What is a stye? It is a reddish bump that develops usually on the outer area of your eyelid. It can prove to be quite discomforting and irritating for people. They develop due to a bacterial infection in an oil gland or hair follicle on your eyelid. Eye care is important but you might get styes even after proper precautions. Basically, these glands and hair follicles get blocked with dead skin cells. And sometimes, bacteria might also get clogged, causing an eye infection. This can lead to a painful and inflammed lump known as stye. It might even be filled with pus and can spread if you keep touching it unnecessarily. Stye is caused by a bacteria called Staphylococcus, that is usually harmless, but can cause infection when it gets transferred in your eye. You should take care of your eyes as they are a fragile part and can become infectious easily. Medically, a stye is called hordeolum. Read further to know about some effective home remedies to get rid of styes and tips to prevent them.
How to get rid of a stye naturally?
Swelling caused by a stye may last for around 3-4 days. It might be inflammed and reddish at first, but open after a point and one has to drain the liquid or pus out of it carefully. Though it lasts for 3-4 days, a stye might still take about 10 days to heal completely. This eye infection is not a serious condition but can be extremely painful and annoying for some people. Moreover, you have to visit the doctor if you have recurring eye styes as there are other risk factors associated with it such as conjunctivitis, blepharitis and cellulitis. Here are 7 effective home remedies to get rid of styes:
1. Tea tree oil
Tea tree oil is extracted from the melaleuca tree in Australia and has very useful antibacterial, anti-parasitic, antimicrobial, antiviral and antiseptic properties present in it. This essential oil helps in treating many skin infections and should be applied after cleaning the area with clear water. Along with the swelling, tea tree oil will help in quick healing of stye too. Take a few drops of tea tree oil and apply it over the stye. You can use a cotton ball to apply it on the skin and you can even dilute it in water before applying. Follow this process atleast twice a day, everyday for a week and you will get rid of styes. Not just this, tea tree oil is also used to treat other fungal skin infections like ringworm.
2. Onion
Onions contain anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties which help in reducing inflammation and healing styes. It helps in killing bacteria and also prevents the spread of infection. Onions do not help to get rid of an eye stye but help in reducing the symptoms like swelling. It might even leave a burning or stinging sensation at first, but will help in quick healing. To use onions, you can even try just easily chopping onions. By doing so, water comes out from the eyes which will naturally help in pain relief. Moreover, it will also clean the eye dirt that night be a major cause of infection. Another way to use this kitchen ingredient as a stye remedy is by cutting slices and putting them on your eyes for a few minutes, atleast twice a day.
3. Cloves
Another effective home remedy to treat styes is cloves. This Indonesian spice has a wide range of benefits, including a treatment for styes. It contains anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial antiseptic and analgesic components that help in fighting infections and in reducing other stye symptoms like pain and inflammation. You can also crush the cloves and mix with honey to apply an even more useful paste on the infected area. Clove acts as a disinfectant that helps in healing the stye faster than other home remedies as it is also full of antioxidants. Just carefully apply it from one corner of the eyelash to the other end and on the stye too. After a few hours, wash it off. You will see a noticeable improvement in the eye stye. Do not let the paste enter your eye as it can cause an uncontrollable burning sensation.
Also read: Dangerous Home Remedies which you must Avoid
4. Tea bags
Interestingly, even warm tea bags can be used as a natural remedy for styes. A lot of people firstly go for this way to treat their eye infection. It helps in reducing inflammation and pain relief quickly within just two days. You have to dip the tea bag in warm water for approximately one minute. After removing the extra water, keep the tea bag on the infected eye until it gets cold. If the stye is internal, then just place the warm tea bag over the eye lid on that area. In fact, you can also use a used tea bag for this purpose. Follow this process atleast twice or thrice a day.
5. Saltwater
Salt also has antifungal, antimicrobial and antibacterial properties present in it, that are beneficial in treating many infections and even styes. A stye even causes sleeplessness, so it becomes the first priority to treat pain more than inflammation. Saltwater can do wonders in such cases. The warmth of the water will soothe the irritating eye stye. It will not only reduce the pain but the swelling too. You just have to boil the water and add the salt in it. After doing so, let it cool down for a few minutes. Then, dip a soft towel or cloth in it and place it on your eyes. Put gentle pressure on the stye and leave it for 20-30 minutes. Repeat this twice a day for around 2-3 days, and the stye will get healed.
6. Coin
Did you ever think that a coin could treat an eye infection? Well, coin is made from metal that can be used for stye treatment as it is also used for bee stings. It helps in reducing swelling and irritation. By using coin as a stye natural remedy, you can get immediate pain relief too. The warmth of the metal soothes the affected area. Remember to wash the coin with soap and water before using it on your eyes. Rub it on a clean piece of cloth or between your hands for warmth. Then, place this warm coin on the stye until it starts cooling. Repeat this twice a day and you will get good results in 2-3 days.
Also read: Dealing With Eye Infections? These 10 Home Remedies For Eye Infections Can Come Handy
7. Warm compression
Somewhat similar to saltwater remedy, easy warm compression on the stye can help in getting rid of it. Basically, the warm compress will soften the eye stye and help in draining itself, without applying anything else for that. Dip a soft cloth in hot water and wring it to remove the extra water. When you feel it is not too hot, place the cloth on your eyelid for warmth. Keep your eyes closed until the cloth cools down. Compress it gently for more effective healing. Do this atleast 4-5 times a day, and you will observe noticeable improvement in a few hours.
Tips to prevent styes
A stye can be on the outside and inside of your eyelid, called external and internal stye respectively. If you get a stye, there is still a risk of getting another one. Mostly, the infection spreads to both the eyes eventually. Touching or rubbing your eyes is the most common way for bacteria to be transferred. To protect your eyes, here are some prevention tips for styes:
- Keep your eyes clean, away from any dust particles, goop, etc
- Wash your hands with soap and water before touching your eyes
- Clean your eyelids regularly using a mild soap
- Don't use many makeup products and if you do, remove it before sleeping positively
- Avoid sharing towels or clothes with someone who is already infected with a stye
Read more articles on Home remedies
