Skin concern : Milia

Common Skin Concerns: White Spot Edition

Have you noticed little white balls forming under your skin? Maybe you thought they were common whiteheads, but they don’t ever come to a head or dislodge when you squeeze them. That’s because they are not whiteheads, but tiny benign micro cysts called milia. 

Milia are small, white balls of excess keratin with no path to the skin surface, and they generally occur around the eyes but can be found anywhere on the face.

Luckily, milia will often resolve themselves with your regular exfoliation routine and a bit of time. But what if your milia are more of the stubborn sort?

Frustratingly, You cant extract milia the same way you would a whitehead because there isn’t an opening for it to escape to the surface. Avoid trying to remove your milia by squeezing, they cannot come out that way, and the pressure from squeezing can scar your skin. Professionals can use special techniques to remove milia by exfoliating the skin and creating an artificial path to escape the skin. Still, you can permanently damage and scar the skin if done improperly. 

What can you do at home to help your milia go away faster, help your esthetician, and possibly avoid them altogether? Exfoliation with Alpha and Beta Hydroxy Acids or retinol can help speed up cell turnover, dissolve excess keratin and decrease the likelihood of developing more in the future.