Have you ever woken up to a painful and sore eyelid that turned into a red bump as the day progressed?
Well, in all probability, you were suffering from a stye a common medical issue that is caused by clogging of the oil glands present in the eyelids.
When an oil gland in the eyelid gets clogged with dead skin cells, dirt and oil, it turns into a breeding ground for bacteria which leads to inflammation and formation of a stye.
At times, a style can also occur inside the eyelid, in which case it is known as internal hordeolum.
Although, there are no serious complications associated with sties and it goes away within 5 to 7 days, but severe form of styles can progress into a chalazion that can cause cosmetic deformity.
Some of the recognizable symptoms of stye include formation of a lump on the top or bottom of the eye, pain and swelling, redness, crusting of the eyelids, tearing and irritation in the eye.
Home Remedies to Get Rid of Stye:
1. Warm compress
This is by far the most popular home remedy for stye. The warmth of the compress increases circulation the eyelid, dissolves the pus that forms inside the stye and helps it to drain out naturally. Once the pus is released from the stye the symptoms improve quickly.
Usage:
- Immerse a clean towel or flannel in warm water and wring out the excess water.
- Place the wet towel over your eyelid and let the warmth soak into your eyelids.
- Hold it there for 5 minutes at a time.
- Repeat the compress several times in a day till the pus is released.
- Wipe the pus with a clean cotton ball once it starts draining.
- Continue to apply the compress till the pus stops draining.
2. Green/Black Tea
Both green tea and black tea is loaded with anti-inflammatory compounds that reduce pain, swelling and redness of the stye. Tannic acid present in tea prevents infection caused by bacteria.
Usage:
- Dip a green tea or black tea bag in warm water and let it steep for a few minutes.
- Remove it from the water, squeeze out excess water and press the moist tea bag over the affected eyelid.
- Hold it in over the stye for 5 minutes.
- Reapply the teabags few times daily till the stye reduces in size.
3. Coriander Seeds Wash
The powerful anti-inflammatory properties of coriander helps to reduce most of the associated symptoms of stye such as pain, redness, swelling and irritation and speeds up the healing process.
Usage:
- Add a teaspoon of whole coriander seeds to a cup of water and boil it for 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat and let it cool down completely.
- Strain the liquid and use it to wash the affected eye.
- Repeat this remedy 2 to 3 times every day till the swelling and pain subsides.
4. Turmeric
Turmeric is well-known for its antibacterial properties which reduces the risk of infection and removes any infection-causing elements or allergens that may aggravate the condition. Anti-inflammatory properties of curcumin found in turmeric also helps to reduce swelling, tenderness, redness and irritation.
Usage:
- Add one tablespoon of turmeric to two cups of water and bring it to a boil.
- Continue to boil it till the solution reduces to half.
- Remove it from heat and let it cool down completely.
- Strain it through a cheese cloth and use the strained solution to rinse the affected eye two to three times a day for a few days.
5. Aloe Vera
The soothing and cooling properties of aloe vera gel makes it a popular natural treatment for sties. The antibacterial properties of aloe vera fight the bacteria that cause sties, while its anti-inflammatory properties reduce redness, swelling and tenderness and speed up the healing process.
Usage:
- Cut a leaf from an aloe vera plant and scrape out the gel from inside it using a spoon.
- Collect the gel in a glass bowl and apply it on and around the stye.
- Leave it on for 20 minutes and then wash off with lukewarm water.
- Reapply it two to three times daily for a few days.
6. Castor oil
Ricinoleic acid present in castor oil makes it a potent anti-inflammatory oil that helps in reducing inflammation and pain instantly. It reduces the size of the stye and soothes the irritation associated with stye.
Usage:
- Clean the affected eyelid with baby shampoo and lukewarm water.
- Dip a cotton swab in castor oil and apply it on and around the raised bump.
- Don’t wash away the oil.
- Reapply it two times daily for three to four days or till the swelling subsides.
7. Guava Leaves
Guava leaves are known for its medicinal and anti-inflammatory properties that eliminate the redness and swelling of the stye. Tannins present in guava leaves also helps to subside swelling and speed up the healing process.
Usage:
- Wash a few guava leaves in hot water.
- Place the cleaned leaf over your affected eyelid and wait for 5 minutes.
- Repeat the same with the other leaves.
- Repeat this remedy twice daily for two to three days.
8. Potato
The natural astringent properties of potato contracts the tissues of the eyelids and reduces skin irritation caused by sties. The soothing and cooling effect of potato relieves inflammation, pain and redness and also moisturizes the skin of the eyelids.
Usage:
- Wash a medium-sized potato and peel it.
- Grate it to form a thick paste.
- Put the grated potato pulp in cheesecloth and place it over the affected eyelids.
- Let the potato juice soak into to eyelids for ten minutes.
