What are Milia?

What’s with those annoying little white heads that just never seem to come to the surface and go away? What is that thick, white stuff that comes out when you finally get so frustrated you pick and poke and finally pop the bump?. Those little white bumps are Milia also know as milk spots and they’re incredibly common.

Milia can be the bane of your existence, particularly when they continue to form despite your best efforts at keeping your skin “clean.” Unfortunately, cleanliness isn’t the problem. The skin’s ability to naturally exfoliate is.

A milium is basically a hardened whitehead that forms when oil and dead skin cells are trapped under the surface of the skin. Milia have no visible opening and are generally found around the eyes, forehead and cheeks. People with dry skin are more likely to experience milia although there a number of other reasons you may get them such as skin care and make up being applied to heavily. Not removing any products put on the skin effectively can also result in the formation of milia. Sun exposure can be another cause of milia especially in ageing skin where the epidermis, the top layer of your skin thickens resulting in the inability for your dead skin cells to shed properly. The most annoying of all, genetics! Yes that’s right it maybe be no fault of your own and just down to the simple fact that genetically you are more prone to getting them.

Regular exfoliation at home can go along way to help reduce the chance of milia forming but if you are experiencing milia please do not pick them as you may cause scarring or the spread of bacteria in the skin. Here at Skin Southwest we offer a very quick and simple procedure to extract the milia causing no lasting damage to the skin so please get in touch to book your appointment. We can also help guide you with the correct skin care routine to control any future skin blemishes.