EVERYTHING YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABUT MILIAS BUT WERE AFRAID TO ASK!
Hi Ladies! Jeanasina here! Here is my hopefully informative follow-up on milias! (I have been spelling it incorrectly – sorry (not melia). I had never even heard of the word milia until a few years ago when my favorite Esthetician told me about the little whitehead looking things on my face. I said “I CAN'T GET THESE SUCKERS OUT!! WHAT THE HELL ARE THEY?” and that began my new-found knowledge of milia. These are also known as milia seeds.
I personally did not even have any for years, but my mom, when she was alive ,had these enormous white head looking things all over her face – truth – she probably had at least 50 or more of them! She was very tolerant of me squeezing any blackheads I'd see on her face. I was a blackhead/whitehead/pimple zealot! Probably a zillion times in my lifetime when she was alive and around, I'd also ask her if I could get all those presumed 'whiteheads' off of her too! She was always indifferent so I'd just be chomping at the bit to get my squeezing started! I'd squeeze with all my might (I can only imagine how much this hurt) and never, ever, would I be able to get them out! My mom only looked worse, now her melia face was full of nail indents which were beet red! Sigh. I figured out these must not be ordinary whiteheads but I had no clue of what they actually were until years later when I had my own version of these bumps.
Eventually I developed my own little white bumps (they never got as large as my mom's) but apparently they could! Mine showed up around my eyes (the first ones) and I, not knowing what they were also tried to extract them with my death grip squeeze methods and they NEVER came out! I hated them though – every time I'd run my finger over them and feel them it would get under my skin literally and figuratively! How could they have the audacity to stay under my skin when I didn't want them there! The little bastards! They were really tiny and nobody probably even noticed them...but to me...they were the enemy.
I got them removed the first time at my expert skin doctor (dermatologist) and after my first experience of his method of removal, as much as I hated it, I LOVED when he'd show me the hard little white pebble of sand he just took off of my face! I got a lesson from him on milias and I did my research and so ladies...here's the scoop on milias!
Little white bumps, or milia, are keratin-filled cysts, little balls of protein beneath the skin that do not have a pore, or hole in the skin through which to escape. There are generally two types of milia. Primary milia may result from oil glands that have not fully or properly developed. Secondary milia result from trauma to the skin.
The best way to prevent milia is to avoid treating your skin with excessively harsh chemicals and to limit sun exposure. To reduce creating milia around the eyes, use eye creams with the least amount of ingredients possible to avoid irritating the delicately thin eye area. Also, gently touch the eyes and avoid rubbing the eyes vigorously so as not to damage the skin.
When you were a baby, you were probably covered with milia that disappear after a few days. Or, you may have inherited milia from your parents.
On the other hand, you may develop milia after excessive exposure to the sun. The reasons for developing milia after sun exposure are debatable. According to some studies, the active ingredients sunscreens like Parsol 1789 may cause sun allergies and later lead to a milia breakout. Other studies blame the sun itself for “damaging” the skin can thus causing little white bumps.
Just because you have little white bumps on your face does not necessarily mean that you have acne. Comedones or whiteheads are excess fats and wastes that are trapped in a hair follicle and so they clog up the pore. In short, milia are proteins trapped within the skin, while comedones are fats and skin debris trapped within the pore.
Exfoliating the skin, or removing the dead skin cells from your skin with an abrasive product or chemical, is beneficial. But brutally scrubbing your face with soaps and chemicals too frequently may actually create milia. To avoid this, remember that gentle exfoliation helps prevent excess dead skin cell build-up that could clog your pores and cause whiteheads, not milia.
This gentle exfoliation helps make eventual removal of the milia easier because the skin layer around the milia becomes thinner, with frequent, yet gentle exfoliation. In short, Exfoliate your skin to prevent milia, not to cure them .Milia are deep seeded white bumps that form when skin cells become trapped rather than exfoliate naturally. The trapped cells become walled off into tiny cysts that appear like white beads below the surface of the skin. Milia can occur on the skin or even on mucous membranes such as the inner surface of the cheek or the border of the lips.
