Few things are as annoying as waking up to a tender red bump on your eyelid.
Styes are common, and while most go away on their own, they can make your eye feel sore, swollen, and self-conscious for days.
The good news is that a few simple habits can help keep you comfortable while your eye recovers, and may help you see fewer styes down the road.
In this post, we’ll go over 5 ways to support styes, starting with what causes styes in the first place. Let’s dive in!
What Causes Styes?
A stye is a small, red, tender bump that forms on the edge of the eyelid or just inside it.
Most styes start when an oil gland or eyelash follicle gets blocked and bacteria that normally live on the skin, often staph, get trapped inside.
Common triggers include touching or rubbing your eyes, sleeping in makeup, using old mascara or eyeliner, and handling contact lenses without clean hands.
Oil and debris building up along the lash line can also raise your chances of getting one. Most styes come to a head and clear up within about a week or two.
5 Ways to Support Styes
1. Wash Your Eyelids Daily
Keeping your lids clean is one of the simplest ways to support your eyes while a stye runs its course.
Oil, makeup, and debris along the lash line can clog the tiny glands at the base of your lashes.
A gentle daily wash clears that buildup away and helps your lids feel calmer and more comfortable.
It’s also one of the best habits for keeping your lash line clean so you see fewer styes in the future.
I love this gentle, pH-balanced eyelid cleansing foam because it clears away the oily buildup and tough residue that can clog the tiny glands along your lash line.
It also lifts off eye makeup quickly, which matters when a tender stye makes any scrubbing or rubbing feel like too much.
Plus, it was developed by ophthalmologists with an okra-based formula and natural botanicals that leave red, scratchy-feeling lids feeling soothed, moisturized, and refreshed.
Simply follow the directions on the back, and you’re good to go!
2. Keep Eyelid Wipes on Hand
A stye can make you want to touch your eye all day, and every touch brings more oil and bacteria to the area.
Having a clean, gentle way to wipe your lash line helps you keep it fresh without reaching for your fingers or a tissue.
Wipes are also handy after a warm compress, when you want to clear away anything that has loosened along the lid.
And they make it easy to stick with your routine at work, at the gym, or while traveling.
I love these individually wrapped eyelid wipes because I get a fresh, clean wipe every time instead of reaching for my fingers or a reused washcloth.
They also help cleanse dirt, debris, and cosmetic residue from the lid margin in one quick step, with no rinsing.
Plus, they double as gentle makeup remover pads and are made with an okra-based formula that cleanses and moisturizes delicate, irritated-feeling lids.
Simply follow the directions on the back, and you’re good to go!
3. Use a Warm Compress
Warmth helps soften the oil trapped inside a blocked gland, which can help a stye come to a head and drain on its own.
Hold a clean, warm washcloth or heated eye mask over your closed eye for about 10 to 15 minutes, a few times a day.
Keep it comfortably warm, never hot, and test it on your wrist first.
Use a fresh cloth each time so you aren’t bringing bacteria back to your eye.
4. Keep Your Hands Off
It’s tempting, but never squeeze, pop, or poke a stye.
Pressing on it can push bacteria deeper into the lid, spread irritation, and make the bump last longer.
Wash your hands before touching your face, and try not to rub your eyes, even if they feel itchy.
If you share towels or pillowcases, swap in clean ones until your stye clears.
5. Take a Break From Makeup and Contacts
Eye makeup and contact lenses can trap bacteria right where you don’t want it.
Skip eyeliner, mascara, and eyeshadow until the stye is fully gone, and wear glasses instead of contacts for a few days.
When you go back to makeup, consider replacing mascara and liner that are more than three months old.
And always remove your makeup before bed so nothing sits on your lash line overnight.
Here’s to a Stye-Free Future
Styes are uncomfortable, but a little daily care goes a long way while your eye recovers.
Keep your lids clean with a gentle wash, freshen your lash line with wipes, and use warm compresses a few times a day.
Just as important, keep your hands off and give makeup and contacts a short break.
Once the stye clears, sticking with a simple lid hygiene routine is one of the easiest ways to help keep your lash line clean going forward.
If a stye doesn’t improve within a week or two, keeps coming back, spreads redness across your eyelid or face, or affects your vision, check in with your eye doctor.
Thank you for reading, and here’s to calm, comfortable eyes!
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Medical Disclaimer
The information provided on this website is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. This blog or the writer is not a licensed healthcare professional, and the content should not be used as a substitute for professional medical diagnosis, treatment, or advice. Always consult with your physician or other qualified healthcare provider before starting any new treatment or making any changes to your healthcare routine.
