Beware! Bumpy skin ahead. Bumpy skin, now what’s that? It is milia; more commonly known as ‘milk spots’. Although the name is cute, there is nothing cute about having milia all over your face. Do you have hard, white bumps under your skin that refuse to budge? Yes, you even try to squeeze it, but these spots are stubborn. This just proves that something as tiny as these could rattle someone so much, especially because they can appear anywhere under the skin. So, how do you get rid of milia under eyes or anywhere else for that matter? For treating it, the first thing to do is identify them, as these are often confused to be skin tags or acne clusters. Ugly spots ruining your beauty? Well, don’t worry, the best treatment for milia is available, and you can stop them from appearing on your face. You can get rid of them, but first, you have to know what milia is.
So, are they whiteheads? No, these white bumps, not-a-sight-for-sore-eyes are not whiteheads, though, to the naked eye, they may appear like so. They are cysts or bumps on the surface of the skin and are more like clusters of dead skin. You have milia because keratin gets trapped underneath the surface of the skin. Keratin is a strong protein and you will find it in hair, nails and skin tissues. They aren’t even acne so why should you treat it that way?
So, why do you have milia? If you want to get rid of milia under eyes, you will have to know the reason, and there is not one but many reasons; it may be because of the usage of heavy creams. The under eye area is more sensitive than the other areas of the face and you should not rub it vigorously.
If you have milia on the nose or other areas of the body, the reason may be because of sun exposure. Steer clear of chemically-ridden products as it may result in the formation of milia.
Enough with the causes now, let’s get down to business and find out more about the remedies. You kind of feel exasperated at the thought of not being able to treat it as you would treat it like any other skin issue. No, don’t squeeze it, just stay with us and we will tell you some home remedies and the best way to get rid of milia.
The four-step process that your skin just loves. Cleansing, exfoliation, toning, and moisturizing. Some of us tend to ignore the exfoliation part, but there are numerous benefits to exfoliating your skin and that includes reducing hyperpigmentation, minimizing blemishes and scars caused by acne. As milia results from entrapment of skin cells, exfoliation can reduce the possibility of them springing up on your skin. Once you start exfoliating properly, it softens the skin’s texture and helps the moisturizer to seep in.
Steaming opens up your pores and helps remove the irritants that may block your pores. You can take a steam bath, sit in your bathroom while you keep the shower running and keep it on a hot setting. The room will soon fill up with hot steam. 5-8 minutes is enough, this will open up your pores and dislodge some of the irritants that get trapped under the skin. Once you are done, wash away to remove the irritants and step out with your skin renewed and revived.
The antimicrobial quality in Manuka honey helps reduce inflammation. Bacteria is the chief cause of inflammation (the reason why you have milia), and Manuka honey helps get rid of milia. Let’s find out how.
You can shop for Manuka honey either at supermarkets, health food stores or online. It has many healing benefits that you may not find in commercial honey. Honey with cinnamon is a potent combination and prevents bacteria formation that causes acne. Milia isn’t acne, but the anti-bacterial effect of the pack works great in combating the skin condition. It’s one of the more effective milia acne treatment.
How to apply the milia honey mask?
Blend 3 or 4 tbsp. of Manuka honey with 1 tbsp. of cinnamon. Warm this mixture for about 30 seconds in a microwave. Apply this mixture on your face and let it stay for 10 minutes before you wash your face with lots of water.
Rose water is love! Especially in the summers, I need regular and generous doses of my rose water spritz to freshen me up. But what about milia? You can treat milia effectively when you combine sandalwood and rose water to get rid of the excess oil and also remove dead skin cells that cause the condition. Stay put, we’ll tell you how to combine the two potent ingredients and combat the milk spots.
Blend two tablespoons of sandalwood powder with an adequate amount of rose water to make a smooth paste. Apply this paste on your skin and leave it for 15 minutes. Wash off with cool water. Continue with this treatment for a few weeks.
Another popular treatment is using roasted pomegranate peel powder. It has antioxidant and exfoliating properties. It is rich in vitamin C and terrific for your skin. It helps soothe acne and pimples.
You can roast some pomegranate peels till they turn dark brown and brittle, and grind them into a powder. Make a paste out of lemon juice or rose water and two tablespoons of the powder. Rub it on your face and let it for 15 to 20 minutes and rinse off. Follow it up for a few weeks till the condition disappears.
Castor oil has immense healing and antibacterial properties and minimizes the sebum production. Once the sebum reduces, problems such as acne and milia bid you a permanent goodbye.
Apply one-half teaspoon of castor oil on your face and wait till it completely absorbs in the skin. Continue for several months.
