Milia are very small, raised, pearly-white or yellowish bumps on the skin. Milia are very common in newborn babies but can affect people of any age. In babies, milia clear by themselves and no treatment is needed. In other people, they may take longer to clear. In persistent cases, treatment may be suggested.
A milium is a small, raised bump on the skin. It is a type of tiny skin cyst filled with a protein called keratin.
Many are usually found together and so they are called milia (the plural of milium).
What Does Milia Look Like?
Milia are usually each about 1 or 2 millimeters across and are pearly-white or yellowish.
They are most often seen on the skin around the cheeks, nose, eyes and eyelids, forehead and chest but they can occur anywhere on the body.
What Are The Types Of Milia And What Causes Them?
The different types of milia are as follows:
- Neonatal milia. These are milia that are seen in young babies soon after they are born. They are very common and are usually found around the nose area but may also occur on the scalp, cheeks, upper body and inside the mouth. They are thought to arise from sweat glands that aren’t fully developed or mature. Around half of all babies develop neonatal milia. Because they are so common, they are actually considered as normal in newborn babies.
- Primary milia. These are milia that can occur in both children and adults.
- Secondary milia. These are milia that develop in an area of skin, anywhere on the body, that has previously been damaged or injured. For example, after a burn or a blistering rash. The milia develop as the skin heals and it is thought that damage to the sweat glands may be an underlying cause.
- Milia en plaque. Milia of this type are extremely rare. The milia develop on an inflamed, raised patch of skin known as a plaque which may be several centimetres across. The cause for milia en plaque is not fully understood. It usually occurs behind the ears, on an eyelid, or on the cheeks or jaw area. This type of milia tends to particularly affect middle-aged women.
- Multiple eruptive milia. The milia appear in crops, or patches of milia that develop over a period of weeks or months. The crops usually appear on the face, the upper arms and the upper trunk. Milia of this type are also extremely rare.
Do milia cause any symptoms?
Milia do not usually cause any symptoms but, in some people, they can become itchy.
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