MilIa Removal
How
What is Milia Removal?
Milia (the plural of ‘milium’) are small white or yellowish raised cysts, bumps or spots on the skin. They are normally found around the eye area and cheeks, but can appear anywhere on the face or body. Unlike a pimple or spot, milia 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 whiteheads or acne-related spots. It is very common to have several milia appear in clusters on the skin around the eyes, but it is possible to have just one milium at a time and they can occur on any part of the body, including the groin and genital area.
What causes milia?
Milia are caused by the build-up of keratin (a naturally occurring protein) beneath the surface of the skin. Some dermatologists suggest this could be due to damage to the sweat glands after skin trauma, or in the case of newborn babies, blocked sweat glands.
Cell turnover usually slows down as we get older, making mature skin more susceptible to recurring milia.
Milia are not contagious or harmful in any way, there is no known genetic link with milia and the condition is not thought to be hereditary, but some people may feel self-conscious about them, especially if they are on a visible area of the skin such as the face.
Milia can sometimes take a long time to disappear naturally, but can be professionally removed through a simple, minor procedure. There are a variety of treatment options to remove Milia depending on the type, location and number of Milia that need removing. The most common type of Milia Removal is carried out using a sterile needle.
Method
Milia removal methods
Needle extraction
Once the skin with milia has been cleaned, a sterile needle is used to create a tiny incision and the contents of the milia are carefully extracted.
CO2 laser
Milia is vaporised with the CO2 laser, no bleeding will result from this which is why the recovery time is very quick, just a few days with minimum risk involved. The timings of the removal vary from person to person, timings of the procedure will be confirmed with you at your consultation.
Immediately following your treatment, skin may appear a little red and swollen at the treatment site. This is perfectly normal and will subside after a few hours.
After advanced epilation treatments a very fine scab will form. Normally if the treatment is successful the blemish will simply come away from the skin. Do not pick or rub the scab but simply let it fall off. A few days afterwards the skin underneath may look a little pink and fresh, please repeat the treatment advice above. Skin will fully heal in 10-14 days.
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Milia are caused by the build-up of keratin (a naturally occurring protein) beneath the surface of the skin. Some dermatologists suggest this could be due to damage to the sweat glands after skin trauma, or in the case of newborn babies, blocked sweat glands.
- Avoid direct heat such as hot bath or showers, saunas and exposure to sunlight or sunbeds.
- Use a minimum of SPF 50+ when in the sun.
- Do not apply any other product to the treated area unless specifically advised to do so.
- Avoid touching the area unnecessarily.
- Avoid cleanser until the scabs are formed. Instead, use clean water to wash your face and pat dry the area, do not rub
- Apply a cooling gel such as Aloe Vera to the area quite liberally, this will keep the area cool and prevent infection.
