Any problem on your skin, even when it is tiny, can be a big mess that drives all of your attention. Milia is one of them. Many people seem to ignore them or take them for acne. If you do not take the proper treatment on time, the likelihood is that you have to waste tons of money later to get rid of milia.
Therefore, why don’t you spend a little time on going through our article to find out how to get rid of milia quickly and safely? But first of all, let’s get to know what is milia!
What Are Milia?
Milia are the milk spots which are yellowish or white bumps. They can occur in the area surrounding your eyes and other places such as your chest, forehead, cheeks, and nose. Milia are, in fact, the cysts which are filled with keratin.
Even though they are harmless, they can impair your appearance. This problem is more common in infants, but it does not mean people of other ages cannot be affected. According to a review, up to half of the babies experience milia during a month after their birth.
They can disappear on their own in couples of weeks for infants, but they might take longer in adults, sometimes for months.
What Causes Milia?
This problem happens due to the inability in removing the dead cells of the skin. As a result, they trigger clogged pores.
Several factors are responsible for this occurrence. You can check this list to recognize what is the real cause of your suffering:
- Products for skin care which are heavy and cause clogged pores
- Damage from the sun
- Injuries resulting in blisters
- Steroid creams for an extended period
How to Get Rid of Milia
Unlike other skin problems, milia do not cause you to experience pain or itching. However, milia can make you ugly. When suffering from milia, you lack confidence. There is no reason you have to suffer from them forever.
There are some possible natural home remedies to help you get rid of them quickly. Here are the top 22 most recommended tips on how to get rid of milia which can help you deal with your issue efficiently.
Facial Steam
Facial steam (so-called facial sauna) is effective in confronting with milia and wide pores since it gives you a helping hand in opening and dispelling dead skin cells and sebum.
Dip a clean towel in boiled water and squeeze the extra water. Put it on your face for several minutes and then take it away. Act like this twice or thrice per day in some consecutive weeks.
Or, steam your face for a quarter hour everyday until the issue improves. You can rub plant-extracted oil on your face after applying this method. It is a simple tip on how to get rid of milia.
Honey
As you can see, honey is reckoned as one of the optimal traditional medicines which can treat a number of ailments such as blackheads, cracked heels, freckles, sunburn, blemishes or pneumonia.
Honey assists you in fighting against milia because of its antioxidant and humectant agents (keep moist and impede dryness). It also can be mixed with other substance to create a facial scrub to remove your dead cells and decrease milia.
Stain honey on your entire face. Let it steep for some minutes and after that wash off. Act like this until your situation enhances.
Another option is to combine two tablespoons of honey and one tablespoon of jojoba oil. Rub this liquid on your face and rinse off after 15 to 20 minutes. Act like this twice or thrice per day when your face is better.
Sandalwood and Attar
It is proven as one of the excellent mixtures for how to get rid of milia. A paste of sandalwood and rose water gives you a helping hand in throwing away extra sebum and exfoliate dead skin cells and together with declining milia.
- Pour two tablespoons of sandalwood powder with enough attar to create a fine paste.
- Rub this solution evenly on your skin and let it rest for a quarter hour.
- Wash off your face again with clean water.
- Repeat in several weeks.
Pomegranate Peel Powder
Making use of dry pomegranate peel powder is another common tip on how to get rid of milia because of its antioxidant and exfoliating agents. Being abundant in vitamin C, it is also effective in caring your skin. Moreover, these ingredients will also aid in easing acne and blackheads.
- Dry several pomegranate peels until they are dark brown and brittle, and then mash them into a powder.
- Pour some lemon juice or attar into two tablespoons of the powder to create a paste.
- Gently apply it to your face. Let it rest for 15 to 20 minutes before washing off your face.
- Implement until your ailment improves.
Castor Oil
Castor oil owns wholesome healing and anti-swollen agents and also aids in preventing oil production, thereby treating a lot of skin issue including pimples and milia.
Simply rub one-half teaspoon of castor oil on your face and let it rest until it is entirely penetrated in the skin. Act like this in some continuous weeks.
Or you can mix the same amount of castor oil with olive oil and stain widespread your face.
Another choice is to pour some drops of castor oil into baking soda into a patch. Apply it to your infected face. Let it rest for some minutes and rinse off with clean water.
It is one of the cheap and natural methods on how to get rid of milia.
Sugar Scrub
Making use of a simple sugar scrub can enhance the effectiveness in how to get rid of milia because it removes the dead skin. Moreover, this formula consists of lemon juice and olive oil that help soften and brighten your skin.
- Get the juice a lemon and combine this liquid with two tablespoons of granulated sugar and one teaspoon of olive oil.
- Gently rub this solution onto your skin for several minutes.
- Let it rest for some minutes and wash off your face.
