Hey everyone,
In this new and thoroughly-researched article, I’ll be discussing eye styes – what they are, what causes them and most importantly how to get rid of them.
So, let me begin by explaining exactly what a stye is…
Styes are small bumps or cysts that develop on the eyelids when mocroscopic debris (such as dead skin skills) become trapped in an eyelash follicle or gland. Sebaceous glands in an eyelash follicle, meibomian glands and apocrine glands produce natural oils that lubricate and hydrate the exterior of the body, however if they become clogged it results in a small lump because these chemicals become trapped under the skin. This also increases vulnerability to infection, most notably by the staphylococcus aureus bacteria, which occurs naturally in other areas of the body, particularly the nasal passages. A combination of a blocked gland and infection by staphylococcus aureus results in a stye.
Styes can vary in size and sometimes the lump itself can be too small to detect. As you can see from the photograph above, the symptoms of a stye can include:
- Inflammation/Swelling
- Redness
- Soreness
- Discomfort
- Pain
So, what causes a stye to develop?
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The blockage can be a result of a not washing the eyes regularly, wearing make-up (especially mascara) for long periods or damage to the eyelid’s tissue. It is also possible for a gland to become blocked entirely by chance as we go about our everyday life. The body’s immune system will usually fix any blockages to the eyelid glands within hours, however if it becomes infected, the healing process can take longer.
Infection occurs by touch, so the bacteria can easily be spread via hands and fingers. This can be controlled if you only touch your eyes when you have clean hands. Because staphylococcus bacteria occurs naturally in the nose, one of the most common causes of infection is by touching your eyes immediately after touching your nose.
Although styes are contagious, the chances of passing on the infection is relatively small, so you can continue to go to work or school if you have a stye.
So, how can you get rid of a stye?
Most styes will disappear on their own within 1 to 3 weeks, however the healing process can be accelerated by applying these simple stye treatments.
The best way of getting rid of a stye is to use what is known as a warm compress. This is simply a clean flannel or towel soaked in hot water and held against your eye for around five minutes. The heat encorages the stye to come to a head and burst and the water helps the stye to drain, whilst keeping the eyelid clean. The warm compress technique should be used every six hours until the stye has gone (usually no more than 3 days, sometimes even overnight).
Sometimes, it is beneficial to remove the eyelash from the infected follicle – this can be achieved by plucking it with a pair of tweezers.
So, can you burst a stye by squeezing it / popping it?
Although it is possible to pop a stye by applying pressure, this will often cause more harm than good. Popping a stye is extremely painful, can damage the eyelid’s tissue and risk spreading the infection.
So, can you get rid of a stye by rubbing gold on it?
Although some people swear by this traditional stye remedy, there is no scientific evidence (neither theory nor clinical trials) that this method works. It is an old wive’s tale that possibly originated when someone thought their stye had healed by rubbing gold on it but it would actually have healed naturally on it’s own anyway.
So, how can we prevent styes developing in the first place?
Ther are a number of things you can do to decrease the risk of developing a stye in the future.
The first is to maintain a high level of personal hygiene by washing your hands and face regularly (at least twice a day).
Avoiding touching your eyes with your fingers can prevent the bacteria that causes styes transferring to this area. If the stye-sufferer is an infant, you may need to advise them to keep their fingers out of their noses (easier said than done) and wipe their noses/faces regularly.
Not wearing eye make-up (particularly eye-liner and mascara) can also help prevent styes. If you have to wear it then make sure you remove it and cleanse your face every evening before you go to bed.
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Health And Beauty
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