What does milia look like?

What does milia look like on the face?

Look for small, pale bumps on the eyelids, under the eyes, cheeks, forehead or nose. Milia can appear in groups or clusters rather than as one isolated spot. They occur in children and adults, not just newborns. One bump is called a milium and several are called milia, because even tiny bumps have paperwork.12

Each bump is a small cyst containing keratin, a protein in skin. The pale material sits beneath the surface. Most milia are harmless, but their appearance is not always identical: a rare type forms several bumps within a raised, inflamed patch, and another produces crops of bumps over weeks to months.1

Are they milia or whiteheads?

Milia can resemble whiteheads, which makes the bathroom mirror a poor place to settle the diagnosis. Whiteheads are a type of acne; milia are not. Milia form when dead skin cells become trapped beneath new skin and harden into cysts. Their usual lack of pain or discomfort is a useful clue, not enough on its own to identify every white bump.2

Other cysts and skin growths can look similar. A clinician can usually recognise milia by examining the skin, although a skin biopsy, which means examining a small skin sample, is occasionally needed.12

What does milia look like in babies?

Newborn milia look like whitish, pearly bumps across the cheeks, nose and chin. The spots are usually smaller than 2 millimetres. Similar cysts can appear on the gums or roof of the mouth, where they can look like teeth coming through. These mouth cysts are called Epstein pearls and also disappear on their own.34

Rough clothing or sheets can irritate milia and cause mild redness around a bump while its centre stays white. Redness alone does not turn milia into acne. Baby acne is a separate condition that causes red bumps or pustules and typically appears about two weeks after birth; newborn milia are present at birth.23

How long do the bumps stay?

Newborn milia usually clear within a few weeks without treatment. In children and adults, milia can clear in a few weeks or persist for months or longer. Persistence alone does not mean a bump needs removing, but treatment is an option if confirmed milia bother you.13

What should you do about suspected milia?

• Do not squeeze, scrape or pick the bumps. Trying to remove milia yourself can cause infection or permanent scarring.
• Wash your face daily with warm water and gentle soap, then pat the skin dry.
• Do not use adult lotions or oils on a baby's skin.
• If you want milia removed, ask a healthcare professional. Office treatment can involve opening the cyst with a sterile needle or blade and removing its contents.

Arrange a medical review if the bumps worsen, are not improving after a few months, or you want help identifying or removing them. For a baby or child with a rash you are worried about or unsure how to manage, seek medical advice rather than assuming every small bump is milia.25