Sty Risk Factors
Foreign substances, such as makeup and dust, can clog the gland's opening if they are not properly washed away. Infections, burns, or trauma resulting in scar tissue can also prevent the glands from properly draining. Sluggish outflow of the sebum (oil) from the meibomian glands is commonly seen in a chronic inflammatory condition called meibomian gland dysfunction (also called meibomitis).