If you already have milia seeds, you should go to a dermatologist to have them removed. Some people get rid of them at home with the help of a needle, but because they appear in such sensitive areas, like around the eyes, it's not recommend to do that, unless you’re absolutely certain and confident you can do it. And even then, make sure the milia seeds haven’t hardened. If so, don’t attempt to do anything on your own and consult a dermatologist.
Alright my friends, hopefully this has helped you become more informed! I did ask my dermatologist if my milias could get as large as my mom's and he said they definitely could! Yikes! You have to know I won't be letting THAT happen especially if I'm predisposed since it can be a hereditary thing! I'm thinking of having “There Ain't No Milias On Me and I Like It!” teeshirts made up and selling them on Craig's list!
Any other ladies out there that get these suckers?
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Reviews
thank you for this information Jeanasina. after reading your previous blog post, i searched for melia and couldn't find anything. now i know it was just a spelling error. thanks for clearing that up because after reading your post i wanted to see pictures of it online. now i know what those little white things are under my eyes! i have so many! i tried to squeeze them out a really long time ago but it hurt so bad because that skin under the eye is very sensitive and thin. it kind of makes sense that i have milias under my eyes because i have keratosis pilaris (KP) on my arms too. it's that keratin build-up! now i know. Thank you!
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Thank you for the info-Ithink I have a couple near my eyes prob from rubbing off drag queen like mascara before I learned to tone down the eyemakeup.I ll have to get somone to do a presto chango on them.
PotionPrincess♥
I used to get these, but making sure I exfoliate on a regular basis seems to keep them away.
I'm not sure but i think i may have one of these on my eyelid. I will def check with my dermatologist the next time i go! I'm wondering bc of the location of the milia if i would be better off seeing a dermatologist or an opthamologist???? I"ve always hated it bc when i put eye makeup on it drives me crazy....you go through all of this time and effort and you have an imperfection right dab in the center of your eye.thanks for the info bc i was unsure of what it could be.
I have one near my eye. Thanks so much for informing us all about them. I always wondered what it really was, but it is sooo tiny that I would always forget to bring it up at the doctor's office.
Indi
I have had a bit of milia before. I had some on my cheek,but they were just seedlings. I was able to remove them myself fortunately. I always make sure to exfoliate really well though, to help prevent stuff like that from happening.
I have them around my eye, near the bridge of my nose. I thought they were small zits, thanks for the 411 on them. I am going to try gently exfoliating them then if they are still there I will go see the dermatologist. thanks again for the valuable information!!
I have had a bit of milia before. I had some on my check,but they were just seedlings. I was able to remove them myself fortunately. I always make sure to exfoliate really well though, to help prevent stuff like that from happening.
I have quite a few of these around my eyes. Sometimes I can get them out with a needle, but I'd rather have someone else work on them.Are they harmful if you don't get them removed?
Jeanasina, that was superinformative! I have milia around my eyes, and I'm sure most people don't notice, but they drive me crazy. (I tried to mess with one and I thought I got it out... well it hurt like heck at the time, and for a few days after, and it ended up a raised scar to boot!) I rub my eyes a lot so that might be a contributing factor (I'm trying to cut back!! It'll probably give me wrinkles too!) Sometimes they drive me so crazy that I think, oh I'll just be more careful this time... but I really just need to go to my derm and have them removed professionally. :(
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I think I get them around my ears. I always wondered what these little pimple-like things were.
I can't thank you enough for bring this problem to my attention. I really thought there was nothing I could do about these. I have an appointment next week to have mine looked at. I hope it goes well! I'll report back if anything interesting happens!
i had that around my eyes, never knew what they were, thanks for the info and now i know what to do, to not let it happen again
Thats so much for the info, I heard people talking about milia on makeupalley ad stuff and had an idea of what they look like, but didn't know the full extent of what they actually are. Luckily I don't have any yet, but if I ever get one it'll be straight to the derm for me! I would be annoyed with something I couldn't squeeze out, too!
Jeanasina, you are a goddess, not only for giving us the straight scoop, but also for sharing the process for removal in your previous column. I don't have any, but after reading about your ordeal through the cracks in my outstretched fingers I held over my eyes, I think I would learn to make them my friends! I make up for few marks on my face by having a huge number of moles and dermatofibromas on my body. This keeps my dermatologist in new BMWs every couple of years.
