I have a stye on my eye, can I still do lash extensions?

Occasionally we are asked about styes and what might have caused them and how best to treat them. Styes are very similar to infected pimples or ingrown hairs, they just occur on the eyelid. Like the rest of your skin, your eyelids have oil glands, and when one of those oil glands becomes infected, a bump or stye can appear. The most common reasons for a stye are:

• Touching your eyes without washing your hands first. 

• Putting in your contact lenses without washing your hands first. 

• Putting in your contact lenses without thoroughly disinfecting them first. 

• Leaving on your eye makeup overnight while you sleep. 

• Using old eye makeup, such as eyeliner and mascara. 

To help reduce swelling and relieve pain until the stye clears on its own:

• If you use contacts, wear your glasses until the stye clears. 

• Use a mild cleanser, like baby shampoo, to keep your eyelids clean. 

• Apply a warm compress to the bump several times a day for a few minutes at a time to help it open up. 

Styes usually go away on their own within a few days. If you notice it’s been 48 hours and you’re still struggling or it doesn’t seem to be getting better, it’s time to call a doctor. In some cases, you may need treatment with antibiotics to help it go away. 

We recommend holding off any lash extension refills until your stye has gone away and to be safe, ideally have a period of 72 hours completely clear of swelling and irritation before returning to us.