Most sties heal on their own within one to two weeks, and the single best thing you can do is apply a warm, moist compress several times a day. That alone speeds drainage and relief more than any over-the-counter product. Below is everything you need to know to treat a sty at home, avoid making it worse, and recognize when it’s time to get professional help.
What a Sty Actually Is
A sty is a small, painful bump on the eyelid caused by a blocked oil gland that becomes infected, almost always by the common skin bacterium Staphylococcus aureus. External sties form along the lash line, where tiny oil and sweat glands sit. Internal sties develop deeper in the eyelid, in the larger oil glands that help keep your tear film stable. Both types look like a red, swollen pimple and tend to come to a head with a visible white or yellow spot.
External sties are more common and usually more superficial. Internal sties can be more painful because the swelling presses against the eyeball, and they sometimes linger longer or harden into a painless lump called a chalazion if they don’t drain fully.
Warm Compresses: The Most Effective Home Treatment
A warm, moist compress is the cornerstone of sty treatment. The heat softens the clogged oil inside the gland and encourages it to drain naturally. Apply a clean, damp washcloth to your closed eyelid for 5 to 10 minutes, 3 to 6 times a day. Re-wet the cloth as it cools so it stays consistently warm throughout each session.
A few important details: do not use hot water or heat a wet cloth in the microwave. Both can overshoot the temperature and burn the delicate skin of your eyelid. Warm tap water that feels comfortable on the inside of your wrist is the right range. Some people find that a clean sock filled with dry rice and microwaved for about 20 seconds holds heat longer than a washcloth, but test it against your wrist first.
After each compress session, you can gently clean the eyelid with diluted baby shampoo on a cotton swab or a pre-moistened eyelid wipe. This removes crusting, keeps bacteria from building up, and helps the gland open. Wash your hands before and after touching the area.
What Not to Do
The most important rule: do not squeeze or try to pop a sty. It looks like a pimple, and the urge to drain it yourself can be strong, but the risks are real. Squeezing can push the infection deeper into the eyelid tissue, cause scarring or permanent pigment changes on the lid, or scratch the surface of the eye (a corneal abrasion). In rare cases, forcing bacteria into surrounding tissue can trigger a more serious skin infection around the eye socket.
A few other things to avoid while a sty is active:
- Contact lenses. Switch to glasses until the sty heals. Lenses can irritate the bump and spread bacteria across the eye.
- Eye makeup. Mascara, eyeliner, and eyeshadow can introduce more bacteria and block the gland further. Throw away any eye makeup you used right before the sty appeared.
- Rubbing or touching. Every time you touch the sty with unwashed hands, you risk worsening the infection or spreading it to the other eye.
Over-the-Counter Products
Pharmacies sell OTC sty ointments, but their active ingredients are simply mineral oil and white petrolatum, both of which are emollients. They lubricate and soothe the eyelid but do not treat the underlying infection. They can offer comfort if the area feels dry or irritated, but they are not a substitute for consistent warm compresses. OTC pain relievers like ibuprofen or acetaminophen can help with soreness and swelling if the sty is particularly tender.
When a Sty Needs Medical Attention
Most sties respond well to home care, but there are situations where you should see a healthcare provider. The Mayo Clinic recommends seeking care if the sty is very painful or doesn’t start to improve within two days of consistent warm compresses. Other signs that warrant a visit include swelling that spreads beyond the eyelid to your cheek or other parts of your face, redness that extends across the white of your eye, or changes in your vision.
For sties that don’t respond to warm compresses and basic hygiene, a provider may prescribe antibiotic eye drops or ointment to address the bacterial infection directly. If the sty is large or stubborn, a minor in-office procedure to drain it is sometimes necessary. This is quick, done under local anesthesia, and provides almost immediate relief. People who get sties repeatedly may be prescribed a course of oral antibiotics to reduce chronic inflammation in the oil glands of the eyelid.
Internal sties that don’t fully drain can harden into a chalazion, a painless but persistent bump. A chalazion sometimes resolves with continued warm compresses over several weeks, but if it doesn’t, a provider can treat it with a steroid injection or a small incision to remove the contents.
Preventing Sties From Coming Back
Some people are prone to recurrent sties, especially if they have naturally oily skin, chronic eyelid inflammation (blepharitis), or skin conditions like rosacea. A daily eyelid hygiene routine reduces the odds of another episode. Each morning, or after removing makeup at night, gently scrub along the base of your lashes with a clean washcloth or cotton swab dipped in diluted baby shampoo, then rinse. Pre-made eyelid cleansing wipes sold at pharmacies are a convenient alternative.
Replacing eye makeup every three to six months, never sharing mascara or eyeliner, and always removing makeup before bed are simple habits that keep bacteria levels low around the lash line. If you wear contact lenses, clean them according to the manufacturer’s schedule and wash your hands thoroughly before handling them. These small steps are especially worthwhile if you’ve already had more than one sty, since the glands that clogged once are more likely to clog again.