spreading).

“Styes are generally easily managed and are usually an annoyance rather than a major problem,” Dr. Goldman says. “But if they don’t go away or you have other unusual symptoms, talk to your doctor.”