Natural Remedies for Styes: Fast Relief and Healing

Milk

Posted by Write4cure (Denver, Colorado) on 07/18/2013
★★★★★

Milk for eye styes: I would have never believed it. I had a steye inside my lower lid that was excrutiating. I reviewed all of the recommendations and atecdotal stories about relief on this site. After deciding I wasn't about to try to anything gold inside my eye (LOL), I thought I would try both the green tea and milk poultices to see if I aould get some relief.

The warm green teabag poultice/compress felt good, but did nothing except just provide soothing heat for the time I applied it.

The milk, on the other hand, was a super relief to me. I heated regular homogenized cow milk in the microwave (about a 3/4 cup) for a minute. It was on the high side of warm and close to hot--(be careful it isn't too hot as to damage your tender skin around the eye). I soaked a clean compress pad in the milk, wrought out most of the excess, and applied to my eye and held it there for maybe 5-10 minutes max. Within that time, the stye had broken and began to exude its yuck, and my swelling and pain was alleviated. I continued this about every 4 hours for the next 16 hours. Amazing results/relief. Super results. Who would have thought? BTW, when I first read the accounts about milk as a relief, I thought "aww c'mon"-- but so interesting that it actually works! Wow. I recommend it, because for me, it worked beautifully.

Gold Wedding Band

Posted by St (Tokyo, Jp) on 11/22/2012
★★★★★

The gold wedding band cure works. I was developing a painful style where I could even feel the lump rubbing on my eye. My mother had one a while back and tried the baby shampoo and potato cures but neither worked so she had to go to the doctor and have it lanced as well as take antibotics and it took 2 months to fully heal. Therefore, I decided to try something different and went for the gold band method. I had my doubts but I since I had a ring on hand and it would be completely free to try, I thought I would try it. I cleaned my band, pulled up my eyelid (the sty was inside my eyelid), and I rubbed for about 1 minute. The sty had a puss filled yellow tip but the ring did not cause the puss to come out on my eye, thank goodness. The band felt really good and gave a lot of relief, but still I thought "this can`t work". I figured it was just the coolness of the ring that was giving relief. I had to go to a meeting so I stopped rubbing after 1 minute and left. About 2 1/2 hours later I returned home and suddenly realized my eye wasn`t hurting anymore so I checked it and it no longer had the puss tip and it had shrunk and was the color of my skin. That night I rubbed the sty a little more and woke up with no pain. A little of the sty was still there but no pain and no puss. 3 days later it was gone.

Milk

Posted by Uma B (London, Uk) on 10/20/2011
★★★★★

My dad told me this one. I had painful sty in my eye and it was pain like someone had punched me. Warm water to first clean the eye with cotton wool. Then put few drop of warm milk on the sty in the eye area. For good measure, I soak cotton wool pad and put on my eye until cotton pad has gone cold. In the morning, the sty had burst, I washed eye with water and... it was gone! Only slight reddness, maybe one more day, but all gone.

Glad you were brought up in a village, sorry you suffered thru poverty... But this helped my eye. love you dad.

Baking Soda

Posted by Kerry (United Kingdom) on 06/23/2024
★★★★★

Baking Soda For Styes

I have used a baking soda wash rather than the paste. 1 teaspoon of baking soda to 250ml boiled water. Mix thoroughly and allow to cool. Pour into an amber bottle and shake before use. Wet a cotton swab with the mixture and swipe over the eyelid. Works incredibly well for styes as well as allergy induced issues. ( Dry weepy eyelids due to makeup allergy). I have used this since I was 15 after a pharmacist showed me how to make it for my allergy prone eyes. I am now 52 and nothing beats it.

