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by Bea Martinez on May 21st, 2004

Bea Martinez

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How do I get rid of a sty?

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  • by Andy Is Wicked Married to Penal Colony on August 11th, 2004

    Andy Is Wicked Married to Penal Colony

    Great Answer

    Hand-picked by Answerbag's staff. (What's this?)

    A stye is also called a hordeolum. It is a pimple caused by skin germs that infect the tunnel through which the eyelashes emerge. A stye is usually tender and eventually develops a pointy white head before it bursts. They can be quite tender and irritating.

    A moist, hot compress will speed resolution. Antibiotics are not necessary. The stye has to drain, whether on its own or with a doctor's help. Sometimes it can grow so large that surgical drainage is advised.

    There are some look-alike lesions that can mimic a stye, so if it doesn't clear promptly in 5-7 days be sure you see your ophthalmologist for an evaluation.

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  • by Bryan Branham on February 22nd, 2005

    Bryan Branham

    Using a hot compress is definitely the right answer. I've experienced these and hot applications and a little time will remedy it. A doctor will drain it only as a last resort and he will recommend hot applications instead.

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  • by staffie on July 17th, 2007

    staffie

    this may sound weird but it really does work. rub a gold ring or something gold on the stye and it will go away. you might need to do it a few times though.

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  • by Anonymous on July 17th, 2007

    Anonymous

    My mom use to rub gold ring on her jeans to warm it then she rub the ring onto my eye *soft* it work i dont know how but yea it work,also my nonna says breast milk but if you dont have it then gold ring my Nonno says take clove from garlic and grind put on a q-tip and put on the sty with eye closed it works all of them

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  • by mtvk2 on October 10th, 2008

    mtvk2

    Moisten a regular tea bag
    Place it on the closed eye
    Apply a bandage to keep it in place
    The tea will draw the stye.

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  • by Montana on July 12th, 2007

    Montana

    I've had a sty for 7 months. I dont regularly put a hot compress on it (the doctor said do it for twenty minutes five times a day and I just dont have that kind of time), but I do try to do it at least once a day. It still hasnt gone away. A doctor gave me antibiotics, but they didnt work, and my aunt gave me an ointment, and it helped a little, but it's now back to its original size, with no white head in sight. I don't know what to do anymore.

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  • by L. Taylor on November 12th, 2009

    L. Taylor

    The most common recommendation for getting rid of styes is to apply a warm compress to the infected area. Warm up a pot of water or just use hot tap water to dampen a wash cloth, then hold the cloth over your eye for 15 minutes at a time. Do this several times a day for as long as it take for the sty to drain on its own. The best thing for getting rid of styes is to let them drain on their own, that way you’re sure to avoid secondary infection that could be brought on if you attempt to pop the sty or rupture the inflamed skin.

    Over-the-counter antibiotic ointments like Neosporin can help get rid of styes. In fact, some companies like Neosporin have special antibiotic sty treatments where you apply a strip that sticks to your eyelid for a period of time. Since most sties are, again, caused by a bacterium, antibiotics (the dominant treatment for bacterial infections in western medicine) are employed to kill the Staph bacteria. If you can do this with a cheap over-the-counter antibiotic cream, you’ve saved yourself a trip to the doctor and an expensive prescription.

    If your sty lasts longer than 7 days, over-the-counter antibiotic eye drops prescribed by your doctor will help get rid of sties. That is, if your styes are in fact caused by S. aureus. It is a good idea to see your doctor if you suffer from chronic or repeatedly infected styes. Generally a painful stye caused by bacterial infection is cured with antibiotics, but sometimes styes can be a secondary infection caused by another more serious disease like blepharitis or something as benign as a susceptibility to chalazions.
    If you want to get rid of a sty, you can have a physician or a nurse pop it. I will say that because a stye is a lot like a small blister or pimple, it is possible to pop it to get rid of it, but I wouldn’t recommend this approach. Besides the obvious dangers of putting anything sharp near your eye, you also risk further infection by giving the other bacteria on your skin an open wound to infect. If a stye is just too damn painful, get a nurse or a doctor to pop it for you, the right way, with sterilized instruments and lots of rubbing alcohol—this is, of course, a last ditch effort to get rid of styes.

