Milia: Causes and Treatments

Milia or milk spots, caused by blocked sweat ducts.

Appearance
They are small bumps, about 1 – 3 millimeters in size, white, and slightly hard. Common locations are around the eyes, cheekbones, and nose.

Causes
They are often caused by skin irritation, such as after wound healing or skin rubbing. Therefore, patients who touch or wipe their faces vigorously, or allergy patients who frequently rub their eyes, often develop milia.

Treatment
Treatment is performedacne treatmenteasily by opening the comedone and extracting it. Opening the comedone can be done using a needle to prick the skin, but this may cause more bruising and scarring compared to using a Carbon Dioxide (CO2) laser. The laser creates a smaller wound and helps stop bleeding, making it a less painful method that leaves fewer marks. Furthermore, small milia cannot be manually extracted, so the laser plays a crucial role in treating small lesions.

Article by
Dr. Nititham Rattakasikorn