A stye is a small, painful bump on the eyelid caused by a bacterial infection, most often from staphylococcus bacteria. It typically appears right at the edge of your eyelid where your lashes grow, and it looks and feels a lot like a pimple. Most styes last one to two weeks and go away on their own without medical treatment.
What Causes a Stye
Your eyelids contain dozens of tiny oil glands that help keep your eyes lubricated. A stye forms when one of these glands or a hair follicle at the base of an eyelash gets blocked and then infected with bacteria. The infection triggers inflammation, and the area swells into a red, tender bump that may develop a visible white or yellow head as pus collects.
There are two types. An external stye, which is far more common, develops on the outer edge of the eyelid from an infected eyelash follicle. An internal stye forms deeper inside the eyelid when one of the oil-producing glands embedded in the lid itself becomes infected. Internal styes tend to be more painful because the swelling presses against the eye, and they’re less visible from the outside.
Styes vs. Chalazions
Styes and chalazions look almost identical in their first couple of days, both starting as a swollen, red area on the eyelid. After that initial period, they behave differently. A stye stays painful and settles right at the eyelid margin near your lashes. A chalazion migrates toward the center of the eyelid body, becomes a firm but painless lump, and is caused by a clogged oil gland rather than a bacterial infection. If you have a bump on your eyelid that hurts, it’s more likely a stye. If it’s painless and sitting farther back from the lash line, it’s more likely a chalazion.
Who Gets Styes More Often
Anyone can get a stye, but certain conditions make them more likely to recur. Blepharitis, a chronic inflammation of the eyelids where the oil glands become clogged and the lid margins stay irritated, is one of the biggest risk factors. Skin conditions like rosacea and scalp dandruff can trigger posterior blepharitis, which in turn sets the stage for repeated styes.
People who frequently touch their eyes, sleep in their contact lenses, or skip removing eye makeup at night also tend to get styes more often. Anything that introduces bacteria to the eyelid margin or blocks the small glands there increases your risk.
What a Stye Feels and Looks Like
The first thing you’ll notice is tenderness or soreness at one spot on your eyelid. Within a day, the area becomes visibly swollen and red. Your eye may water more than usual, and the eyelid can feel heavy or slightly crusty. Some people describe a gritty sensation, as if something is in their eye.
As the stye matures over the next few days, a small yellowish spot may appear at the center of the bump. That’s the point where it will eventually drain on its own. The entire eyelid can puff up, but the actual stye is usually localized to one small area. Unlike a more serious infection, a stye doesn’t cause fever, vision changes, or swelling that spreads across the face.
How to Treat a Stye at Home
Warm compresses are the most effective home treatment. Soak a clean washcloth in warm water, wring it out, and hold it against your closed eyelid for 10 to 15 minutes. Repeat this three to four times a day. The heat helps open the blocked gland and encourages the stye to drain naturally. Most styes start improving within a few days of consistent warm compresses.
Resist the urge to squeeze or pop a stye. Forcing it open can spread the infection deeper into the eyelid or to surrounding tissue. Let it drain on its own. While you’re waiting, keep the area clean. Gently washing your eyelids with diluted baby shampoo on a cotton swab can help remove debris and bacteria from the lash line. Avoid wearing eye makeup or contact lenses until the stye heals.
When a Stye Needs Medical Attention
If a stye hasn’t started improving after about a week of warm compresses, you may need antibiotic drops or ointment. Some styes, particularly internal ones, can develop into an abscess that needs to be drained in a sterile medical setting. For chalazions that persist beyond one to two months, a minor surgical drainage procedure is sometimes necessary.
Certain warning signs suggest the infection has spread beyond the stye itself into the surrounding skin, a condition called periorbital cellulitis. If you develop a fever along with pain and swelling that extends across the entire eye socket, seek immediate care. The same applies to any vision changes or a bulging appearance of the eye. These symptoms are uncommon but require prompt treatment to prevent the infection from reaching deeper tissues.
Preventing Styes
Good eyelid hygiene is the simplest way to reduce your risk. Remove all eye makeup before bed every night, using a clean cotton swab along the base of your eyelashes to clear any remaining residue. Replace eye makeup every three months, since bacteria accumulate in mascara tubes and eyeliner pencils over time. Never share eye makeup, even with family members.
When applying makeup, keep products outside the lash line rather than on the inner rim of the eyelid. Lining the inner rim, called “waterlining,” directly blocks the oil gland openings that are most vulnerable to infection. If you develop any eye infection, throw away all your current eye makeup and start fresh once the infection clears.
Contact lens wearers should wash their hands thoroughly before handling lenses and avoid sleeping in them. Glitter-based eye products are a particularly common source of irritation for lens wearers. If you’re prone to recurring styes, a daily routine of washing your eyelids with diluted baby shampoo can help keep the oil glands clear and bacteria levels low.