Healthline Media does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Massage the area gently with clean hands. Once the stye drains, keep the area clean, and avoid touching your eyes. Clean your eyelid with mild soap and water. All content is strictly informational and should not be considered medical advice.Getting a stye also increases your risk for another one. Follow the instructions on the package to make sure you’re taking the correct dose. When a gland is blocked, bacteria can grow inside and cause a stye to develop.“Styes usually go away on their own within 7 to 10 days,” Here are eight ways to speed up the healing process for styes.A warm compress is the most effective way to treat a stye. The main two products available without a prescription are Brolene and Golden Eye, which are both based on the same antibacterial ingredient, and come in two forms – drops and ointment. Do this for 5 to 10 minutes several times a day. Its formula effectively kills seven different strains of bacteria, according to Green. Throw out any eye products that are over 3 months old.Change to a new set of contact lenses when the stye heals to prevent reinfection.To help a mild stye go away, Green says you can apply an OTC antibiotic ointment to the area, but see a dermatologist or eye doctor to treat a stye that: To use these OTC ointments, pull the lid of the affected eye and apply about a quarter-inch of ointment inside the eyelid.You can buy OTC stye ointments at your pharmacy or online:Avoid using topical steroids for your stye. After washing your hands, soak a clean washcloth in very warm (but not hot) water and put it over the stye. Eye ointments can treat many eye conditions, including infections, styes, and dry eyes. They may be a result of an underlying condition, such as © 2005-2020 Healthline Media a Red Ventures Company. Therefore, you need to be very careful with products you apply to your eye area,” Green says.She recommends using OCuSOFT to cleanse eyelids because it’s been shown to be effective against bacteria commonly found on the eyelid. Use a separate tea bag for each eye.“You can use black tea as a compress twice daily to reduce swelling and any discomfort associated with a stye,” Green says.Take an over-the-counter (OTC) pain med like ibuprofen (Advil) or acetaminophen (Tylenol) to get relief. Our website services, content, and products are for informational purposes only. A stye usually only affects 1 eye, but it's possible to have more than 1 at a time.Avoid wearing contact lenses and eye make-up until the stye has burst and healed.Do not try to burst a stye or remove an eyelash yourself. Ointments for eye infections and styes are typically antibiotic, while dry eye ointments are OTC lubricants… You can do this every day until the stye is gone. STYE Sterile Lubricant Eye Ointment is made by DEL, which claims it will provide temporary, symptomatic relief of eye area discomfort due to itching, burning stinging and, of course, styes. Your eyelids have lots of tiny oil glands, especially around the eyelashes. Healthline Media does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Then gently place it over your eye for about 5 to 10 minutes. Repeat this 3 or 4 times a day. We include products we think are useful for our readers. Use it with a cotton swab or clean washcloth to gently wipe off your eyelids. The large number of bacteria in the pus can cause another stye to form in your eye or in your other eye.Swelling for a stye lasts about 3 days. This can spread the infection.It's still important to get help from a GP if you need it. Make sure the water isn’t too hot. Ointments don't have to be applied as frequently because of their thickness. Answers represent the opinions of our medical experts. Green advises avoiding harsh, synthetic chemicals when … To contact your GP surgery:Styes are often caused by bacteria infecting an eyelash follicle or eyelid gland.You're also more likely to get a stye if you have long-term You can help avoid styes by keeping your eyes clean.keep your eyelids and eyelashes clean, especially if you have blepharitisdo not share towels or flannels with someone who has a styedo not rub your eyes if you have not recently washed your handsdo not put contact lenses in before washing your handsWe are looking for volunteers to give us their views on health research, including research into coronavirus (COVID-19).