Milia - What is milia?

(image source : google)

About 50% of the population has milia so I am guessing that its normal for anyone of you to have these. Not many are aware of  milia or their causes and properties and often get mistaken and confuse them with acne or white heads, this post will tell you all about what exactly milia is and how to prevent it from happening and if they have already formed then how to cure them...

Q : What is Milia?

A: Milia or often referred to as "milk spots" or "oil seeds" is a very common skin condition in which keratin filled cysts are formed under the layer of the skin called epidermis causing white bumps most likely around the eyes , nose and the mouth . Milia is not to be confused with whiteheads  , pimples or any other acne related issue.

Q: What causes Milia?

A: There is more than a single cause of milia. Most likely it is caused due to clogged pores. Dead cells beneath the skin are unable to escape due to clogged pores and form solid bumps beneath the skin. Second reason is too much exposure to sunlight. Too much sun causes the upper layer of the skin (epidermis) to thicken and prevent the dead cells or calcium or protein deposits to escape through the pores again resulting into milia. Usage of heavy and oil based or paraben based cosmetics can also cause milia. So basically the very main reason or the core reason is blockage of pores but milia can also be cause by inheritance , or it could be a genetic curse... Milia around the mouth can be caused by flouride irritation which is present in toothpastes or some lipglosses too

Q: How to prevent Milia?

Preventing Milia is all about keeping a healthy skin regime and routine. Exfoliate and cleanse your skin each day. Use oil blotting papers , creams , mattyfying powders. Use sub blocks to prevent calcium from depositing underneath the skin or to prevent epidermis from thickening. Excessive intake of Vitamin D (which helps in absorbing calcium) is to be normalized. Use cosmetics which are mostly water based and oil and paraben free. Read this tip for more...

Q: How to cure milia if it already exists?

New borns normally have milia and they disappear within two to five weeks but milia in adults have to be treated as it it permanent and does not go on its own. Milia patients need to consult a dermatologist and they require microdermabrasion. Microdermabrasion is a treatment in which the dermatologist pokes a needle into those areas where the bumps exist and squeezes them out of the skin. (actually by poking in the needle they are either creating pores or opening clogged pores). They then later give you creams to prevent scarring. This process is not at all times painful. While some people who are aware of milia try their own version of microdermabrasion at home by simply just poking the needle , it is not at all recommended as one can get severely hurt and unhygienic and non sterilized needles can cause infections too and scarring is more likely to happen. Milia can not be treated the same way as acne is treated and are two differently classified skin conditions.Other treatments include fruit acid peels or glycolic acid peels. Scrubbing milia bumps do not help so do not try that either.  

Q: Is milia harmful in anyway?

A: Milia is harmless in nature and does not have any side effects at all and is the reason why scientists take milia research very lightly.

I have got milia , thank god its not very severe at all and its just 2-3 very small bumps around my nose which are unnoticeable and I do not feel the need to got to the dermatologist. But I was not willing to add picture so you can just click here to see milia pictures to confirm if you have milia or not or just to take a closer look...Other than that I hope you find it helpful and take care

Fariya