Essential Oils For Eye Stye

February 1, 2023 by Mani Pandey

Bacterial infections can cause different health issues and nuisance in different parts of the body. Thankfully, medical intervention and certain home remedies can help curb them significantly.

Eye stye is one such bacterial infection of the eye that causes pus-filled pimple or bump on the eyelid. Medically, a stye is called hordeolum, identified with an abscess formation or collection of pus in the gland area of the eyelid.

Out of different remedies to cure stye, essential oils are highly beneficial due to their antimicrobial properties.

Therefore, here we will discuss everything you should know about stye and how essential oils help manage them.

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What Causes Eye Stye?

Eye stye is a bacterial infection. As per the studies, 90% to 95% of cases of eye stye are due to Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis. It causes pain and irritation on the upper and lower eyelid- wherever it develops.

Generally, an eye stye develops when the meibomian glands responsible for keeping the eyelid areas lubricated get blocked and infected by the Staphylococcus bacteria. It leads to a bump in the eyelid that, over time, gets filled with pus and causes pain.

Most of the time, eye stye heals with the correct remedies, but essential oils can prevent them from getting severe and ensure faster healing.

Treating Eye Stye With Essential Oils

Essential oils are nature’s miracle, loaded with anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, antimicrobial, and antioxidizing properties. The combined effect of these properties curbs the growth of bacteria and provides relief from eye stye symptoms like swelling, pain, and pus formation.

Some of the most effective essential oils for eye stye are the following-

1. Tea Tree Essential Oil

With antibacterial properties, tea tree essential oil seems a promising remedy for eye stye. It is a multi-faceted essential oil that helps in different diseases, especially those associated with bacterial infections.

The antiseptic nature treats eye stye and prevents making the symptoms go worse. It also has anti-inflammatory properties that reduce swelling.

How To Use?

Since tea tree essential oil comes in a highly concentrated form, diluting it with carrier oil or water is important.

Make a mixture of a few drops of tea tree oil with a few tablespoons of water and blend it well.
Keep this mixture in a refrigerator and apply it cool on the eyelids two to three times a day.

2. Eucalyptus Essential Oil

Being a good antibacterial agent, antioxidant and astringent, eucalyptus oil has been used traditionally to treat multiple diseases. It has the ability to fight off infections and accelerate healing, thus helping with eye stye.

Moreover, the anti-inflammatory properties reduce swelling and the discomfort associated with it.

How To Use It?

Create a blend by mixing 4-5 drops of eucalyptus oil with a carrier like coconut or castor oil.
Dab a cotton ball on this mixture and apply it gently over the eyelids.
Repeat the process thrice for faster results.

Note: The fragrance of eucalyptus oil is very strong, which may make some people uncomfortable.

3. Lavender Essential Oil

Extensively used in aromatherapy, lavender oil is one of the most popular essential oils of all time. It has strong anxiety-relieving characteristics that make it effective against stress.

Talking about eye stye, the anti-inflammatory properties of lavender oil work wonders in reducing the swelling and pain associated with eyelid bumps. At the same time, the antibacterial properties ensure the infection does not spread further.

How To Use It?

Mix five to six drops of lavender oil with coconut oil and blend it well.
Apply this mixture gently over the affected eyelid area at least thrice a day.

4. Clove Oil

The antibacterial properties of clove oil are well known. Besides, this oil also has strong anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce the painful symptoms of eye stye.

The swollen eyelids relax, and the bacterial growth and spread cease. All this helps in alleviating the pain and discomfort due to eye stye.

How To Use It?

Dilute the clove oil by taking 2-3 drops and mixing it with one tablespoon of coconut or jojoba oil.
Dip a clean cotton cloth in the mixture and apply it to the affected areas of the eyelids.
Repeat the process two to three times daily to hasten the healing process.

5. Lemon Essential Oil

Just like tea tree and clove oil, lemon essential oil is also rich in antimicrobial properties. It works as a natural antiseptic, making it useful to treat inflammation and painful bumps that occur in eye stye.

Apart from ceasing bacterial growth, it also heals the wound and ensures faster healing.

How To Use It?

Mix 4-5 drops of lemon essential oil and two drops of tea tree essential oil in a bowl of water.
Blend this mixture well and apply it over the eyelids with the help of a cotton ball.
Repeat it multiple times a day to reduce bacterial growth and improve swelling.

Final Words

Eye stye is not a life-threatening infection, yet it can make things worse until it heals. In rare cases, eye stye can turn into chalazion, an eye complication wherein the glands scar, leading to cysts formation.

Therefore, instead of waiting for it to heal on its own, which may take multiple days, it is better to use traditional remedies like essential oils.

Just make sure you dilute the essential oils before using them, as they come in highly concentrated form. When used incorrectly, essential oils may cause more harm than help. So, use wisely and heal eye stye with essential oils as home remedies.

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