6 ways to treat a stye with home remedies

Sometimes an eyelash follicle gets infected or inflamed and then a stye forms. The area swells painfully, and you're left with no option but to wait for the stye to heal on its own.
You can do things to help it heal more quickly, though. Check out the 6 home remedies you can easily do to help the stye heal and lessen the discomfort at the same time.
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1. Warm compress. Since a stye is a bacterial infection, much like a pimple, you need to get the infection to the surface myhealthtips recommends using warm compresses to draw the infection to the surface of the skin. Use a muslin cloth and place it on the eye for five to ten minutes at a time. You can do this throughout the day. The heat will also feel good.
2. Tea bag compress. Another version of the warm compress is a tea bag compress. Medical News Today recommends using green tea to get the biggest bang for your buck, but any tea will work. Make sure that they are warm, just like the compress above, and apply for five to ten minutes at a time.
3. Makeup. Keeping the stye clean is of paramount importance. Medical News Today recommends keeping the stye free of makeup. If you do use makeup, throw the makeup away to keep from transferring the bacteria anywhere else. Wash your brushes, too.
4. Leave undisturbed. The Mayo Clinic says to not pop the stye. Popping it can cause the bacteria to spread and get into the eye, worsening the problem.
5. Contacts. Another recommendation from the Mayo Clinic is to not wear your contacts as long as the stye is present. If you should wear them, be sure you clean them thoroughly and wash your hands well every time you touch your eye so you don't transfer the bacteria.
6. Bread and milk poultice. An unusual home remedy is offered by my healtips Soak a piece of bread in milk and apply the bread to the infected eye. Let it sit for five to ten minutes and then clean the eye with water. Repeat two to three times a day. Does this work? No studies have been done to see if it's effective.
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A stye can be painful and unsightly, but you can treat it through some simple steps at home. If it last more than 10 days, be sure to see your doctor. Take care to wash your hands and not touch it and any other part of your face or body, keeping from transferring the infection.
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RemedyDaily.com does not give medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.