How to get rid of styes fast

Styes (also called hordeolums) are an infection in the eyelid caused by the staphylococcus bacteria. This bacteria usually lives harmlessly on the skin and in the nasal passages but can cause an infection if it gets to the eye, which results in a stye.

The main symptom of a stye is a small lump on the eyelid, sometimes with a yellow head and sometimes headless. This is accompanied by redness, soreness, itchiness and inflammation around the infection.

There are two varieties of styes; internal styes and external styes.

Internal styes are styes on the inside of the eyelid - you have to turn your eyelid inside-out to see it. Internal styes are usually caused by an infection of a Meibomian gland that is responsible for producing and secreting a special oil which is used for the tear film over your eye.

External styes are styes on the outside of the eyelid and can be seen by looking in a mirror. An external stye indicates an infection of an eyelash follicle (the tiny hole that eyelashes grow from), a sebaceous gland (produces an oil called sebum that lubricates the eyelash) or apocrine (moll) gland that secretes sweat.

Technically, styes ARE contagious. However, in the real world, it is unlikely that you will pass the infection onto someone or that someone else will pass it on to you.

This is because it is very difficult for the bacteria to transfer from one person's eye to another persons (unless you go around rubbing eyes with people). In addition, the bacteria has to find a way under the flesh of the eyelid, whilst being bombarded by the body's natural immune system.

So if you have a stye, you don't have to lock yourself away to avoid infecting others :)

The procedure below will show you how to get rid of your stye quickly - usually within one day but no longer than 3 days in my experience. I originally published this procedure on my Curing a Stye Blog.

* Please excuse the poor quality of the images - I'm crap at art lol :)

To get rid of your stye, the first thing to do is to wash your hands and face with soap and warm water - you can also use anti-bacterial handwash if you have some available.

Next, thoroughly soak a clean flannel or towel in hot water (water from your hot tap should be sufficient although make sure it is not scolding hot!)

Fold up the flannel and hold it firmly against your eye. A little pressure should be applied, but not too much. Keep it in place for around 5 minutes. This is known as a hot compress.

Repeat steps 1 to 3 four times a day