OMG I cannot even begin to imagine trying to remove one of these on my own if it was anywhere remotely close to my eye--GAH!! I don't have any but I know someone who has a bunch of them around her eyes and I feel bad for her!
wow... i've never had anything like that before!!!like many others I hate getting anything out that is close to my eye, it's an absolute nightmare when i get eyelashes in my eye :(My mum taught me to use cotton buds...it still hurts though :(
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i dont get them but i think ive seen them on other people. very informative post. didnt know what they were and now i think i know another reason my derm doesnt want me to exfoliate. i feel like the meds im on are making my skin super sensitive!
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Luckily for me I've never had milia :] I already avoid harsh chemicals and excessive sun, and exfoliate often, so I guess that's why! I do however have chicken skin (KP) but luckily for me that doesn't affect my face, just my arms (sigh that does suck tho).
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This is strange. I usually get this kind of condition when I wear foundation for a long time and take it off later in the day. To get rid of this, I would just wash my face using a toner and mask, and then use a 24 hour moisturizer at night and repeat this cycle for a few days until it's gone. Hopefully it'll work for you!
Thank you so much Jesanina for that fantastic information!!! It really answers my unspoken question. I think I have a few of these on my face, on my cheekbones, a few cm away from my eye!They're quite small and aren't frustrating me too much yet. I don't think I can afford a trip to a dermatologist any time soon.
Wow.. this was really interesting to read. I never knew that there was anything like that.I have a bump that comes in on the side of my nose that i'm not sure what it is. I can pop it, but it keeps coming back. Ugh. One of these days I'll have to go have a doctor beat it into submission.I'm glad you found out what your bumps were! It's always a good feeling to know what's going on!
Hmmm... I think I have milia under and in the inner corner of my eyes. They're not that big, but boy are they annoying. I can't put anything under my eyes without it looking cakey. Thanks for the info!
wow. i never knew they were called milia.. now i know what to do to prevent them. thanks :)
xoxo
Thankyou SO much for this article. The picture in particular is very helpful. This is exactly what mine look like (plus i had a few bigger ones on my eyelids/browbone which i've now removed).I have these around my eyes and on my cheekbones. Have had them for years (sometimes i take a needle to them but mostly i don't bother) and just thought they were the way my skin is to be. After reading some info about them i decided to try BHA and it is making a bit difference. My skin is much smoother and the milia that i do have are much easier to remove.So good to know there are ways of dealing with them. :)
I have one of these under my eye, and I hate it! No matter what I tried, I couldn't get rid of it, and gave up. Does it hurt when the doctor removes it? I'm super afraid of pain.
Thank-you for following up on this important issue! I kept reading in the other thread how women were going straight to the dermatologist to have them removed when like me, they may only need to lessen the amount of eye-cream they're applying to the eye area.I found that my milia went within a month or two of reducing my eye-cream applications and beginning to use my ring finger to prevent any unnecessary pressure to my eye-socket.
Thanks for bringing this our attention. It is a great reminder that exfoliation is an important part of one's cleansing routine. I now know what can happen if I forget to exfoliate.
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I believe I have a few right under my lower lashes. The removal method sounds kind of scary though! No one else notices them but me, so I think I'll just live with them!
I have something similiar to this on my cheeks, but thaey are larger...hmmmm, i thought they were just clogged pores!!
Thanks SO much for this post! I've been wondering what they were and it's been driving me crazy! Now I know.
Wow I'd never heard of these before. That's really informative. At least if I ever get these I'll remember to give up before I make my face worse. Thank you, I've learned about something new today
Thanks for the follow up info. I'm convinced - I'm going to make an appointment with Dr. Derm. Actually, first I'm going to have to find a new one because I didn't like the one I had. He wasn't all that thorough - and not nearly as informative as our Jeanasina!
Carole
Thanks for the post. One day I looked in the mirror and noticed I had some under my eyes. This was about 15 years ago... I haven't done anything about it because I did not think you could and they are not that noticeable. THey have not gotten worse. They DO bug me for sure and I will go have them removed now that I know I can! I tend to think I got them from using vaseline to remove my makeup when I was 16! Or it could have been all that oxywash! Or excessive makeup and tanning... No telling, but I have had them a very long time.
