Milia on the skin - a signal of violations in the body

Small white cysts on the skin that resemble millet grains are known as whiteheads or milia. These non-inflamed nodules usually do not cause concern in patients, especially if they occur singly. But a dermatologist or cosmetologist should pay close attention to milia, since their appearance is explained by a violation of the regulation of sebum production and desquamation of the skin epithelium.

And these disorders are caused by a malfunction in the body (most often in the endocrine or nervous system) or   the functioning of the organs of the gastrointestinal tract. Milia are to be removed in a cosmetology clinic to avoid scarring of the skin and the development of inflammatory processes.

Milia are small superficial cysts that occur at the orifice of the vellus hair follicle. They usually appear in areas with thin skin – on the cheeks, on the eyelids, sometimes on the genitals, and they are called whiteheads for some external resemblance and predominantly affecting the T-zone.

Milia often occur during puberty, although it occurs even in infants, it is more common in women. These are very small (up to 3 mm) dense nodules that are not inflamed and do not cause pain.  They consist of sebum and keratin scales, this mass tightly clogs the duct of the sebaceous gland.

Signs of milia and the main causes of their appearance

Most often miliums are caused by a malfunction of the endocrine system, which changes the chemical composition of sebum, it becomes especially viscous and begins to clog the outlet ducts of the sebaceous glands. Among other reasons for the formation of milia, the following are distinguished:

• high androgen levels;
• oily seborrhea;
• dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system;
• disturbances in the work of the gastrointestinal tract;
• use of comedogenic cosmetics, improperly selected skin care products;
• power supply errors.

Whiteheads can form against the background of skin injuries, scars & nbsp; and inflammatory processes on the skin (for example, after dermabrasion or mechanical peeling), some skin diseases. They are found both in separate elements and in groups, they look like rounded dense nodules and do not have contact with the environment, therefore they do not become inflamed.

Diagnosis and treatment of whiteheads

Whiteheads are diagnosed quite easily by visual inspection by characteristic external signs, but they should be differentiated from fibroma, xanthelasma of the eyelids, fibrofolliculoma.

Treatment  consists in the fact that the milia is opened, the cyst capsule is removed along with the contents, the skin is treated with an antiseptic.

If whiteheads are located in multiple places, they are removed with a laser, as well as using the electrocoagulation method. It is not recommended to delete more than 10 items at a time. Skin healing after such removal can take about 2 weeks.

Ultrasonic or vacuum facial cleansing, peeling, microdermabrasion, as well as thorough home skin care using scrubs, moisturizers and cleansers selected for skin type will help prevent the appearance of new milia.