Why You Should Never Pop a Stye: Safe Treatments and Prevention

Learn why popping a stye is dangerous, what causes them, safe treatment options, and how to prevent further eyelid infections.

By Medha deb

Created on Sep 26, 2025

Learn why popping a stye is dangerous, what causes them, safe treatment options, and how to prevent further eyelid infections.

A stye is a common, painful eyelid infection that looks like a red, swollen bump near the lash line or inside the eyelid. While the urge to pop a stye may be tempting, doing so can have serious consequences for your eye health. This article explores why popping a stye is risky, how these infections develop, how to treat them safely at home and when to seek medical attention, as well as essential tips for prevention.

What Is a Stye?

A stye—also called a hordeolum—is an acute, localized infection or inflammation of the eyelid. Styes typically occur when bacteria, most commonly Staphylococcus aureus, infect the oil-producing glands in either the upper or lower eyelid. This causes redness, swelling, tenderness, and sometimes pus formation just like a pimple or boil.

Styes can occur on the outer edge of the eyelid (external styes) or develop within the eyelid itself (internal styes).
Styes usually appear suddenly and resolve on their own within a week or two.
They’re most common in children and adults but can happen at any age.

What Causes a Stye?

Styes are usually caused by a bacterial infection, specifically Staphylococcus bacteria, entering one of the oil glands in the eyelid.

Common risk factors include:

Poor eyelid hygiene (such as not thoroughly removing makeup or touching the eyes with dirty hands)
Chronic inflammation of eyelids (blepharitis)
Use of contaminated cosmetics
Skin conditions affecting the face (like rosacea or seborrheic dermatitis)
Diabetes or immune system suppression

External vs. Internal Styes

Type	Location	Common Symptoms
External Stye (Hordeolum Externum)	Base of eyelash on outside of eyelid	Red, swollen, tender bump with visible “pimple” or pus spot; often drains to the skin
Internal Stye (Hordeolum Internum)	Within the eyelid (meibomian gland)	More painful, swelling inside eyelid, may point inward, can cause more lid swelling

Why You Should Not Pop or Squeeze a Stye

Popping or squeezing a stye can be very dangerous. Although a stye may look similar to a pimple and feel just as tempting to squeeze, doing this can worsen your infection or cause new complications.

Risks of popping a stye include:

Spreading Infection: Squeezing a stye can force bacteria deeper into the eyelid or eye socket, increasing the risk of a more serious infection like cellulitis.
Chronic Inflammation: Damaging the tissue can turn a stye into a chronic lump called a chalazion, which can take months to resolve or may require surgery.
Scarring or Permanent Damage: Aggressive manipulation could cause scars on the eyelid or even affect eyelash follicles permanently.
Increased Pain and Swelling: Squeezing often ruptures blood vessels in the area, causing more swelling, pain, and delayed healing.

Medical professionals unanimously advise never to pop, squeeze, or attempt to drain a stye at home.

Symptoms of a Stye

Painful, red, and swollen bump near the eyelid’s edge or inside the eyelid
Localized tenderness
Pus spot (especially for external styes)
Tearing and light sensitivity (sometimes)
Crusting along the eyelid margin
Foreign body sensation (feeling like something is stuck in your eye)

Rarely, a stye can be accompanied by fever or vision changes—these are signs that you may need prompt medical attention.

Home Remedies for Styes

Most styes resolve on their own with simple at-home care. However, treating them correctly can reduce discomfort and speed up recovery.

Safe At-Home Care

Warm compress: Use a clean washcloth soaked in warm (not hot) water. Place over closed eyelid for 10–15 minutes, 3–5 times daily. This helps the stye to drain naturally.
Eyelid hygiene: Clean the affected eyelid with mild, non-irritating soap or diluted baby shampoo. Always wash your hands first.
Avoid makeup and contact lenses: Do not use eye makeup or wear contact lenses until the stye heals, as these can introduce more bacteria or further irritate the stye.
Pain relief: Over-the-counter pain medications like acetaminophen or ibuprofen can help reduce pain and swelling.

