Milia: What They Are, Why They Form, and How to Treat Them Safely
- Wild Alchemy Botanicals
- Oct 18, 2025
- 2 min read
Updated: 23 hours ago
Milia: What They Are, Why They Form, and How to Treat Them Safely
Aaah, milia — most of us have had them, some of us still do, and many (myself included) have tried to perform DIY surgery with a sewing needle.
Those tiny, stubborn white bumps that appear around the eyes or cheeks are called milia. They're small keratin-filled cysts that form beneath the skin when dead skin cells become trapped instead of shedding naturally.
They're harmless, but they can be persistent and frustrating.
What Milia Are Made Of
Milia are tiny cysts made primarily of keratin, a protein naturally found in the skin. Unlike acne, they aren't caused by bacteria, excess oil, or inflammation.
They most commonly appear around the eyes, temples, cheeks, and other areas where the skin is delicate and slower to renew itself.
Common Causes
Milia can develop for a variety of reasons, including:
Slower skin renewal
Barrier damage or dehydration
Long-term use of heavy creams or steroid ointments
Excessive sun exposure
Sensitive or allergy-prone skin
Skin trauma following burns, rashes, or cosmetic procedures
Anything that disrupts the skin's normal shedding process can increase the likelihood of milia forming.
Environmental & Lifestyle Factors
Dry climates, temperature extremes, air conditioning, and environmental stress can all affect skin barrier function and contribute to keratin becoming trapped beneath the surface.
This is one reason milia are often seen in dry, sensitive, or environmentally stressed skin.
Professional Treatment Options
Existing milia generally need to be removed professionally.
Treatment options may include:
Sterile extraction
Micro-cautery
Plasma treatments
Other dermatologist- or clinician-led procedures
Attempting to remove milia at home can increase the risk of scarring, infection, and pigmentation changes.
Can Skincare Remove Milia?
Not usually. Once a milium has formed, it generally needs professional extraction or treatment to be removed safely.
Skincare can help support healthy skin renewal and may reduce the likelihood of new milia forming, but it won't dissolve, extract, or remove an existing milium.
This is why prevention and ongoing skin maintenance are often more effective than trying to treat established milia at home.
Prevention & Ongoing Management
While you can't exfoliate an existing milium away, you can help reduce recurrence by:
Using lightweight hydration rather than heavy occlusive creams
Supporting healthy skin renewal with gentle exfoliation
Protecting and repairing the skin barrier
Avoiding unnecessary irritation
Consistency is often more effective than aggressive treatment.
My Final Thoughts
Milia are benign but persistent — and I still get them myself thanks to a combination of allergies, sensitive skin, eczema, and previous steroid use.
They're not a flaw. They're simply a sign that the skin's natural renewal process needs a little support.
Treat them patiently, protect your barrier, and seek professional help if they don't resolve.
Your skin knows how to heal; it simply needs the right environment to do so.