- Repeat this remedy two to three times a day for five days.
9. Cloves
Clove acts as a natural anesthetic that numbs the sensations of pain and irritation in the eyelid. Antibacterial qualities of cloves prevent the spread of eye infection while its antiseptic property stops pain.
Usage:
- Soak five or six cloves in a glass of water for 10 minutes.
- Remove the cloves from the water.
- Soak a clean cloth in this water, wring out the excess water and hold the cloth on the stye for a few minutes.
- Repeat this remedy two to three times a day for a few days.
10. Tea Tree Oil
Tea tree essential oil is a powerful anti-bacterial, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory agent that cleans up the stye by reducing inflammation and preventing bacteria build-up. Raw tea tree oil can irritate the tender skin of the eyelids, so it’s best to use it in diluted form. Make sure the tea tree oil does not enter your eyes.
Usage:
- Add a teaspoon of tea tree oil and two tablespoons of filtered water in a bowl and mix well.
- Place the concoction in the refrigerator for half-an-hour.
- Dip a cotton swab in the concoction and apply it on and around the swelling.
- Repeat this procedure three times a day until the swelling and pain subsides.
11. Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is known as powerful antibacterial and antiseptic agent that eases pain, dries out the pus and speeds up the healing process of the stye. Make sure the apple cider vinegar does not get into your eyes.
Usage:
- Dilute the apple cider vinegar by mixing equal parts of water and apple cider vinegar in a glass bowl.
- Put the mixture in the freezer till it is nice and cold.
- Now, apply the mixture directly on your stye.
- Repeat this method three times a day till the size of the bump reduces.
12. Coconut oil
The anti-inflammatory and healing properties of coconut oil make it the ideal remedy form sties. Coconut oil forms a soothing coating over the stye and reduces dryness and irritation in the eyelid. It moisturized the stye and speeds up the healing process dramatically.
Usage:
- Wash your face and the stye with baby shampoo and water.
- Dry your area around the stye using a clean towel or cotton ball.
- Apply some coconut oil directly over the stye and leave it on.
- Reapply this remedy two to three times a day till the swelling and pain reduces.
Precautionary Measures to Cure and Avoid Stye:
- Wash your hands – Wash your hands with soap and water before applying any ointment or natural remedies to the stye. Touching the stye with dirty hands transfer dirt, bacteria, oil and other particles to the site and aggravate the risk of infection.
- Keep your hands away – If you have a stye infection then keep your hands away from your eyes. Your hands contain a lot of oil and dirt that not only aggravates infection, but it also acts as a carrier of bacteria that can cause infection in the other eye once you touch it.
- Don’t squeeze – Popping a stye may appear to be the easiest remedy, but it can lead to more problems. The pus released from the stye is likely to spread to the eyelid and increase the likeliness of infection. If the stye is too big and affecting your vision then have a medical professional drain it out.
- Clean with warm wash cloth – Use a wet warm wash cloth instead of warm water to clean the area around the stye and remove the crusts. Dip a clean wash cloth in warm water, wring out the excess water and then place it on the eye for 5 minutes. Repeat it 3 to 4 times each day. The warmth will also dissolve the pus and speed up the raining of the stye.
- Clean your eyelids – Because stye is caused by clogged oil glands so make it a point to keep your eyelids clean in order to prevent future sties. Add a few drops of tear-free baby shampoo in bowl of warm water, dip a cotton swab in it and use it to clean your eyelids once in two days.
- Don’t conceal it – Don’t try to cover up a stye with makeup. It will cut out air supply to the stye, aggravate irritation and slow down the healing process. Bacteria from the stye may get transferred on the makeup pencils and brushes and spread the infection to the other eye.
- Throw away old makeup – While makeup can be an expensive thing, but that old eye makeup you hoard can be a breeding ground for bacteria that can cause stye. So, make it a point to clean your reusable brushes and applicators periodically and discard old mascara, eyeliner and eye shadows that have crossed their expiry date. Also never share your eye makeup or brushes with anyone.
- Go without contact lenses – If you wear contact lenses on a daily basis the try to avoid it till the stye heals. You can use spectacles instead. Contact lenses can get infected with bacteria and lead to future breakout of stye.
- Follow proper contact lens hygiene – Don’t wear contact lenses when you are having a stye. Don’t use daily disposable contact lenses more than once. If you are using monthly contact lenses, then make sure you chance them after four weeks of usage. Doesn’t sleep while wearing contact lenses. Wash your hands before putting on the lenses and before removing them. Clean the lenses with a contact lens solution after every use.
In most cases, sties go away on their own without the use of antibiotics. But contact a doctor if your stye increases in size over time, interferes with your vision, becomes more painful or does not respond to home treatment. At times, sties need to be drained professionally. Your doctor may also prescribe an antibiotic ointment or eye drop to heal the infection.