    Washing your hands on a regular basis will help to prevent styes from occurring. Because most styes, or sties, are caused by the S. aureus bacteria, and Staphylococcus is one of the most common bacteria found on human skin, it’s a good idea to wash your hands when you’re in public places. Also, wash your hands before touching your face, and wash your hands before touching part of your face (like your nose, where most S. aureus bacteria live) and then touching another part of your face. Just stop touching things and keep your hands and face clean! And don’t pick your nose!

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  • by Dr. Petetrowsky on October 11th, 2009

    Dr. Petetrowsky

    I know this sounds weird, but... if you pass gas (fart) into a brown, paper bag, then open it just enough for your eye to fit into it. with the fart gas still in the bag, put the bag up to your eye. leave it on there for about 1 hour.

    the methane gas in your fart will clean the pore, and the sty will go away. i know this sounds gross, but if you can find another way to find methane in a form that won't hurt your eye let me know.

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  • by Esteban-- Smart ass Pumpkin on September 13th, 2008

    Esteban-- Smart ass Pumpkin

    Get you farm land rezoned and bulldoze it.
    If is the other type, I don't know.

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  • by beanie on September 13th, 2008

    beanie

    Pee or garlic on my eye - think I will keep the STY

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  • by allicat on June 30th, 2008

    allicat

    put a warm compress on it i have one right now too!

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  • by Nibble nibble bite nibble on June 29th, 2008

    Nibble nibble bite nibble

    Get antibacterial soap, and wash where the sty is. I did this, and it went away. Just make sure you don't get the soap in your eye.

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  • by CHICKACHICKAWHAT on January 2nd, 2008

    CHICKACHICKAWHAT

    I got a sty two years ago and it lasted for about 2 weeks (I even had it for graduation!). So this morning, when I woke up, I was very dismayed to see a new sty forming. I boiled some water, put it into a large bowl, stuck my head over the steam and enclosed both my head and the boil in a towel. I opened my eyes and let the steam in and it really helped numb the pain and I think it's starting to go away now!

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  • by Thomas on October 15th, 2007

    Thomas

    First off a stye is casused by a bacterial infection so the pee in a cup or a gold ring is just not going to work, sry it folklore. hot compresses or antibiotics are the only 2 options...

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  • by scrillaman on September 6th, 2006

    scrillaman

    I got the answer to the sty problem. pee in a cup and boil the pee. let the pee cool down a little and use a rag and swab the urine on your eye. this will get rid of your sty in the matter of hours. I use this process for years to get rid of sty's beleave me nobody wants that PIMPLE hanging ova your eye longer than you need to. it sounds crazzy but it works!!!!

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  • by Scubagirllaura on June 7th, 2006

    Scubagirllaura

    I get these often. I use a solution of warm water (let it cool down after being boiled) and salt.
    Soak some cotton wool in the solution and hold to your eye for about a minute, repeat this a few times with fresh cotton wool. Done twice a day it seems to clear the sty in a couple of days.

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  • by JackNicklaus on March 20th, 2006

    JackNicklaus

    Stick with the hot massages. The warmth will loosen the puss and hopefully you can pop it. Don't cause more damage with you treatment.
    They usually resolve themselves in a couple of days. If it persists, see your eye doctor. These warm messages can also prevent new styes from forming.

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  • by AnswerAsh on May 22nd, 2004

    AnswerAsh

    You need to visit an opthalmologist and get a Rx ointmenmt. It'll ease the pain and prevent infection.

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  • by I Live 4 Him on November 9th, 2009

    I Live 4 Him

    If you look closely there are little holes along your eyelid and when one of those holes gets clogged than the liquid stuff builds up until there is to much pressure and it expands and blows out of the hole then it flows normally. Why they say put a hot compress on it is because heat expands things so it expands and leaves sooner.