You can also use a mixture of equal parts of castor oil and olive oil in the same way.
You can try another combination which works as well! Just one teaspoon of castor oil and enough baking soda; apply it on the affected area. Leave it on for a couple of hours and then wash it off. Continue with this treatment for two weeks to get fantastic results.
The Tea tree oil remedy is regarded as one of the best permanent milia treatments. If you stick to a routine and apply it regularly, those tiny white milia bumps will soon make a disappearing act. As an added advantage it also disinfects your skin.
Try this at your home, clean your face thoroughly and apply a little tea tree essential oil on the spots at least once every night, before you hit the sack. Wash your face first thing in the morning and continue with this treatment till you see results.
Aloe vera is a miracle plant and has immense healing properties as it is anti-inflammatory in nature, it also has antioxidant properties, soothes and heals and is an ideal milia skin disease treatment.
Extract fresh juicy pulp from the aloe plant and apply it on the affected area. Let the gel stay on your skin all night. Wash it first thing in the morning. Continue with this treatment until you see the back of this skin condition. It shows results in a few days.
Combine equal parts of aloe vera gel and green tea. Let the mixture stay for 15 minutes and then wash it off. It helps fade dark circles and is helpful to get rid of milia around eyes.
Is your beauty regime just right for the treatment of milia? You know, the kind of products you are using all play a big impact on this condition. Stay tuned to find out what should your ideal beauty regime look like, especially when you want to combat a stubborn skin condition such as milia.
If milia are centering around your under-eye area, blame it on your skincare products. Do not use thick and heavy creams on the delicate areas of skin, as it traps the dead skin cells and leads to the formation of milia. Take a good look at your beauty arsenal and eliminate and add a few, if necessary.
Retinol, a vitamin A derivative, is great in helping in the process of cellular turnover. The equation is simple; fewer layers of dead skin means fewer obstructions, which means less of white bumps, which means a blemish-free skin texture. Try the gentle variations of this skin cream.
Sterile needle to your rescue? It sounds scary but it is one of the better treatments available for treating this condition. This treatment involves in the creation of an incision in your skin and then a careful extraction process. But yes this treatment comes with the tagline, do not try this at home! And especially, not without consulting a professional first. You don’t want to be scarred forever, do you?
One of the chief reasons you have milia is because of overexposure to the sun. If you are on a quest to get flawless skin, ensure that you have your weapon-ready, in this case, a versatile sun-block cream!
If a sun-block with higher SPF isn’t on the cards for you, it’s time you changed track. Repeat after me, “I hereby declare I won’t forget to apply sunscreen cream in the morning, even if it is winter!” What, in the winter too? Well, the winter sun may still prove to be harsh to your skin, even more, when you are using more peels or exfoliators containing acids. It makes your skin sensitive and more vulnerable to the sultry sun rays.
Not a fan of sun-screen creams? Not me either, but I go for the gel versions great for oily skin and don’t make me look like a caked-up version of me.
Scrubbing your way to glory? Too much of scrubbing may have the opposite effect on your skin. Instead of scrubbing yourself raw, try superficial peels that contain AHAs and BHAs, which have skin-friendly acids such as glycolic and salicylic acid. They do your work without having to put your skin through sheer torture; gentle chemical exfoliation is all they provide. So, it works this way, it removes the exterior layer of the skin, ensuring that your skin feels ‘squeaky clean’. Okay, many of you may be skeptical of sitting on the chair and being ‘lasered’ by a strange looking instrument. Scary thought, huh? Don’t you worry, there is help at hand, in the form of peels available at your nearby store. These at-home peels clean up good, and with a few applications, your skin starts looking more fresh and refined. Hello, bright and smooth skin!
Oooh, sounds complicated, doesn’t it? What even is that electrode thing? It is the final tool in your arsenal. If you have been there, done that, and are wondering what next, it is time to rehaul your beauty game. Professional treatment, with the tagline mission milia-zapping, should be your next mission.
It uses electricity, heats the skin and zaps the milia. Sounds scary AF, but it is not, trust your beauty professional and remove the permanent ‘I’m scared stiff” look off your face. It is also done under local anesthesia, so you won’t feel the brunt.
So, how do you get rid of milia under the eyes at home? The remedies are simple yet effective and if they still persist, you know what to do, make an appointment with a beauty professional. The treatments are effective and you will soon be able to flaunt milia-free gorgeous skin texture! So, no more trying in vain to hide white bumps with makeup. You will be able to go au naturale without a fear of attracting strong stares for the wrong reasons! Beautiful skin is finally stuff that reality is made of.
Manoja Kalakanti