Milia Removal

Those small white bumps that will not pop, no matter what you try.

What they are

Milia are tiny keratin cysts sitting just under the surface of the skin. They are harmless and very common, including in adults who have never had acne, and they show up most often under the eyes and on the cheeks. They look like whiteheads, which is exactly why home treatment fails: unlike a whitehead, a milium has no opening.

Why home removal fails

Squeezing does not work and can leave a mark, because there is no pore to press through. Scrubs and acids rarely reach them either, since the keratin is sealed under an intact layer of skin. This is one of the few skin complaints where the honest answer is that home remedies mostly waste your time.

How we remove them

In clinic, a provider releases each milium with a fine sterile instrument, or treats it with gentle freezing or cautery. The choice is made in person, when they can see the skin, and the visit is quick. Most people have several treated in a single appointment, and the under-eye area is handled with particular care.

Healing and afterward

Treated spots typically look slightly pink for a day or two, then settle. There is no downtime that interferes with normal life, and makeup can usually resume the next day. Milia can form again over time in people prone to them, which is why some patients return once or twice a year.