Have you ever noticed a small white or yellow hardened bump on the surface of your skin that would not go away?
These are called milia. They are benign and usually painless, but they can be super annoying because they are hard to remove unless you go in for a professional treatment and have them removed. In most states, estheticians can remove them, and dermatologists can do this as well.
The name "milia" is derived from the Latin word for "millet," which the bumps are said to resemble due to their small size and round shape.
Milia are commonly found around the eyes, cheeks, and forehead. They are caused by skin cells that build up and become trapped in the hair follicle or sweat gland. Skin grows over and forms a tiny cyst.
But why do we get them?
Lipid/fat deficiencies in our skin cells: I can’t tell you how important the health of the skin cells is for smooth vibrant skin. When the skin cells aren’t getting the fat they need, they can shrivel up like a raisin, and when enough of these clump together, you might get a milia.
Trauma to the skin, like a sunburn, chemical peel burn, or other injury: I love the sun, AND too much (especially paired with a modern diet) can damage the skin. Cells become shriveled and have a hard time sloughing off.
Dehydration: Water in the body is the catalyst for skin cells to slough off properly. When we aren’t hydrating, there is nothing to trigger the cells to naturally slough away. This can contribute to milia.
Long term use of topical steroid creams, or hydroquinone creams: This is called drug-induced milia, and it is a reaction to the medication.
Here are five things you can do to prevent milia if you are prone to them:
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Make sure you are getting enough healthy fats in your diet, and that you are absorbing and assimilating fats. Applying essential fatty acid-rich oils to the skin topically is also important. You can find my favorite one here.
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Hydrate properly: eating fresh organic produce, drinking electrolytes that aren’t also laced with a ton of junk sugars, and putting lemon in your water; I have a whole article about this here.
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Avoid skin trauma: Sunburns, invasive exfoliating treatments.
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Avoid occlusive products like mineral oil, coconut oil, Vaseline, silicone, shea butter, mango butter, and yes, even tallow. These ingredients can “suffocate” the skin cell, not allowing it to get the proper nutrition it needs. They can also trap skin cells, allowing them to pile up. Some of these ingredients can be helpful for some, but asses if you are getting milia, this could be a reason why.
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Avoiding the overuse/abuse of steroid or hydroquinone creams. I would personally never use hydroquinone due to all of the other risks involved.
If you have milia already, as stated above, you can get these professionally, removed. You can also gently steam your face regularly to allow this area to loosen and gently exfoliate the area. Topical retinoids can help, but keep in mind that these products may disrupt the skin microbiome, so it is best to use them sparingly and also work to address the root cause.