Important Don’ts

Don’t pop or squeeze the stye: Allow it to drain and heal naturally—do not try to “help it along.”
Don’t use harsh chemicals: Avoid alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, or other irritants on your eyelids.
Don’t share towels or pillowcases: Prevent spreading bacteria to others by keeping your linens clean and to yourself.

When to See a Doctor

Contact your healthcare provider if:

The stye does not begin to improve after 7–10 days of home care
The stye becomes extremely painful, very swollen, or increasingly red
Vision is affected or you experience light sensitivity
The infection seems to be spreading beyond the eyelid (such as redness spreading across the face or fever develops)
There is recurrent stye formation or a hard lump remains (possible chalazion)

Medical Treatments for Styes

If necessary, a doctor may recommend options such as:

Prescription antibiotic ointment or drops (for persistent bacterial infection)
Oral antibiotics (for more severe or spreading infections)
Incision and drainage: For large or persistent styes, an ophthalmologist may carefully lance and drain the bump under sterile conditions

You should never attempt to pop or drain a stye yourself, as proper sterile technique is required to avoid complications.

Complications of Styes

Chalazion: Chronic lump that forms if the stye heals improperly or doesn’t drain
Preseptal (periorbital) cellulitis: Infection that spreads to deeper tissues around the eye, requiring immediate medical attention
Orbital cellulitis: Rare but serious infection that can threaten vision or spread to the brain

Promptly treating a stye—and not popping it—is the best way to reduce the risk of complications.

Tips to Prevent Styes

Wash hands before touching your eyes or face
Remove all makeup before bed; avoid sharing cosmetics
Replace eye makeup every 3–6 months to reduce contamination risk
Maintain good eyelid hygiene, especially if you have a history of blepharitis or styes
Avoid rubbing eyes with unwashed hands
Use clean towels and pillowcases

Distinguishing a Stye from Other Eyelid Conditions

Sometimes, other eyelid lumps or bumps can resemble a stye. The most important lookalikes include:

Chalazion: Usually painless, chronic lump caused by blockage of an oil gland, not infection. Chalazia develop more slowly than styes.
Blepharitis: Generalized inflammation along the eyelash line, often with redness, crusting, or flakes
Other bumps (cysts or tumors): Rarely, an eyelid bump may be due to another cause. See a doctor if a lump does not heal as expected.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: What is the fastest way to get rid of a stye?

The quickest safe way to speed healing is applying warm compresses for 10–15 minutes, several times a day. Do not pop the stye. Practicing good eyelid hygiene also helps the infection to clear.

Q: Can I use makeup with a stye?

No, avoid using makeup until the stye has fully healed. Makeup can introduce bacteria and may irritate the infection.

Q: When should I worry about a stye?

See a doctor if the stye is not improving after a week, is very painful, is affecting your vision, or the redness and swelling are spreading. Fever with a stye also warrants prompt medical attention.

Q: Will a stye go away on its own?

Most styes resolve naturally within 1–2 weeks. Consistent warm compresses can help them drain much faster, but medical intervention may be needed for stubborn or recurrent styes.

Q: What should I avoid when I have a stye?

Do not pop, squeeze, or pick at the stye
Avoid contact lenses and eye makeup
Refrain from sharing towels, linens, or cosmetics
Do not apply unapproved creams or try home “remedies” other than gentle hygiene and warm compresses

Key Takeaways

Popping a stye is never safe; it increases risks of infection and permanent damage.
Warm compresses and good eyelid hygiene are the mainstays of safe, at-home treatment.
See a doctor if your stye is severe, recurrent, or not improving with self-care.
Prevent styes by maintaining good eyelid hygiene and avoiding contaminated products.

If you follow these guidelines, most styes will heal quickly and without complication, so you can protect your eyes and preserve long-term eyelid health.

References

Author

medha deb

Medha Deb is an editor with a master's degree in Applied Linguistics from the University of Hyderabad. She believes that her qualification has helped her develop a deep understanding of language and its application in various contexts.

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