Milia are usually cleared off on their own with no further treatment needed in newborns, though they may persist for several weeks or months in adults and children. Your dermatologist might suggest implementing a skincare routine that reduces chances of further outbreaks – perhaps using gentle cleanser or exfoliation regularly as measures against developing more.
Causes
There are various things that can cause cysts, but they don’t usually result in long-term damage. Newborns and infants are most prone to developing milia, which will often resolve itself within several weeks or months without medical intervention. Milia are sometimes called baby acne but shouldn’t be confused with actual acne; for adults however, health care providers can remove unsightly milia for aesthetic purposes if necessary.
Milia are pearly white bumps that resemble pimples but without pus and inflammation, typically appearing on forehead, cheeks, trunk and limbs. Milia may also form in those suffering from certain medical conditions such as porphyria cutanea tarda or epidermolysis bullosa which are rare blistering diseases; burns, rashes dermabrasion and tattooing trauma as well as certain medications (tyrosine kinase inhibitors used for cancer treatments and strong corticosteroids among others).
Symptoms
Milialar are harmless skin lesions that do not itch or cause pain and do not spread to others. They typically form in one area without spreading, appearing as small white or yellow bumps surrounded by red or inflamed skin. Newborn milia may go away on their own within weeks of life while those found on adults should see their doctor to have them removed.
Milia en plaque is an unusual form of milia that appears as multiple pimples on top of an elevated patch of skin, often as a result of an underlying medical condition such as an autoimmune disease or genetic skin disorder. It’s more likely to affect people living with these conditions than anyone else.
Treatment options include steaming the affected area, exfoliating, and using prescription or over-the-counter retinol products to speed cell turnover. A dermatologist may numb the affected area before using dermoscopic curettage tools to remove cysts through dermoscopic curettage; alternatively, liquid nitrogen may be used by doctors to freeze and destroy them.
Treatment
Milia may resolve themselves naturally over time; however, they can be professionally removed in a simple procedure by numbing the area and scooping out the contents with a needle or blade.
Chemical peels and microdermabrasion can also help treat Milia by exfoliating and rejuvenating the skin, leading to improvements in its appearance. Retinoid prescriptions like tretinoin can promote cell turnover and stop new milia from forming while minocycline may provide effective relief in cases relating to genetic skin conditions such as discoid lupus or lichen planus.
Squeezing or picking at milia is crucial, as this may cause them to rupture and lead to permanent scarring. Other ways of preventing their formation include using non-comedogenic skincare products, avoiding thick or occlusive creams, using sunscreen daily and exfoliating regularly.
Prevention
Once milia have developed, there’s no real way to prevent their return without first pinpointing their specific cause. You can lower their likelihood by following good skin hygiene practices such as exfoliation. In addition, avoid heavy creams and products which trap dead cells inside pores causing blockages that result in blocked pores.
Milia usually fade away on their own within several weeks or months; however, they can be removed if they become an issue. Your healthcare provider should be able to diagnose an outbreak based on visual inspection of the cysts; occasionally a skin lesion biopsy may be required in more extreme cases.
Squeezing milia cysts could damage or scar the skin. Instead, let a healthcare provider safely extract them using deroofing; where a sterile needle punctures and squeezes out their contents. Alternately cryotherapy uses liquid nitrogen to freeze off and extract them.