When do styes pop

And although they can be painful and almost always uncomfortable , you can take steps to avoid them. In most cases, you can treat them yourself at home. Goldman says. They usually last about three days, pop and then heal in about a week. Contrary to what some may believe, styes are not caused by stress.

But some habits can make you more prone to getting styes. You can help the process along by placing a warm, clean, damp cloth on the affected eye for five to 15 minutes a few times a day. Folding up a damp washcloth and microwaving it for a 10 to 20 seconds can work well.

Over-the-counter ointments and solutions are also available to treat styes, but Dr. Goldman recommends a tried-and-true, inexpensive option for his patients. Also, to avoid further irritation and infection, he recommends not wearing makeup or contacts when you have a stye. These conditions can sometimes look like a stye:. A bacterial infection can develop from natural bacteria on your skin. It can also develop from dirty makeup brushes or mascara wands. Toss old makeup, especially mascaras, eyeliners, and eyeshadows.

Avoid sharing makeup. Carefully wash your hands with soap and water before putting in contact lenses or applying makeup. Avoid wearing false lashes or lash extensions to reduce your risk for a stye or other kind of infection.

Also avoid wearing contact lenses or makeup while sleeping. Additionally, regularly clean and refresh contact lenses. If you have a condition called blepharitis , you may have a higher risk for getting a stye.

This condition makes the entire eyelid red and swollen inflamed. Your primary care doctor or eye doctor can diagnose a stye by carefully looking at your eyelid and eye. They may use a scope to enlarge the area. In some cases, your doctor may recommend a biopsy to make sure the bump on your eyelid is a stye and not a more serious condition.

This involves numbing the area first. Then a tiny bit of tissue is taken with a needle. The sample is sent to a lab to be analyzed under a microscope.

Also let your doctor know if you get styes more than once or twice, or have styes in both eyes. Another health condition may be leading to the styes. A stye usually goes away without treatment. It may shrink in about 2 to 5 days. Sometimes a stye may last for a week or more. There are several home remedies for soothing and treating a stye. The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends using a clean, warm compress or soaking the area with warm water.

This helps ease pain and swelling. It may also speed up healing. Hordeolum stye : Internal vs. Stye medicine. How long does a stye last? Are styes contagious? Pink eye vs. Home Conditions Styes » Can you pop a stye? By Adam Debrowski. Schedule an exam Find Eye Doctor.