Could the small bumps on my skin be a case of milia?

I have always had a smooth, problem-free skin. In the last eight months I have been getting very small “bumps” on my forehead. They do not look like pimples, nor do they turn into them. When the light falls on my skin from the side, it is noticeable and obviously I feel them to the touch. Blushingly, I have to admit I have forced one open and a small “ball” that was very hard came out. Why am I getting this and how do I fix it?

how to get rid of milia

Our skincare expert, Dr Maureen Allem from Skin, Body & Health Renewal, responds:

“It sounds to me like you are possibly describing “milia,” but I would have to take a look at you to be sure. This can be caused by a number of reasons. The most common causes are, excessively dehydrated skin, that has a poor cell turn-over time. In other words, your skin is not shedding fast enough and this causes these blockages to be trapped deeper in the skin resulting in these little “stuck plugs,” if you will. Three things you need to do: 1) Get a good enzymatic exfoliator that you can use at home twice a week (something like Lamelle’s Cathepzyme); 2) Get a very good hydrating serum for your skin to start getting the moisture balance sorted out (Lamelle makes a great one called HA Plus); 3) Get a good facial sunblock to wear over your serum every day, this will protect you from further damage and prevent more moisture loss (something like Helio Care). For more info on product options or to find any of these, please have a look on www.skinrenewal.co.za.”

Do you have a skincare question for Dr Allem? You can ask her here.

Other articles you may be interested in:
How to: combat dehydrated winter skin
Can facial scrubs make my blemishes worse?
Super serums
Fantastic face oils
The lowdown on broken capillaries and rosacea

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Pinterest
WhatsApp

2 Responses

  1. I have these once in a while, but it’s usually like a little ball of fat and it’s really hard to get rid of. If you can open the skin a bit (I always use clean hands and a sterilised needle to gently lift the top layer of skin) , it will dry out and next time you feel tempted to scratch, it just pops out. I heard that it’s supposed to be fatty deposits as a result of high cholesterol. I’ve noticed that since I have my cholesterol under control, I get these very rarely (if ever) now.

  2. I think I have this. I have it like almost all over my face. It comes and goes. The most annoying place to have it is next my nose on my cheeks.
    I will look into those Lamelle products. Thanks for the tips

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

RELATED POSTS
Clicks Beauty Fair: Step up your makeup game with Smudge and @SaylaDean

Clicks Beauty Fair: Step up your makeup game with Smudge and @SaylaDean

Sayla Dean shows us how to create the "Sugar Plum" look using Smudge beauty products.
Win a Smudge makeup hamper

Win a Smudge makeup hamper

Win all the Smudge makeup used to create Sayla Dean's look.
The new Reebok Sensation Body Mists are here to awaken your senses

The new Reebok Sensation Body Mists are here to awaken your senses

New Reebok Sensation Body Mists offer a moment of wellness with every spritz.

Subscribe to our newsletter

Latest on Instagram