Milium

"Milia" redirects here. For other uses, see Milia (disambiguation).
For other uses, see Milium (disambiguation).
Milium
Other namesMilia
Milia on the eyelid of an adult
SpecialtyDermatology Edit this on Wikidata
Relative incidence of cutaneous cysts. Milia is labeled at bottom right.

A milium (pl.: milia), also called a milk spot or an oil seed,[1] is a clog of the eccrine sweat gland. It is a keratin-filled cyst that may appear just under the epidermis or on the roof of the mouth.[2][3] Milia are commonly associated with newborn babies, but may appear on people of any age.[4] They are usually found around the nose and eyes, and sometimes on the genitalia, often mistaken by those affected as warts or other sexually transmitted diseases. Milia can also be confused with stubborn whiteheads.

Causes

The human body gets rid of dead skin cells to make new cells. A milium is made when dead skin cells don't fall off the body and new skin cells grow on top, trapping the dead ones underneath.[5]

Potential causes that lead to development:[5]

  • Skin damage from any form of skin trauma
    • Burns, blisters, injuries
  • Longterm use of steroids or ointment creams
  • Autoimmune conditions- which in rare cases the body mistakenly attacks its own skin cells
  • Lifestyle factors, such as poor skincare, consistently using makeup that clogs the pores, lack of sleep
  • Other skin conditions (e.g. eczema, rosacea)

Types

There are six different types of milia discovered that are formed on the skin.[6]

  • Neonatal milia- occurs primarily on new born babies that can be found on the face, torso, and scalp[7]
  • Primary milia- this is the most common where it is shown in both children and adults found on the face.
  • Secondary milia- damage of the skin due to traumatic, disease, or medicated association (burns, rashes, blisters, sun exposure, or heavy cream/ointment) that form small cysts
  • Juvenile milia- formed from genetics and are inherited shown at birth or later on in life
  • Milia en plaque- predominantly shown in women. Is found to be rare and are shown in clumps and forms a raised patch of skin behind the ears, eyelid, cheek, and jaw.
  • Multiple eruptive milia- a rare condition where many milia appear over a few weeks or months found on the face, upper arms, and abdomen

Treatment

In children, milia often disappear within two to four weeks. For adults, they may be removed by a physician (a dermatologist has specialist knowledge in this area). A common method that a dermatologist uses to remove a milium is to nick the skin with a #11 surgical blade and then use a comedone extractor to press the cyst out.[8]

See also

References

  1. ^ "What to Know About Milia". WebMD.com. WebMD. 2022-04-22. Retrieved 2023-04-25. You may hear milia (one is a milium) referred to as milk spots or oil seeds.
  2. ^ "milium" at Dorland's Medical Dictionary
  3. ^ Freedberg, et al. (2003). Fitzpatrick's Dermatology in General Medicine. (6th ed.). McGraw-Hill. p. 780. ISBN 0-07-138076-0.
  4. ^ James, William D.; Berger, Timothy G.; et al. (2006). Andrews' Diseases of the Skin: Clinical Dermatology. Saunders Elsevier. p. 680. ISBN 0-7216-2921-0.
  5. ^ a b "Milia: What It Is, Why Does It Appear & How To Treat". VitalSkin Dermatology. Retrieved 2026-03-24.
  6. ^ "Milia (Milk Spots): Causes & Treatment". Cleveland Clinic. Archived from the original on 2025-11-16. Retrieved 2026-03-10.
  7. ^ B.Sc, Cashmere Lashkari (2017-01-10). "Milia in Babies". News-Medical. Retrieved 2026-03-10.
  8. ^ Burnett, Mark E.; Levitt, Jacob O. (2015). "Incision and Drainage (Abscesses, Acne, and Milia)". In Levitt, J.; Sobak, J. (eds.). Safety in Office-Based Dermatologic Surgery. Switzerland: Spring, Cham. pp. 119–128. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-13347-8_13.
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