Thank you i had never heard of these!! I dont think i have them on me.. but i have horrible skin so i wouldnt doubt it.. next time iam in the mirror i will do a sweep to see!!! <3 <3 <3
thanks for the information! after reading some of the comments, i think you really helped a lot of people figure out what was going on with their skin. i don't have any but my aunt does and she's been wondering what those little buggers were for the longest time. i'm definitely going to enlighten her the next time i see her.
I had 3 of those years ago. When squeezing, scratching and clawing all failed, I stuck a pin into a flame for a couple of seconds (to sterilize it) and then picked them out. It was gory, but they are gone, and have never returned. I suspect a trip to the derm is much more sensible. I admire all of you who can ignore them - I cannot. I'll mutilate before I leave anything on my skin be - very OC, I know. "Out damned spot...."
Rie
I get them and dig them out with a needle :-) they drive me mad !!! Thanks for the information xx
I never thought twice about this, but I used to have this before. Once I started using mineral makeup, they disappeared. I was examining my face in the mirror yesterday, and I realized that I don't have these little dots anymore. Yay!
Very interesting, thank you so much for sharing your story!
I unfortunately tend to get these everywhere :( I also break out in clusters of them if I use something that does not agree with my skin. A few weeks ago I added a couple drops of virgin coconut oil to my moisturizer, and within about 2 weeks my forehead was COVERED in milia. I know its not normal acne because it isn't your standard whitehead. When I squeeze them with a comedone extractor a hard rice grain like substance comes out. I exfoliate about 4-5 times a weeks (or more now to try to loosen the hold on the new ones forming). I rarely go out in the sun, so I know that can't be the cause of mine. I have had them removed at the dermatologist before, but it was expensive and about a year later they ended up coming back in the same spots. I know if I got rid of them permanently pretty much all of my skin problems would be solved. I wouldn't mind if they were just under my eyes, but they randomly show up all over my face!!
I think i have these :( only a couple of really really tiny ones near my eyes- i always wondered what they were!how does your dermatologist get rid of them?! if you dont get them removed do they stay there forever?! will they definately get bigger?
Those little buggers are annoying! Just remember that exfoliation is the key to preventing milia. I suggest exfoliating twice a week. Every skin is different, but too much exfoliation could cause irritation and more breakouts! And my number one rule to great skin is: WASH YOUR MAKE-UP OFF BEFORE BED! Just can't stress this point enough.Happy Glowing!Self Tanning Queenwww.selftanningqueen.com
I had one of these several months back. I had trouble trying to get rid of it, so I did a google search as to what the disturbing, tiny bump was. Fortunately, mine did go away over some time.
I have a couple of these on my eyelid very close to my eyelashes. Never knew what they were and tried to squeeze them out... very painful!!! Thanks for the information!
I get these, I actually have two on my eyelid right now and they drive me nuts! If I don't wear makeup, I don't get them, but I just enjoy makeup too much. So I exfoliate and if they don't go away by themselves I will end up having them removed. The process is a tad bit painful (especially because I had one on my water line of my eye at one time, I cried during that removal) but after the wound heals you look all better again. :)
interesting article- i also had a few milias on my cheek when i was a teen but then they went away. they used to annoy to no end as well- im sure all women are over critical of their facial features in the mirror :)
Thank you for filling us in on these seeds. I too have had a few and wondered what they were. I was really scared it was the start of that darn facial cellulitis. Me too am a zip popper and would go after them with abandon. I finally bought a blackhead zapper (common at drug stores) which I could sterilize, to help get rid of blackheads. That thing is a lifesaver as it get rids of the blackheads without getting your dirty fingers involved. But it wouldn't work on these white bumps. Now I know why.Great info Jeanasina.
Beste Hilsin
I don't think I've ever gotten these but then again I might have and just not noticed. Knowing me I would have passed it off as a pimple or something. This is great info though so thank you.
Yes! I have an annoying one on my nose as I have said in your previous post. It ain't that bad considering some people have it worse. I remembered my classmate in high school had those but I didn't know what they were at that time and I always thought why she didn't extract those "whiteheads" when all along she couldn't because they were really milia. Good thing I didn't say anything about it to her, that would have been painfully awkward.