Gold Wedding Band

Posted by Juleek (Lakeland, Florida) on 02/03/2018
★★★★★

I am not sure if I have a Stye or a Chalazion. I have a bump on my eyelid that has been there for about 3 weeks. I googled pictures of both and depending on what picture I am looking at it could be either or. About a week ago I started using Black tea bags. I would steep them for 1 minute then let them cool for a minute or so, squeeze out the wetness and I would put the warm black tea bag compress on my eyelid for 10 minutes. I did this 2x a day. I didn't think things were changing much so I got on this sight and read the wedding band remedy. For the last 2 days I have been rubbing my clean wedding ring on my bump for about a minute of so about 4 times a day and I am also using the black tea bags. I use a warm one in the afternoon and keep one in the fridge and I use the cool one before bed for about 10 minutes. I feel like in a couple of days my stye or chalazion will be gone. I am not sure which remedy worked but I didn't start seeing results until I started using the two remedies together.

Manuka Honey

Posted by Noofus (Phoenix, Az) on 09/06/2017
★★★★★

I tried every single other sty remedy listed here for over 3 weeks, and nothing made the slightest difference until I tried honey. I used manuka honey and DMSO on a q-tip. I applied the honey (which sticks to the spot nicely) morning and evening, and by the next morning, the sty had shrunk to almost nothing overnight. Using DMSO with the honey may not be necessary, but it worked for me.

Gold Wedding Band

Posted by Sarah (London, Uk) on 07/07/2016
★★★★★

I had a stye on my lower eyelid that came on very suddenly in the evening 3 days ago. After reading people's experiences at Earth Clinic, I decided to rub a gold ring on it, and bathe it in green tea. I did this a few times a day for 2 days. I rubbed it for a couple of minutes with the ring, and the bathed briefly with the tea afterwards. It is now completely better. Result! Thanks everyone who contributes to this site.

Milk

Posted by Brittney (South Carolina) on 07/30/2015
★★★★★

2 days ago I got a stye on my upper right eye out of nowhere. I felt the pain a day before but there was nothing there this is the second stye I've ever had in my life. Someone at my job told me to use milk, she said that the bacteria kills the infection of the sty, I didn't think that it would work but I tried it and a day later the swelling was gone and the pain was gone and my eye is back to normal. I would recommend this to anyone that has a sty. I used one of my today medicine droppers that I cleaned out very well and I dropped warm milk into my eye a couple of drops at a time twice yesterday and I am all better today!! This is the best and safest way in my opinion.

Tea

Posted by Rob (Kentucky) on 09/24/2024
★★★★★

Tea Bag Stye Lid Remedy upon the Eye – Put a teaspoonful of black tea in a small bag; pour on it enough boiling water to moisten it; then put it on the eye pretty warm. Keep it on all night and in the morning the stye will most likely be gone; if not, a second application is certain to remove it.

Remarks.-The infusion or weak tea, made from black tea, has been for some time considered good as an eye-water, then why not the grounds good as a poultice? I believe it may be worthy of trial.

From the Book – Dr. Chase's New Receipt Book and Medical Advisor or Information for Everybody by A.W. Chase MD, page 84. 1927.

Urine

Posted by Emma (Melbourne, VIC Australia) on 01/14/2009
★★★★★

I know there's some stigma over using this-but quite a lot of skin creams contain urea-one of the major components of urine. I can tell you that getting a small amount of fresh urine on a cotton wool ball and applying it to styes, works a treat-your stye will be gone in a few hours-may need a couple of applications though.

Milk

Posted by Granola Jess (Stuttgart, Germany ) on 11/07/2021
★★★★★

Cured in 4 days with breast milk.

Once again, earth clinic folks know best. I bet any milk would work but I am fortunately a nursing mother, so I was able to use a dropper with 4 drops or so three times a day.

time line:

monday, what's that itching in my eye.

tuesday, oh no, it's a style. First one ever; let google doctoring begin.

