A milium (single for milia) is a small superficial cyst formed in the top layer of the skin called the epidermis. Milia appear as tiny, pearly-white bumps just under the surface of the skin and contain keratin (skin protein). They are often seen on the face, in particular on the delicate skin around the eyes. While milia are harmless, they can be prevented or minimized with exfoliation techniques like chemical peels, microdermabrasion or topical retinoids. However, they are sometimes difficult to remove without a physician’s help, since they cannot simply be squeezed out. Often, the surface of the skin has to be pierced first with a lancet, a sharp pointed blade, or a needle, in order to open the milium, which can then be removed with a comedone extractor.
Up Next in Bedtime Blackheads
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Just Two Nice Blackhead Extractions
Blackheads are something we are all familiar with, but did you know they are also called open comedones? Blackheads are usually caused by a pore that gets clogged with keratin (skin protein) and sebum (oil). Given the black color many believe these spots are clogged with dirt, but really it’s the...
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Removing a Whitehead from the Conjunc...
A whitehead or a closed comedo (single for comedone), unlike a blackhead, is a completely blocked pore. Similar to a blackhead, keratin (skin protein) and sebum (oil) combine to block the pores. Whiteheads can be extracted using a comedone extractor as you see in most of my videos, but often, a s...
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Back Blackhead Extractions after Mohs...
Mohs micrographic skin cancer surgery is a specialized technique designed to remove skin cancers, most commonly basal cell carcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas. This technique aims to remove as little normal tissue as possible with the lowest rate of recurrence. We most commonly use this techn...
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