What is milia?

Milia are small white or yellowish raised bumps or spots on the skin normally found around the eye area and cheeks, but can appear anywhere on the face or body. It is very common to have several milia appear in clusters, and they are very common in newborn babies often being referred to as, ‘milk spots’. Unlike a pimple or spot, they feel quite hard, almost like a small piece of grit under the skin, and do not have any redness or inflammation as you might expect with white heads or acne related spots. They generally form where there has been a build-up of a protein called keratin under the skin, a harmless substance which is a component of our skin, hair and nails. The exact reason as to why this build-up of keratin occurs is unknown but this condition is more common as we age due to the slowing of our skin cell turnover.

There are many types of milia but the causes of them aren’t always clear.

Nenoatal or ‘milk spots’ are milia found on newborn babies. It is thought they are caused by sweat glands that haven’t fully developed yet.

Primary can appear on children or adults. They can disappear without treatment but they tend to last longer in adults and can often be permanent.

Secondary, these occur in areas after injury or trauma. It is thought that this is due to damage caused to the sweat glands in that area. These can also be a result of using certain types of creams.

Milia en plaque, this is a rarer type of milia that develops on a raised and inflamed patch of skin called a ‘plaque’.

Multiple eruptive, another rare type of milia where clusters of appear over the course of a few weeks or months. This type, most commonly appears on the face, upper arms and upper half of the torso.

Milia treatment options

At Neue Skin Clinic, we have numerous treatment solutions to help remove milia safely and effectively with minimal risk of scarring. Treatments are delivered by our therapists who have vast experience within in the aesthetics industry so you can feel confident you are in some of the best hands around and you will achieve your desired results. We have treatments suitable for both the face and body, and options to treat all skin types and tones.