What causes milia and how to remove them

milia

Millia are commonly occurring facial skin bumps but often the term is incorrectly used for other skin conditions. It’s vital to correctly diagnose milia before trying to treat them. 

The characteristic appearance of milia includes:

  • Small spots or bumps
  • White or yellowish colour
  • Pearly appearance
  • Most often around the eyes and cheeks
  • Not itchy or painful

One spot or cyst is called a ‘milium’ but patients tend to develop a crop of multiple spots, which are known as ‘milia’.

Babies and infants often develop tiny milia on the nose, but in adults the milia tend to be larger and of a different nature.

While milia may look similar to acne, they are quite different.

Adult milia develop where keratin protein becomes trapped beneath the surface of the skin. This could be due to injury, certain skin conditions or treatments, sun damage or simply the ageing process, where the skin’s natural exfoliation and renewal properties become less efficient.

At Cosmedics Skin Clinics’ Mole Removal Centres, doctors and surgeons are able to correctly diagnose all sorts of skin conditions.

Importantly, they are always alert to identify anything abnormal or worrying and give the most appropriate advice in those cases where there is something that needs checking out and/or biopsy (testing).

Milia Removal

After confirming correct diagnosis of milia, doctors and surgeons can offer milia removal. A number of treatment options may be suggested, including:

  • Laser treatment – destroying the spots and also stimulating the skin’s own healing and renewal processes, leaving skin clearer and healthier-looking
  • Cryotherapy – Liquid nitrogen freezes the spots to destroy them
  • Microcautery laser – intense heat device used to destroy the cysts
  • Topical treatment – retinoid
  • Direct intervention – a sterile needle or scraping device used to break the cyst

Healing tends to be very quick as the milia are very small, leaving minimal if any trace.

Skin Blemish & Lesion Experts

The London Mole Removal Centre is a private company, offering private mole checks and treatment for unwanted moles and other skin lesions (e.g. cysts, skin tags, warts, verruca, lipoma, xanthelasma). All consultations and treatments are carried out in person by doctors who are specially trained in the latest laser and skin surgery techniques and are highly experienced in the field.

Further advantages of private treatment at the London Mole Removal Centre include:

  • No waiting lists
  • Fully trained doctors, registered with GMC
  • Moles can often be removed in the same appointment as the consultation, saving the need for a repeat visit and allowing patients to get their skin lesions removed very quickly
  • Choice of 4 clinics in London and also Bristol
  • Removed moles tested with report provided

For more information or to book a consultation, please complete the form on this web page or call 020 7731 3791.