How to Treat a Stye
Got a stye on your eye? Styes develop when the sebaceous glands in the eyelids swell up because of bacterial infection. Most styes go away on their own after a few days, but if you find it too painful or embarrassing, there are a few ways to effectively treat it. Here are some tips you can try.
What You’ll Need:
Hot compress
Herbal remedies
Antibacterial soap
Water
Medications
Apply Hot Compress
Warming your eyes promote blood circulation to the stye, helping it to go away. Get a towel, then soak it in warm and clean water. The water should be hot enough to provide relief, but not burn your eye. Squeeze the excess water, then put the compress over your stye. Hold it in place for at least ten minutes. You can re-wash the towel, then apply it again. Do this a few times throughout the day.
Avoid Using Eye Makeup
Cosmetics, as well as applicators, can transfer bacteria to your eyelids, infecting your stye further. While you’re nursing a stye, avoid putting on eye cosmetics, such as eyebrow pencils, eye liner, mascara and eyeshadow. If your applicator gets the bacteria from the stye and you continue using it, the stye will come back repeatedly. The rule applies to contact lenses. Only use them when you’re sure that your stye has cleared completely.
Clean Your Stye
A stye can hurt and take longer to heal if it’s frequently dirtied. To prevent this from happening, practice good hygiene. Wash your hands frequently with water and antibacterial soap, then dry with a clean towel. Avoid touching your stye with your bare hands. You should also wash your stye. Close your eyes then wash the outer eyelids. You can also use a cotton swap to rub a bit of mild soap over the root of your eyelash so the stye won’t take over. Repeat this procedure two or three times a day.
Use Medications
Most styes go away on their own, but there are also non-prescription medications that will help them go away. You can use eye drops, eye wash or medicated pads. There are also topical ointment that can help remove the stye. If you have a physician, you can ask him to prescribe an antibiotic for you, to prevent bacterial spread.
Try Herbal Remedies
There are a few effective herbal remedies that are believed to heal styes faster. Here are a few examples.
Put a warm and moist black tea bag over the stye. The tannic acids in the tea lessens the swelling.
Dandelion tea kills the bacteria that causes the stye.
Apply castor oil to the stye twice a day. Do this after the hot compress technique.
Try turmeric. This is an herb that comes from the Curcuma longa plant, and works as an anti-inflammatory agent.
Boil some acacia leaves, parsley and bancha leaves for ten minutes and apply to your eyes with a washcloth.
Consult A Physician
If you’ve tried all the treatment options above with no improvement after three days, then it’s best to go to your physician. He or she will drain the stye and check on your eyes if there’s an underlying condition that requires treatment. Your physician can also prescribe better medications to cure your stye.
More Tips:
Prevent dirt and grime from infecting your stye by wearing sunglasses every time you go out.
Placing a heavy and smooth piece of gold over the stye is believed to help it go away, too.
Massage your eyelid gently, to promote blood circulation and lessen fluid build-up.
No one like to have a painful and unpleasant stye. Don’t worry, because with these easy steps, this condition will go away soon. Just remember, don’t scratch and poke the stye, or it will give you more trouble!