Wednesday, it looks like someone punched me. It was a double style: a small one on the bottom eye lash line and a biiigggg one on my eye lid on the inside. Bug white head. At first I tried coconut oil and some other things that did not help or hurt. But as soon as I dropped the milk in like eye saline, I felt a little relief. I was very consistent with it.

on Friday I was driving and at a stop light, when I decided to take a look at it, and it popped as I was looking at it. Pretty gross. But by the end of the day the pain and discomfort was gone and now on Sunday everything looks normal again.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by Julie (Waialua, Hawaii) on 05/04/2018
★★★★★

I've been using ACV to treat sties for years. I put ACV in a large spoon, put it up to my closed eye. I hold it there for as long as I can. Then rinse my eyes with water thoroughly afterwards. Be careful not to get in the eye because it stings like the dickens, making you literally cry! But, as soon as you flush it out with water, the sting will be gone. But I'll tell you what, nothing over the counter will heal those sties that fast! Within the day, my eyes feel better. Since using this method, my sty has never gone beyond a day or grown larger! And yes, I learned to use ACV from Earth Clinic. Thank you Earth Clinic, I come to your site very often! You've been my faithful Dr. for years!!

Heated Spoon Method

Posted by Stuart (Kamsack, Saskatchewan) on 03/01/2016
★★★★★

A sty developed on a Friday and it was gone by the following Monday morning. I tried a few things: gold ring seemed to offer some relief, but temporary for me. I tried using a spoon, a remedy I found elsewhere, and it worked in combination with black tea bags.

Heat the spoon in a cup of tea and remove. Wave it around until it's not too hot to touch to your hand, then carefully cup over the affected eye, like half of a set of goggles so only the rim of the spoon is touching the skin. Once it cools, reheat in the cup of tea and repeat. Continue repeating until the tea cools and you can no longer heat the spoon to a warm enough temperature.

I guess if the sty is caused by a blockage of a pore or duct, then this therapy is like a mini-sauna for the eye and opens the pores, allowing the built up fluid to drain. I could tell when it was working because my vision became blurry in the affected eye - from the sty draining, I presume - and my vision cleared within 20 minutes or so.

Lavender Oil

Posted by Tawny (Us) on 01/10/2016
★★★★★

Lavender Oil for Sty

This the only thing that worked. I tried ACV, Gold, Puracel, Pomegranate, Triple Antibiotic ointment, Hot Compresses, Baby Shampoo and can't remember what else. This did it. I didn't put it on my eye ball but I did put it on the lower lid. One treatment about 40 percent better and draining. Nothing ever did that. I had it across both lower lids. You are awesome to share this!!!! Thank you.

Castor Oil

Posted by Elle (United States) on 12/25/2015
★★★★★

Castor oil works amazing for styes. Once you feel the stye coming on, apply cold pressed castor oil with a q-tip. Apply liberally. Apply it throughout the day and night. I usually apply it 3-4 times a day and then overnight. You want to keep the oil on it at all times. Takes a few days or so and then it's gone.

Milk

Posted by Briana Brewer (Santa Cruz Ca) on 11/18/2015
★★★★★

I found extremely potent success with an old folk remedy I heard discussed by women at the NorthernCa Women's Herbal Symposium. I had a stye that quickly grew under my left eye right by my tear duct that was very painful even though it was not that large with minimal swelling. At first I thought I had a bruised eye cavity from slamming myself in the face with one of my rakes that I stepped onto in the dark in my garden shed, resulting in the classic cartoonishish thwack right to my left cheekbone. When a head started to develop on the painful eye I quickly realized it was a stye and not related to the rake thwack. I then thought that perhaps I got it from using my old eye makeup, which I really never wear now, on Halloween to dress up. So big tip here for preventing is to not take those suggestions of when to toss eye makeup lightly.

Onto the treatment, I used what these women spoke of highly which was turmeric infused milk applied hot on gauze to the eye and taped to stay while sleeping overnight. I was amazed to find that overnight the head disappeared and the treatment actually drew out a bit of what I believe to have been the infected blood at the area, only a few drops by my what an amazing sea change overnight. I will do again for the next few nights just to be sure it is gone completely.

The warm teabag method also appears to soothe but not treat as effectively at all as the turmeric milk. The milk with turmeric does not sting at all and is highly effective. Apparently you can put drops of it in your eye as well but I didn't find that necessary maybe if you have a more aggressive infection try that. Thank you for reading and good luck in your home treatment who I definitely recommend more than anything a "Doctor" would give you...B Brewer