Milia are tiny, white bumps that develop on your skin. They are normally caused by keratin that becomes trapped just beneath the skin’s surface. Although they resemble whiteheads, they do not have pus and are not a sign that you have clogged pores. The good news is that if you are worried they might be something serious, don’t be as they are perfectly harmless and will often go away in time.
However, if they are hurting your self-esteem and self-confidence and you wish to find a way to treat milia, you’ve come to the right place. There are plenty of effective ways to remove milia. Before we dig deep into the treatments for this irritating skin condition, let’s look at what milia are and what causes them.
What are milia?
Milia, also known as milk spots, are cysts or small spots that appear under the skin beneath your eyes. Often, they are yellow or white, but some milia can be a similar colour to your skin colour.
As we have already said, milia are not acne, even if they are easily mistaken for acne pimples and blemishes. Although they can be found on other parts of the body, they most commonly develop under and above your eyes, on your forehead, cheeks and even genitals.
Milia are essentially small clusters of keratin that have got trapped under the skin. Keratin is a fibrous protein that provides your hair, nails, and skin cells with strength. As the body tries to remove dead skin cells shed through your pores, keratin often gets collected up and trapped inside the pore, forming little cysts.
Milia is the plural word, and one single lesion would be known as a milium.
What causes milia under the eyes?
The main cause of milia under the eyes can vary from person to person. While someone may develop milia because of a trauma, others may develop it after cosmetic surgery. There is no clear explanation for why some people suffer from milia, and some don’t.
The condition is most common in infants and young children, with one study finding that around 40 to 50% of newborns experience milia. According to another study in 2016, milia is also said to be more common in older women.
There have even been some instances where people have developed milia following a course of corticosteroids or other kinds of topical medication.
Sometimes it is simply a build-up of trapped keratin and dead skin cells and nothing in particular has caused it.
How to prevent milia under the eyes
Before we get down to the treatments you can have to get rid of milia, we thought it would be a good idea to discuss some of the preventative measures you can take. After all, prevention is often more effective than treatment or cure.
Clean, exfoliate and moisturise your skin regularly
Exfoliating your skin too much can indeed cause problems and irritation for your skin, but gentle exfoliation around the area under your eyes helps encourage the new skin cells to make their way to the surface and free any trapped keratin.
Oil-free cleansers and soaps are a good choice if you develop milia easily.
Make sure you follow a smart skincare routine and clean and exfoliate the skin beneath your eyes to free the keratin trapped beneath and remove milia. Always remember to finish by using a lightweight moisturizer that is kind to skin under your eyes. Moisturizing replenishes the much-needed moisture in your skin.
Use a night serum
Another preventative measure you can take to stop milia from developing is to use a night serum containing vitamin E or a topical eye cream with Vitamin A that have been approved for use around your eyes.
Over time, the body is not as effective at exfoliating dry skin naturally.
Serums help to lock moisture into the skin and encourage the growth of new skin cells while you sleep.
Use oral supplements
It’s also a good idea to make sure you are getting your regular daily requirement for vitamins to help ensure your skin is as healthy as it can be. If you don’t feel your diet is as vitamin-enriched as it could be, consider investing in supplements like the following:
- B-Complex vitamins
- Vitamin B-3 (niacin)
- Vitamin E
How to get rid of milia under the eyes
There are a lot of over-the-counter and at-home remedies for milia. However, if you want to make sure you get rid of these problematic milk spots without causing unnecessary damage to your skin or eyes, it is best to look to professionals for help..
The most common options for removing milia under the eyes are:
Laser ablation
This is as straightforward as it sounds – a high-powered and completely safe laser is used to remove the milia from underneath your eyes.
Extraction
In a similar fashion to laser ablation, extraction involves the direct removal of the milia on your skin. But with the extraction method, a tiny needle is used to open your clogged pores and remove those troublesome cysts.
Cryotherapy
While this may be considered overkill to remove small outbreaks of milia from around your eyes, you opt for cryotherapy. For this procedure, liquid nitrogen is used to freeze the tiny bumps.
It should be noted that milia en plaque is often triggered by cryotherapy. This is when a large volume of milia develops around the same spot over a short period.
Again, it’s important to note that even an outbreak of milia en plaque is harmless, but it may be irritating and counterintuitive to your goal to remove the pesky spots in the first place.
Can You Remove Milia at Home Safely?
While milia are harmless, removing them at home should be approached with caution. Unlike acne spots, milia sit deeper under the skin and do not have an opening, which means squeezing or picking them rarely works and can easily damage the delicate skin around the eyes. Attempting to extract milia yourself may lead to irritation, infection, scarring, or post-inflammatory pigmentation.
Some gentle at-home practices may help prevent or gradually improve milia. Mild chemical exfoliants such as low-strength alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) or retinoid-based products can encourage natural skin cell turnover, helping trapped keratin move closer to the surface over time. However, strong exfoliation or harsh scrubs should be avoided, especially around the eye area.
If milia persist or become bothersome, professional removal by a trained specialist is the safest and most effective option, as sterile tools and proper techniques minimise skin trauma and ensure precise extraction.
Conclusion
As you can see, although it is nothing to worry about, if you want to get rid of milia, those tiny cysts for whatever reason, there are plenty of great options. Start by adopting a smart skin care routine, if you haven’t already, to stop breakouts before they get more developed.
But know that whether you opt for laser treatment, cryotherapy, chemical peels or any other method to get rid of these tiny raised white bumps. the best option is to speak to a professional.
At Linia Skin Clinic we offer a full range of professional treatments designed to get rid of primary milia and secondary milia. Speak to one of our team today to find out more.