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  • by marn-i on November 12th, 2009

    marn-i

    i have a sty right this moment, and im in school(snekaed on this website) and i rubbed a gold ring on it last night, BUT IT DIDNT WORK, all my friends have told me to rub a gold ring on it, and i have, still not working.. any other suggestions?
    XX

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  • by Gossamer on November 12th, 2009

    Gossamer

    pop it

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  • by philosopher-saint on November 12th, 2009

    philosopher-saint

    Move?
    ;-)

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  • by sarserella on April 6th, 2009

    sarserella

    When I was 14 I had a stye develope on my eye lid, I could not for the life of me get rid of it, finally when I was 16 and fed up with the swelling every morning, and pain every now and then, I had made an apt at the General Hospital(in my region) at the eye institute, sure enough he said that there was nothing I could do, except to get it surgically removed, I was so excited yet scared at the same time it's been almost 4 years since the operation and the stye has no come back. If you have had a stye for longer than a week, then there is a problem..you may have to see a Docter, when the Doc prescribes Antibiotics and still now luck, you may have to get it surgically removed...

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  • by christy.daigneaultbenton on November 30th, 2010

    christy.daigneaultbenton

    I am an OPHTHALMIC ASSISTANT.... DO NOT put olive oil in your eye! Nor Fart in a bag, People!!! Warm compresses, that's it, then see your EYE DOCTOR!

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  • by christy.daigneaultbenton on November 30th, 2010

    christy.daigneaultbenton

    I am an Ophthalmic assitant for 13 years... DO NOT put Olive oil, pee, or fart in your eye! Warm compresses, then see your eye Doctor..

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  • by jennamaira* on December 20th, 2010

    jennamaira*

    I know this may sound really weird, and you might be scared being so close to your eyeball but, take a pair of tweezers and if you can see the white stye pull it out like you are plucking it. Its instantly removed and no more worrying about the pain. Trust me, My daughter and I get them a lot and we always do it and it feels so much better!

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  • by gazadunster on January 3rd, 2011

    gazadunster

    a warm moist teabag works wonders :)

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  • by missjtk on October 31st, 2010

    missjtk

    Asked my doctor yesterday and she gave me the cure!!! Make sure you're hands are clean and get a cotton bud, place the cotton bud in some hot water with baby shampoo, very gently clean the infected eye, inside and out, it stings for a few seconds but worth it because last night it weeped and today its completely gone!
    Yay!!

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  • by redward on August 19th, 2010

    redward

    I have been getting Chalazions about once a year for the last 5 years or so. They can be annoying and painful and can also require a long time to get rid of them. . . until a recent discovery. I stumbled onto this by accident. Soon after a recent back surgery, a Chalazion developed in my lower right eye lid. At this same time, I started to take a 24-hour diet of Aleve because of a deck project I was working on and thought it would be a good preventative approach in fighting any inflamation to my back. I started by taking 2 on the first morning and one at 8:00 at night. Then I started a regular regimen of one at 8 in the morning and one at 8 night. I never had to soak the eye and the Chalazion went away in about a week. I just started getting another one recently and started the Aleve treatment immediately. In less than a week it was gone. If you are okay with taking Aleve, this is like magic, especially if you have ever had any issues with these annoying things in the past.

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  • by kenken on January 7th, 2010

    kenken

    I've got another oddball treatment that worked for me: bend the eyelid & let air hit the back of it, just for 10-15 seconds.

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  • by AmyJadeDeed on June 9th, 2010

    AmyJadeDeed

    I just got a stye and the only way i got rid of it is by looking in to Olive oil and swirl it round... then rub a gold ring on it! It may sound weird but it works! x

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  • by panda91 on July 18th, 2010

    panda91

    i hate stys!!!! i just got one yesterday. i had two stys last year and it took me 8 months to get rid of it (: and now i get one again . aaaah i hate stys so flippin much. ive been putting in eyedrops and using hot cloths and tea bags and stuff. so hopefully it will go away in a few days :D ♥

    P.S all those people who have been trying to get rid of their stys for months and cant seem to get rid of it.well dont worry :) i know the pain you are going through (: xx

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  • by panda91 on July 18th, 2010

    panda91

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  • by Ashley_R8975 on January 22nd, 2011

    Ashley_R8975

    Ive had my stye for about 5-6 months i'm so sick of it! First I had 1 and my doctor ended up popping it that was so scary having a needle next to my eye but now I have 2 more right next to each other on my other eye! Ive been trying tea bags, eye drops, compresses, everything!!! Nothing works I really don't want to go through surgery again! ESPECIALLY WHEN I HAVE TO SEE EVERYTHING HAPPEN! Someone please help.

