Stubborn, unsightly and annoyingly hard to get rid of, milia are found in all ages.
Babies (over 50% of them), kids and adults can all be affected. All races. Both sexes.
They don’t discriminate. They generally affect the thin skin around the eyes and upper parts of the cheeks in adults.
They are basically a mini cyst. A cyst full of keratin. We like keratin – we need it. Its what gives our skin, hair and nails structure. You just don’t want it trapped under your skin and trying to get out.
The important things to remember are:
- they’re NOT spots
- they have nothing to do with your pores – they are under your epidermis
- they’re not harmful
- they’re not infectious
- they’re not caused by germs/bacteria
- you can’t get rid of them by taking an antibiotic/the pill
If you have a lot of them – and if your family also suffer with them – you’re probably genetically predisposed to them. If you just get the odd one here and there you probably just need to up the ante on your skincare routine.
How do you get rid of them?
First of all – don’t bother trying to pick at it. You’re setting yourself up for a whole heap of trouble. Essentially what you are trying to do is pick a hole in your skin. Try that on your arm and see how far you get. Exactly.
- Get a professional to do it. Phone your nearest salon. Ask them specifically if they remove milia. Double check. Say ‘do you physically remove milia?’ We’re talking manually – no microdermabrasion, no laser – just your therapist, her steady hand and a suitable needle. If they hesitate don’t go. Do you WANT someone who’s not confident/trained poking around your eye with a needle? (Yes – at The Sanctuary we know how to extract milia).
- Go see a dermatologist – let them deal with them
- Have a go yourself. Not recommended
Some general guidelines…
Don’t:
- Use products containing mineral oil or lanolin (ever, regardless)
- Use silicone-heavy skincare (it’s fine in make-up) – check the label – if anything ending ‘cone’ is near the top of the ingredients list – avoid. If you have milia it’s a little like applying Seche Vite to your face. Ugh.
- Pick at them with needles – if you don’t know what you’re doing you’ll scar your face
Do:
- Use a topical AHA on the area
- Exfoliate regularly
- Moisturise them normally
- Use good clay masks on the area regularly
- Get them removed safely by a pro – or ask me next time you see me. 🙂
Extract of article courtesy of: http://www.carolinehirons.com/2011/08/milia-cheat-sheet.html
