6 Home Remedies for Styes - Styes

Use warm compresses. Heat increases circulation, so warming the skin near the gland will bring more white blood cells -- which fight infection -- to the scene.

Wring a clean washcloth out in warm water -- as warm as you can tolerate, but be careful not to burn the sensitive skin in the eye area. Place it on the eyelid for five minutes at a time. You may have to run the cloth through warm water several times to keep it hot enough. Do this at least two or three times a day.

Do not squeeze, poke, push, or pick at the sty. You risk spreading the infection. Even if the sty has come to a head, don't try to pop it by squeezing it; let it drain on its own.

Skip eye makeup while the sty is present. Otherwise, you risk contaminating your makeup and applicators with bacteria.

Always practice good lid hygiene. To keep styes from returning, try washing the roots of your lashes each day with diluted baby shampoo or mild soap on a cotton ball or washcloth. An alternative is to use the over-the-counter cleanser Cetaphil, which won't sting or excessively dry the skin.

Remove eye makeup. Once the sty is gone and you start wearing makeup again, be diligent about removing it daily. In other words, don't be tempted to go to bed without washing off makeup first. And wash your eyelids again in the morning before re-applying makeup.

Don't share eye makeup or applicators. You wouldn't share your toothbrush, would you? Using a friend's or family member's eye makeup could pass infection to others, or vice versa.