How To Get Rid Of A Stye

If you thought pimples were bad, then you've definitely haven't experienced a stye. A stye is an eye pimple, simply. Healthline officially defines it as a red bump that lives on the outside of your eyelid.

Most styles are formed from bacteria, says WebMD. Not changing your mascara after three months, wearing your eye makeup to sleep, or even sleeping on dirty sheets are all actions that can cause a stye, the website said. Think about that before you skip your nightly skin routine.

But even if you develop a stye against all odds, don't fret. Styes are a pain, but they're relatively harmless and can go away with a few natural solutions. "Styes usually go away on their own within 7 to 10 days," Dr. Michele Green, New York-based cosmetic dermatologist, said to Healthline. However, if you're not okay with waiting a week or more for a red eye bump to go away (understandable, considering how embarrassing that is), you can easily get rid of a stye with a hot compress, some oils, or antibiotic treatments.

Your best bet for treating a stye is a hot compress. WebMD reported that soaking a clean washcloth in warm (not hot) water and holding it to your stye will help clean the bump. The more you clean the stye, the faster it'll go away. The outlet recommends also taking over-the-counter pain medication if the stye is becoming more unbearable.

Unlike pinkeye – also called conjunctivitis — styes are not contagious. However, just because this red bump isn't contagious doesn't mean you shouldn't take precautions as if it were. Remember: most styes occur because of bacteria (via All About Vision). So cleaning the eye area is the easiest way to prevent and get rid of a stye.

That said, if the warm compress isn't disinfecting your red bump, then you should use a warm tea bag, Healthline reported. Teas, specifically black tea, have antibacterial purposes that'll fight the infection. Simply warm up a teabag and apply it to your infected eye for 5-10 minutes. Repeat two times a day as needed, the outlet said.

If home remedies aren't working, it's probably time to see a doctor, especially if the stye begins to impair your vision, WebMD said. A physician can prescribe some antibacterial ointment and necessary medication that gets rid of the discomfort and pain from the stye.

While you might feel tempted to pop your stye — we've all been there, to be honest — under no circumstances should you pop that bump. Just like a pimple, popping a stye can spread the infection, which will make a trip to the doctor a necessity.