Milia – what is it and how to remove white dots on the face

What are milia and how do they manifest?

Milia (retention cysts, wen or whiteheads) are dense subcutaneous cysts of superficially located sebaceous glands, filled with dense keratin protein mixed with thick sebum. They are convex non-inflammatory rashes with a diameter of 1-2 mm with clear boundaries, white or yellowish. Visually, miliums resemble a millet grain – hence another common name for such rashes comes from – millet.

Milia are localized mainly in areas with relatively thin skin. Most often they appear in the area around the eyes and lips, on the eyelids, cheeks, in the T-zone (nose, forehead, chin), less often in the cheekbones, and sometimes in the genitals. The distribution of such rashes can be single and multiple.

Milia are often confused with closed comedones or white pimples with purulent contents (pustules), which are formed due to blockage of hair follicles or sebaceous glands and look like whiteheads. Visually, the rashes are really similar. However, unlike comedones and pustules, whiteheads form in the upper layer of the epidermis without affecting the hair follicles and sweat ducts, that is, they do not have exit channels. It is quite difficult to get rid of wen on your own – dense nodular formations cannot be removed without damaging the epidermis. In order not to bring an infection under the skin, it is recommended to consult a dermatologist for further treatment.

Causes of milia on the face

• Like other rashes of oily skin type, whiteheads are formed against the background of excessive production of sebum and increased sensitivity of the sebaceous glands to certain hormones. However, they are also found in owners of dry and normal skin types.
• Another cause of milia is considered to be hyperkeratosis – delayed exfoliation of keratinized cells, which form a dense subcutaneous nodule.
• Often the predisposition to acne is inherited genetically.
• Insufficient or improper care: if you have oily problem skin, you can include regular intensive cleansing with exfoliation of the stratum corneum of the epidermis into your daily routine.
• Excessive insolation: ultraviolet increases hyperkeratosis (hardening of the stratum corneum) of the skin.
• Some diseases: disorders of the gastrointestinal tract or central nervous system, hormonal imbalance, for example, hyperandrogenism (increased amount of male hormones in the body).
• Physiological condition in newborns, which resolves on its own.
• Milia can be a symptom of some hereditary diseases.

Milia classification

There are two clinical forms of manifestation of whiteheads on the face:

• Primary: spontaneous rashes that appear against the background of a genetic predisposition at different ages, including infancy.
• Secondary: rashes formed in places of former inflammation or against the background of the restoration of the epidermis after injuries, for example, after some cosmetic procedures (laser resurfacing, median peeling).

In what cases you need to see a doctor for treatment

If you have milia on your face, then they will not go away on their own. Despite the fact that such rashes are harmless, rarely inflamed and do not require treatment, you want to get rid of them more because of aesthetic discomfort. Unfortunately, there is no conservative way to correct wen. It is categorically not recommended to squeeze them out on your own, moreover, you are unlikely to be able to do it at home. If you still want to remove milia, consult a dermatologist or cosmetologist.

Milia removal with cosmetic procedures

Consider the most effective ways to remove wen in the cosmetologist’s office:

• Mechanical cleaning of the face with the help of special tools allows you to safely open the surface layer of the skin and remove the contents of the retention cyst.
• Acid peels are another possible way to get rid of milia. However, you will have to go through a full course of such procedures to achieve a visible result.
• Laser coagulation is a traumatic procedure that helps to quickly and effectively remove whiteheads, destroying them from the inside with the help of laser energy.
• Excision is a way to remove wen manually. Entrust it to an experienced professional – only in the cosmetology room the necessary standards of sterility of instruments and the correct technique for opening the cyst capsule are observed.
• Cryotherapy – the effect on rashes with liquid nitrogen. The procedure is safe and fairly painless with high efficiency.
• Electrocoagulation is a method of removing wen by excising the formation with the help of a cosmetic electric knife. First, the skin of the face is cleaned with special solutions.

Is it possible to get rid of milia at home?

It is simply impossible to remove wen on your own without negative consequences. Trying to extract the contents of milia, you risk damaging the skin and causing infection. Often, after independent attempts to get rid of them, a stagnant mark (red or bluish spot) or even a scar remains in places of mechanical action on the skin.

Any imperfections of oily skin are easier to prevent than to cure. Follow the simple recommendations of experts in the field of cosmetology and dermatology to keep your facial skin clean and healthy.

Ways to prevent milia

The main rule for the prevention of any rashes of oily skin type is properly selected regular care. Include sparing exfoliants in your beauty routine that exfoliate dead skin cells and accelerate skin renewal. Also pay attention to products that remove excess sebum from the surface of the skin. Take a closer look at non-comedogenic cosmetics containing acids, hydrofixatives and matting ingredients.

Top 4 La Roche-Posay products for oily skin

Effaclar Micro Exfoliating Cleansing Gel¹ contributes to the maximum*² intensive cleansing of the skin and has proven itself in the care of oily skin. Salicylic acid and lipo-hydroxy acid in the composition are contained in the optimal concentration, which allows to achieve a high efficiency of the formula of the product. The product helps to reduce oily skin and helps to reduce the number of imperfections and traces of post-acne due to gentle exfoliation (exfoliation) of horny skin cells. Suitable for body skin.

Effaclar Pore Tightening Lotion, thanks to its formula combining thermal water and Lipo-hydroxy acids, gradually and gently, but visibly exfoliates dead cells, cleansing pores and reducing their size. It will also help reduce facial oiliness and help to visibly even skin tone and texture.

Effaclar DUO (+) Corrective cream-gel for problem skin will help to even out the tone and relief of the face, as well as smooth out congestive spots after acne on the chin.³. The product stimulates the cellular renewal of the epidermis, helps to reduce visible imperfections and stagnant marks after them, well moisturizes the skin thanks to a formula containing a combination of lipo-hydroxy- (LHA) and salicylic acids.

The ultra-concentrated Effaclar serum with a peeling effect has pronounced exfoliating properties due to the content in the basis of the formula of a complex of three keratolic acids: salicylic, glycolic and lipo-hydroxy acids. The complex helps stimulate skin renewal processes, cleanse accumulated sebum and reduce pores, even out skin microrelief.

In addition to regular care, as a prevention of milia, experts in the field of dermatology and cosmetology also recommend reconsidering your lifestyle:

• Eat right, reduce your intake of dairy products, sugar and animal fats (cholesterol).
• Also enrich your diet with antioxidant foods that help cells fight the damaging effects of free radicals from the inside, prevent premature aging and improve the condition of problem skin.
• Follow the daily drinking regime – dehydration of the body affects the condition of oily skin and increases the production of sebum.
• Give up bad habits, especially smoking – excessive consumption of nicotine can provoke oxidative damage to both the composition of sebum and its products.

By following these simple tips, you can not only prevent the occurrence of new rashes, but also significantly improve the condition of oily problem skin.

1 Effaclar – Efaclar 2 *among Effaclar products 3 Duo (+) – Duo +