A stye is a red bump that forms on the eyelid and can look and feel like a big pimple. This bump often feels swollen and painful to the touch.SkiptomaincontentHomeNews&EventsWhatCausesaStyeandtheBestWaystoGetRidofOneFeaturingSinghWhatCausesaStyeandtheBestWaystoGetRidofOneFeaturingSinghMonday,April20,2020ByMKManoylovAstyeisaswollen,painfulredbumponyoureyelid.Styesarecausedbyinfectedoilglandsonyoureyelids,whichformaredbumpthatresemblesacne.Poorhygiene,oldmakeup,andcertainmedicalorskinconditionscanincreaseyourriskforstyes.Togetridofastye,youcangentlywashyoureyelids,useawarmcompress,andtryantibioticointments.Thisarticle wasmedicallyreviewed by JasonR.McKnight,MD,MS,afamilymedicinephysicianandclinicalassistantprofessorat TexasA&MCollegeofMedicine.VisitInsider’shomepageformorestories.A stye isaredbumpthatformsontheeyelidandcanlookandfeellikeabigpimple.Thisbumpoften feels swollenandpainfultothetouch.Styesarebasicallylikeacnethatoccursontheeyelid,says AmyLin,MD,an ophthalmologist attheUniversityofUtahHealth.Thoughstyescanhappentoanyone,therearecertainbehaviorsthatincreaseyourrisk.Here’swhatyouneedtoknowaboutthemaincausesofstyes,howtopreventthem,andwhattodoifyouhaveone.WhatcausesastyeStyesarecausedbyinfectedoilglandsinyoureyelids.These oilglands preventtearsfromevaporatingtooquicklyanddryingoutyoureyes,buttheseglandscanalsobecomeinfectedwithbacteria.There’soneparticularbacteriumthatleadstostyeinfections: Staphylococcusaureus.Accordingto TinaSingh,MD,anophthalmologistatDukeEyeCenter,it’soneofthemostcommonbacteriaontheskin,eyelids,andeyelashes,andcanclogtheoilglands.Whilethebacteriumisfoundin 20to30% ofhumannasalcavitieswithoutharm,youcanalsopickitupby touching surfacesinfectedwithit,and S.aureus canbecomeapathogenitselfwhenitgetsundertheskin,causingskininfections.Thereafewreasonswhypeopletendtogetstyes:Poorhygiene. Rubbingyoureyeswhenyouhaven’twashedyourhandscanleadtostyes.“Wecarryalotofbacteriaonourhands,andthat’seasilytransmissibletooureyelidsandeyelashes,”Singhsays.Imprope