Ask The Beauty Editor: ‘Why Do I Keep Getting Milia?’

Dear Beauty Editor,

Why do I keep getting milia? And how can I treat it?

From,

Eye-Can-Hardly-Cope

Dear Eye-Can-Hardly-Cope,

Milia (or milk spots) are often mistaken for whiteheads, when in reality these little bumps are keratin-filled cysts which form just under the skin’s surface.

This skin condition can affect people of all ages, although in adults its most common cause is dead skin building up and becoming trapped in pores near the skin’s surface. If it isn’t cleared naturally, it can develop into a small cyst — aka primary milia.

However, when it comes to the delicate under-eye area, primary milia can crop up when skincare doesn’t absorb into skin properly. The needs of the eye area differ greatly to the rest of the skin on your face, as it doesn’t contain oil glands to keep skin moist and has limited blood supply, making it extra important to shop for a specialised eye cream.

Secondary milia is the result of something clogging the skin’s sweat ducts — like skin infections, invasive treatments, or lifestyle factors like a lack of sleep, poor personal hygiene, long-term steroid use or using an excessive amount of oil-based beauty products.

Consider booking in with your skin therapist for a professional extraction (which sometimes calls for a comedone extractor, lancing tool or needle to free the milia and wiggle it out of skin).

As with any skin condition, prevention is key — so remember to always cleanse skin thoroughly in the evenings, side-step oily eye makeup removers or too-rich eye creams, exfoliate regularly, try a retinol-based eye cream and try not to over-indulge in cholesterol-rich foods like meat and eggs — all of which can cause milia.

Love,

Ashleigh