Skin Care

You Probably Have Milia — Here's What They Are and How to Treat Them

This pesky skin problem is more common than you think — and can be tough to get rid of. Here, how to prevent and treat milia

by Allie Flinn | COMMENT

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You may have noticed a tiny, raised white bump (or few) around your eyes or on your face and had no idea what it was. If it's not a pimple or a whitehead, it could be a milia (otherwise known as an inclusion cyst).

"A milia is a small amount of grease that is plugged in the pore but in its own capsule — like a pearl," explains South Florida-based dermatologist Dr. Gary Goldfaden, founder of Goldfaden MD Skin Care. These bumps most often show up on your cheeks and forehead, but can also appear on any part of your body, even your genitals (yikes!).

And, according to Goldfaden, 75 to 85 percent of women will get at least one milia in her lifetime. NYC based dermatologist Dr. Marina Peredo, at Skinfluence NYC, says these cysts are about one to two millimeters in size, and can also be caused by flakes of skin trapped in small pockets of the skin.

Image via Imaxtree

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You've probably had at least one milia in your lifetime. And, you probably didn't even know what they were -- just some random small white bumps on your skin. Most commonly, milia show up under your eyes and on your face, and you can't remove milia on your own. We talked to top dermatologists and aestheticians to find out how to get rid of milia -- and how to prevent them from popping up in the first place.

products mentioned

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