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  • by Jacinta_R on February 24th, 2011

    Jacinta_R

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  • by Bingo1 on October 12th, 2008

    Bingo1

    My doctor gave me this therapy:

    Soak the stye with a fairly warm used teabag. Be care it is not too hot! Soak it for 20 minutes. Then apply a small dab of Neosporin or any other antibiotic cream.
    It did the trick for me. My stye was gone in 2 days.

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  • by bazza on October 28th, 2008

    bazza

    If it is not too far advanced I find that rubbing (gently)gold (wedding rings etc)on it. It works for me. Bazza

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  • by joeyee on January 7th, 2009

    joeyee

    this is the second one i get in less than a month....im stressing, do you think thats what is causing me to keep getting them in such a short period of time? i threw my make up out, i bought over the counter stye meds, im putting neosporin also, and doing the warm towel thing! still no luck!

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  • by Anonymous on April 4th, 2009

    Anonymous

    I've had a stye before, and hot compresses and hot used teabags on my eye seemed to speed up the process. I was in college at the time and working on a play, so I imagine stress, sleep deprivation, etc. had a lot to do with it. It was very painful and inflamed, so I also took Aleve regularly to help with that until it was gone.

    I think I might be getting another stye, and in my research, I found info about Chalazion, this stye look-alike. For those of you who've had a bump on your eyelid for a long time that won't go away, maybe it's this:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chalazion

    Be well, everybody.

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  • by Tsamaya is on semi-retirement on October 10th, 2008

    Tsamaya is on semi-retirement

    Demolish it and build a house...provided your land use permits that...or let it be rezoned....

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  • by PonderAppreciatively on October 10th, 2008

    PonderAppreciatively

    Use a 'Hot Potato' as a compress.

    I worked as an optometric assistant for 10+ years,...
    The sty is normally caused by a blocked/infected hair follicle along the eyelid.
    HOT COMPRESSES help to open the pores, to allow trapped dirt out. (A microwaved potato is sometimes used because it stays HOT much longer than a washcloth would).
    You can also try washing CAREFULLY with soap.

    If it persists, go see a reputable optometrist or opthalmologist. I've seen people have calcified 'knots' form in their eyelid, where a sty was left untreated. These 'knots' require surgery to remove.

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  • by monkeymonkeyliam on March 30th, 2011

    monkeymonkeyliam

    I know this sounds strange but get a big ginger dog turd and rub it on your earlobes , it works!

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  • by kuroneko123 on November 26th, 2011

    kuroneko123

    not by rubbing it with your friends panda hat

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  • by CHICKACHICKAWHAT on January 2nd, 2008

    CHICKACHICKAWHAT

    I got a sty two years ago and it lasted for about 2 weeks (I even had it for graduation!). So this morning, when I woke up, I was very dismayed to see a new sty forming. I boiled some water, put it into a large bowl, stuck my head over the steam and enclosed both my head and the boil in a towel. I opened my eyes and let the steam in and it really helped numb the pain and I think it's starting to go away now!

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

  • by stephanieee71 on January 7th, 2010

    stephanieee71

    Hi, I have had a stye for about 8 months now, and i have tried tea bags, hot compressions, antibiotic creams, every type of eye drop you can think of, and antibiotic pills and all. I got fed up with it once I discovered I had 5 styes now. One of my upper left eye lid, which is the biggest one, two on my bottom left eye lid, one on my upper right eye lid, and the last one on my botton right eye lid. About three months ago, I went and got my upper left eye lid popped, but its coming back. I really don't know what to do now, I don't want to get another surgery, thinking it'll come back 3 months later! Someone please help me, I don't know what to do!

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