Understanding Styes -- Prevention
How Can I Prevent Styes?
If you tend to have a recurrence of styes, you may need to practice better lid hygiene. That means regular lid scrubs to remove excess germs and dead skin cells, which bacteria feed on. Put a few drops of mild baby shampoo into a teacup of warm water and stir. Using a cotton swab or wash cloth, gently brush the soapy solution along the base of your eyelashes while keeping your lids closed. Don't have time to mix baby shampoo? Scrub your closed lids with a washcloth with baby shampoo in the shower. This shouldn't take more than 30 seconds per eye.
Regardless of the technique, it is the mechanical rubbing that keeps the lids clear of cellular debris. It is always important that you avoid contact of the eyelid with expired or contaminated cosmetics, dirty towels, or contaminated hands.
Understanding Black Eye -- Treatment
To treat a black eye, begin with ice or a cloth immersed in icy water and wrung out. Applying something cold to a black eye works in two ways: It helps to reduce swelling and it constricts blood vessels, which in turn stops the bleeding below the skin. Make a crushed ice pack or grab a package of frozen vegetables and apply the compress to the affected area for 10 minutes at a time (10 minutes off) to prevent damage to the skin around your eye from the ice. Besides icy treatment, there's not much...
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Pinpoint tenderness involving a few eyelashes can be an early warning sign of a stye. Frequent application of warm compresses at the first sign of an infection will speed resolution and prevent further blockage of the lid glands.
Recurrent styes may be associated with a chronic facial skin problem called acne rosacea. Your doctor or consulting dermatologist will be able to confirm the presence of rosacea and initiate effective medical therapy.
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