Milia are harmless and will usually go away on their own in weeks to months, provided you don’t pick at them or cause scarring and infection by picking at them with sharp objects or picking too hard at them. Gentle skincare products won’t clog pores or trigger excessive keratin build-up and should help with this situation.
A dermatologist can assess your milia and provide safe, effective solutions.
Preventing milia
There are a few steps you can take to prevent milia from forming. Start by cleansing your skin daily with a gentle cleanser that won’t scrub at your pores; also, use non-comedogenic moisturizers with sunscreen protection; finally exfoliate twice or three times weekly to get rid of dry, dead skin cells and unclog pores.
Milia can result from medical conditions or medications like steroids and retinoids, sun damage or skin conditions like psoriasis; excessive dryness; genetic predisposition.
Milia are generally harmless cosmetic issues, yet can be unsightly if they appear around the eyes. Although milia may eventually go away on its own, professional removal through manual extraction, cryotherapy (freezing), electrosurgery scrapping and laser ablation is also available as removal options.
Treating milia
Milialar will typically resolve itself within weeks or months on its own, particularly for newborns who are particularly prone to them, although anyone of any age can develop them. These pesky bumps commonly appear on cheeks, eyelids and nose; but can occur anywhere on the body.
Milia’s cause remains uncertain, yet appears related to how your skin sheds cells. Keratin protein may become trapped under the surface of skin and form cysts which eventually harden into hardened cysts.
Avoid picking at milia as this may lead to infection and permanent scarring, instead seek professional extraction (curettage or “scooping out”) for best results and to reduce irritation and speed healing. Topical retinoid products may help decrease oil production while encouraging cell turnover; consult a dermatologist if unsure which will work in your individual case of milia.
Symptoms of milia
Milia are small white cysts on the skin that don’t itch. They appear when the body can no longer shed dead cells efficiently due to long-term sun exposure or specific blistering diseases such as porphyria cutanea tarda or epidermolysis bullosa; or due to certain medications which make your skin blister.
Milia are often only treated cosmetically; however, removal can sometimes be beneficial. Never attempt to “pop” them yourself as this may lead to infection and scarring; speak to a healthcare provider about treatment options instead.
Neonatal milia affect roughly half of full-term newborns and should clear on their own within weeks or months. To speed up the process, wash your baby’s skin daily with mild soap and pat it dry gently after bath time. Lotions or oils on their faces could irritate sensitive skin further; sunscreen application daily would also be wise. If milia persist, speak to your healthcare provider about surgical removal at his/her office.
Treatment for milia
Milia are benign cysts of keratin that commonly appear on newborns’ eyeslids, cheeks and nose. Additionally, they may form around tattoos, in the genital area and following cosmetic treatments like chemical peels or laser procedures.
Milia can be difficult to identify due to its similar appearance to other white pimples or even basal cell carcinoma (a form of cancer). If you believe you may have milia, consult with a healthcare provider immediately in order to undergo a skin lesion biopsy and confirm its diagnosis.
Avoid popping or squeezing cysts as they contain soft cores of dead skin cells and sebum (skin oil), as this could inflame and scar your skin. Dermatologists offer several clinical treatments for eliminating milia: Cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen can freeze the milia; surgical de-roofing allows cysts to be picked out with sterile needles or knives;