Are you noticing small white bumps appearing on your face as you age? You might be dealing with milia spots, experts say. These harmless cysts form below the surface of your complexion due to trapped dead skin cells, and they are quite common. But what exactly are milia spots and how can you treat them?
We asked a dermatologist to explain this aging skin condition and the best ways to tackle it. If you’re curious about milia spots and want to learn more, read on for tips, suggestions and insight from Dr. Anna Chacon, M.D., board-certified dermatologist and writer at My Psoriasis Team.
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First Off, What Exactly Are Milia Spots?
On your skin, Chacon says, milia (milk spots) are "tiny, white cysts." Cysts, she notes, are "stuffed pockets under your skin's surface." Milia are most frequently found on the face. "Milia are merely a cosmetic issue and are completely safe," she assures.
These white bumps on your face are sometimes "mistaken for whiteheads, a kind of acne," she notes, but they are not in fact acne flare-ups or related at all. To know for sure if you have milia, look for "clusters or groupings of bumps," Chacon adds. These bumps on the skin don't have any other symptoms and shouldn't "hurt or feel uncomfortable."
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What Causes Them?
Milia is a condition where "dead skin cells become entrapped and form cysts beneath the skin's surface," Chacon reiterates. "Dead skin cells are naturally eliminated by your body through shedding, so that new cells can develop and take their place," she goes on.
Your new skin forms "on top of your old skin cells," and this then could "trap them there," when they don't shed naturally from your body. In addition, these can emerge due to skin damage from an injury, a rash or even exposure to the sun.
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What Are Milia Treatment Options?
To be rid of these bumps from your skin, Chacon lists three potential treatment options: a topical tretinoin cream, surgical removal by a doctor, or cryotherapy. For the first one, Chacon says that "applying either a tretinoin cream prescribed by a doctor or an over-the-counter adapalene gel" can help remove milia.
Regarding the second treatment, Chacon notes that "a needle can be used to puncture the milia by a professional." The contents, she continues, are then "squeezed out, removing the milia surgically." Finally, you can also undergo cryotherapy, which utilizes extremely low temperatures to freeze the milia-filled area of your skin and remove the spots.
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When spending time on your skin and preventing milia from forming, Chacon recommends grabbing a "glycolic acid toner, an AHA/ BHA exfoliating cleanser and a pumpkin honey glycolic mask" and adding these products to your skincare routine.
Overall, while these bumps are not harmful, they can be irritating to cover up with makeup or just bothersome to look at in general. With these tips in mind, removing them is definitely possible, and a visit to your local dermatologist can be helpful in learning more about your individual skin and milia spots.
