What are These Bumps?

Milia are small, whitehead-like blemishes that often appear under your eyes, on your cheeks or around your mouth. These small bumps occur when dead skin cells are trapped beneath the skin’s surface. The result is a small, pearl-like bump. Milia are more stubborn than regular acne.  Picking or squeezing them can lead to scarring or their reappearance.

There are several ways to help prevent milia:

1.    Exfoliate the top skin layer regularly (3x per week). Since milia appear when your skin isn't exfoliating itself naturally, you need to slough away all the dirt, oil and dead skin cells that can cause milia. Gentle exfoliation helps make eventual removal of the milia easier because the skin layer around the milia becomes thinner, with frequent, yet gentle exfoliation.

2.       Wear a sunscreen of at least SPF 15 or higher every day. Exposure to the sun day after day begins to thicken your skin, making it harder for it to naturally exfoliate by expelling dead skin and oil through the pores. The resulting milia are even more difficult to get rid of because your skin becomes too thick to drain the milia.

3.    Switch your beauty products. Using products that are too rich for your skin may be the source of your milia. The skin around your eyes is thinner than your face and it is very easy to smother it if you are prone to milia. Simply switching the type of product you use to an oil-free formula can help your milia to disappear.

4.    Seek professional exfoliation every 4 to 6 weeks. Microdermabrasion or an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) peel helps soften the skin so that the skin’s natural exfoliating process can expel dirt and oil.

Make an appointment with your dermatologist or esthetician if exfoliating, peels and lifestyle changes aren't enough to clear up your milia. Some milia are so deeply embedded in the skin that they cannot come out naturally and need to be extracted by a professional.