Blepharitis: how to relieve a hard, painful sty?

There’s nothing more unpleasant than an eye problem!
Unsightly and painful, styes, those little boils on the eyelids, also impair our vision. And when they do, all we want to do is get rid of them as quickly as possible.

Let me stop you right there: don’t even think about piercing them, as that would cause more damage and could well lead to the appearance of others shortly afterwards!

This bacterial infection will go away on its own, and the good news is that you can speed up the process naturally…

What natural treatments are there for styes?

The power of flowers

We start with plants. Two anti-inflammatory plants are generally used to treat styes: chamomile and cornflower. In floral water or as an infusion, the liquid is applied to sterile compresses and left on your eyes for a few minutes.

Thermotherapy: we want it hot!

Another good idea is to apply heat.

Heat is particularly recommended for soothing a stye because :

• it liquefies the oily secretions (meibum) present in the meibomian glands,

• it reduces the dry eyes that often go hand in hand with styes,

• it helps the stye to mature and speeds up the process of its disappearance.

Attention to hygiene

Hygiene must be beyond reproach if the situation is not to get worse! Hands should therefore be washed systematically before any contact with the infected area (and we’re talking about real hand washing, not 10 seconds with a little soap).

Since caution is the better part of valour, we also recommend placing a single-use sterile compress between the eye and the heat source if the surface is difficult to clean after each use.

In practical terms, how do we go about it?

You could use a hypoallergenic plastic eye mask, for example, which would be more hygienic than a reusable fabric gauze mask. Easy to clean after use, the Climsom cooling mask can also be used warm. If you use it for ten minutes or so several times a day, you’ll quickly regain comfort in your eyes.

Another solution: the thermal hat. With its 360°C gel and blackout material, it plunges you into the dark and spreads its soothing warmth. Very useful in cases of tiredness and dry eyes, it will encourage good vascularisation of the eye areas for immediate relief of pain and irritation. Chalazion, dry eye syndrome, dysfunction of the Meibomius glands (MGD), conjunctivitis, tired and irritated eyes… this thermal cap, ready in 40 seconds, will be your ally in preserving the health of your eyes. You have to admit, it’s a lot more practical than a hot, wet, dripping towel?

Don’t have a microwave? You’ll love the self-heating eye mask. As soon as it comes out of its sachet, it diffuses a gentle warm steam to relieve pain and enjoy the benefits of moist heat. Available in a box of 10 single-use sachets, you’ll have enough to treat yourself several times a day. You can bet that the stye will be gone by the end of the box?

What is a sty?

A stye is caused by a bacterial infection often caused by staphylococci, bacteria present on the skin and sometimes pathogenic. It appears as a small, hard, red ball at the edge of the eyelid, at the root of an eyelash. In short, an eyelash pimple.

A sty will heal on its own after a few days. So if after 5 days the stye is still there, or in the case of repeated styes, it’s best to consult a doctor.

What is blepharitis?

Blepharitis is an inflammation or infection of the eyelids. It is often accompanied by dry eyes, which can also be the cause (are you still with me?).

Styes, for example, are part of localised blepharitis, as is chalazion, an inflammation of the eyelids at the level of the Meibomius glands. These glands secrete an oil, present in tears, to limit their evaporation. But sometimes the liquid they secrete is too thick, and the glands can become clogged or even blocked. A small ball is created, called a chalazion.

It’s easy to see why heat is so important in liquefying secretions. Oil becomes rigid when cold and liquefies when hot.

What factors contribute to the appearance of a sty?

These include:
– failure to observe hygiene conditions when wearing contact lenses
– frequent rubbing of the eyes
– make-up (expired or borrowed…)
– dry eyes (too much time in front of a screen perhaps? have you heard of an eye massager?)
– oily skin / heavy seborrhoea
– stress: by weakening the immune system, stress increases the risk of bacterial infections, including styes.

Applying a source of heat to the eyes can be a solution to dry eyes and the habit of rubbing the eyes often.
And to combat stress, we invite you to take a look at cardiac coherence, a way of gradually eliminating everyday tensions…