What are the white dots that appear on the skin? Meet the milium –

They appear “out of nowhere”. When you realize it, your skin is full of white dots under your eyes that look like pimples, but they are not – after all, they never burst, do not become inflamed or painful. In babies, these balls also appear frequently and are usually defined as “corns”, small lumps that are enough to stay. Interestingly, the popular name is not too far removed from the official name for this skin condition: milium.

WHAT IS A MILLIUM?

Also called sebaceous milium or milia, it is characterized by small cysts (up to 3 mm) in the form of white or slightly yellowish balls that appear on the surface of the skin.

“They are formed by keratin, which is the substance that makes up the surface of the epidermis”, explains the dermatologist Alessandro Alarcão, holder of the Brazilian Society of Dermatology (SBD) and effective member and advisor of the Brazilian Society of Dermatological Surgery (SBCD). “They can be confused with acne, because they are small cysts with keratin protein.”

Cysts form when clumps of dead cells get trapped under the skin, forming these hardened balls.

“They tend to appear in various regions of the face, the milium being more common in the eye, nose and cheeks – in this case, mainly in newborn children -, but they can develop anywhere on the body”, says the doctor.

The sebaceous milium, therefore, can be primary, when it appears on the skin of newborns, or secondary, when it appears in adults. In the first case, the most affected region is usually the nose. In the second, it can appear anywhere on the body and also after trauma and associated with other skin diseases.

WHY DO THESE WHITE POLLS FORM?

“The milium is the result of the proliferation of epidermis cells within the dermis, which is the deepest layer of the skin, which can happen due to a genetic tendency or the local healing process”, explains the dermatologist.

For example, a dermabrasion treatment, when the skin is sanded and abraded, can trigger a process of milium formation, as well as a laser treatment.

“This phenomenon can occur due to some reasons, especially diseases, such as after trauma, and even skin diseases, such as bullous lichen planus, porphyria cutanea tarda, or after burns.”

But, as you can imagine, it is not just external or pathological factors that stimulate the appearance of milium. people with oily skinPeople with a greater tendency to oiliness or who use obstructive products (such as oily ointments and creams) can also develop them.

HOW TO REMOVE THE WHITE POLLS FROM THE SKIN?

The good news is that just as they appeared, these white dots can disappear from the face spontaneously. They can also be surgically removed, in a simple procedure done with a very delicate needle.

“If it is more superficial, it can be removed with chemical peelings, through the use of retinoic acid, diamond peeling or crystal peeling, with exfoliating creams and deep skin cleaning”, lists Dr. Alexander.

HOW TO AVOID THE APPEARANCE OF THESE COOKIES?

It is common for skin conditions to be treated the same way every time. However, unlike carnation, which is formed by the sebum of the skin, the milium is formed by keratin – which means that its mode of prevention is different.

“Whoever has a predisposition to the appearance of milium, the use of retinoic acid and adapalene or frequent exfoliation of the skin is indicated”, he advises. “In this way, the ideal is to avoid obstructive and oily products in the skincare routine, use of topical corticosteroids, sun exposure and maintain a daily skin cleaning routine.”

Oh, it’s worth remembering that this is not a health-threatening condition and that these lumps are more an indication of skin impurities and oiliness than anything else. They can and usually are removed just for aesthetic reasons.