How to Remove Milia
Milia often appear most on the face, and that’s usually where we want them to appear least. You may even mistake them for whiteheads (acne), but they’re harmless bumps that only affect your appearance.
If you have milia and you’d like to have them removed, then you should consider laser technology at Bella Plastic Surgery. In our 15 years of experience, we’ve found the laser technology approach safe and effective for many clients, and it remains our topmost recommendation for milia removal.
What Are Milia?
Milia (Singular: Milium) are small white bumps on the skin, also commonly called ‘milk spots’ and ‘oil seeds’. They’re most common among infants but can happen at any age. Many times, milia go away on their own a few weeks after eruption. At other times, they can persist and affect your appearance.
What Causes Milia
The skin sheds dead cells constantly to make room for newer cells, but sometimes these dead skin cells don’t fall off the body. Instead, they get trapped under new skin. These trapped dead skin cells form cysts, known as primary milia. However, this is not always the case. You can develop secondary milia from long-term use of steroid creams, skin injury, burns and chronic sun exposure. Sometimes, milia could be a sign of a hereditary or autoimmune condition. Finally, some ingredients like liquid paraffin and petroleum oil in makeup and skin care products can cause milia.
Can You Prevent Milia?
You can’t always prevent milia, but you can reduce your risk of developing milia. To prevent primary milia, you should consider exfoliating or using a cleanser on your skin frequently to keep it free of irritants that can cause it. Take care to use recommended products only and seek the help of a professional if you’re unsure.
Using sunscreen, limiting your exposure to the sun and avoiding unprescribed steroid use can reduce your chances of having secondary milia. If you find out you’re sensitive to makeup or skin care products that cause milia, you should stop using them.
Laser Milia Removal
Laser Milia Removal in Sydney at Bella Plastic Surgery uses a small pen-tip head that pierces the centre of each milium to allow the removal of the dead skin within.
When you come to our clinic, you’ll complete a registration form and receive a consultation where you’ll learn about the procedure and post-procedure care, all within 30 minutes. The actual procedure often lasts less than 30 minutes, and you’ll get a topical anaesthetic to numb the area before the procedure if you want one. Most people will have only one session of laser milia removal; however, you should know that milia can reform at any time, and you may need other sessions in the future.
Immediately after treatment, the affected areas will become red and swell slightly. This reaction will resolve in the next few days, and you’ll see that small scabs will begin to form. Once the scabs come off, new skin will grow in the areas treated, and redness and skin crusting will also be present during the healing process.
For weeks post-procedure, expect your spots to heal with scabs falling off and red marks remaining. This is normal, as these are new blood vessels formed to assist in the reparative process and can continue to help heal. Eventually, the red marks dissipate, and the skin settles. We also offer topical creams and LED treatment to aid healing.
FAQs
Can I pop milia?
No, you shouldn’t attempt to pop milia like you could do with a pimple. Unlike pimples, milia have no opening to squeeze the contents through, and you’ll only injure your skin. You also run a risk of skin infection and scarring if you pop milia.
Should I try to remove my milia at home?
No, you shouldn’t try to remove milia at home. There’s no right way to do it, and you’ll probably end up squeezing or scraping milia, which can lead to skin infections or scarring.