- Repeat in a lot of consecutive weeks.
Maize Powder And Vinegar
A mixture of maize powder and vinegar (apple cider vinegar is better) is another effective manner to say goodbye to whitehead-type milia. Cornmeal penetrates extra oil and vinegar which function as an astringent.
- Pour sufficient cornstarch to one teaspoon of vinegar to create a paste.
- Rub this solution on the infected area and let it rest for a half hour.
- Take away the mixture with a washcloth dipped in tepid water and then wash off your skin.
- Act like this until your milia disappear. In most cases, it points out positive consequence within several days.
Tea Tree Oil
Frequent application of tea tree oil enables to aid in drying up the tiny white milia bumps. In other words, it is one of the best tips on how to get rid of milia. Furthermore, it functions as a wholesome disinfectant for your skin.
It is necessary to wash off your face. And after that, rub some tea tree essential oil on the infected face one time per day, preferably at night before bedtime. Wash off your face when waking up. Repeat this home remedy until you get better results.
Don’t forget that besides treating milia, tea tree oil is also one of the most fantastic home remedies for molluscum contagiousm as well.
Aloe Vera
Aloe Vera owns easing, healing, anti-swollen and antioxidant agents that give you a helping hand when you want to know how to get rid of milia. It also aids in widening the skin’s pores.
With the excellent properties, it can treat a lot of ailments such as dry scalp, acne, mosquito bites and ringworm.
Rub the infected skin with organic succulent gel extracted from an Aloe Vera leaf. Let it rest and rinse off your face when waking up. Act like this every day when you feel better.
Another option is to mix Aloe Vera gel with green tea powder into a patch. Put it on your face. Remove it in the next morning. This way can push up the healing process.
Banana Peel
Perhaps, few people think that the banana peel can be applied as the treatment for how to get rid of milia. Simply rub the banana peel on pimples. Act like this in a long time until your matter improves.
Garlic
With the anti-swollen and antioxidant agents, you can make use of this ingredient to curb milia around your eyes. Garlic has an unpleasant smell, so it might not be a favorite tip on how to get rid of milia.
How to apply:
- Slice a cove.
- Put it on your infected areas.
- Let it rest for some hours.
- Rinse off again with clean water.
Bitter Melon
Besides being a delicious and nutrient dish, it can be used to treat pimples as well. Wash off two bitter melons. Cut it into a lot of pieces. Rub it around your infected skin. You can see improvement immediately. It is one of the most effective tips on how to get rid of milia.
Lemon Juice
Lemon essential oil can help remove mucus from the skin, fight infection and has antiseptic and astringent agents which should be used to treat skin problems such as warts, vitiligo, acne.
To treat pimples, you can use one drop of lemon essential oil to apply directly to pure skin acne. Performing regular will give good results. You can make use of this fruit to treat blackheads.
Fenugreek Leaves
Fenugreek leaves are widely applied in Ayurveda as a beautification method to throw away acne-related ailments. This ingredient owns antiseptic, anti-swollen and antioxidant agents.
- Mash several fresh fenugreek leaves together with some water.
- Put the paste on your face.
- Let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes and then rinse off your face.
- Act like this until your disease improves.
Tomato
Another simple, but underrated tip on how to get rid of milia is the tomato. We see it every day, but we do not know how dominant it is when it comes to the treatment of many skin problems.
Most positive effects of tomato come from its richness of vitamin C. This vitamin plays a vital role in the eradication of dead skin cells. Furthermore, it contributes to making our skin glow. Thus, why don’t you get your tomato and start the treatment immediately?
How to apply:
- Prepare a fresh and clean tomato
- Cut it into slices
- You can add some sugar to the slices
- Apply the slice to your skin where milia appear
- Keep the juice on your skin for some minutes
- Then, use water to cleanse your skin
- Pat it dry
Do not forget to apply this remedy several times per day and remember to be patient. The improvements would come within 1 month.
Cinnamon
With the anti-inflammatory nature, cinnamon is super suitable for those who are looking for how to get rid of milia or any other skin problem. Even though it is safe for all types of skin, you should be cautious if you have sensitive skin.
There have been cases in which people with highly sensitive skin encounter the irritation after using cinnamon. Therefore, you should try it on a small skin area first.
How to apply:
- Mix cinnamon powder (half a tablespoon), baking soda (1 tablespoon), and fresh lemon juice
- Get the paste to your skin
- Wait until it becomes entirely dry
- Use lukewarm water to rinse your skin
The recommendation is to use cinnamon up to twice on a weekly basis.
Almonds
Almond has many fantastic effects on our skin because of its vitamin E. It is handy for keeping your skin healthy and glow. Besides, almond can allow your skin to eliminate dead skin cells quickly as well as other impurities that possibly cause skin pores.
How to apply:
- Start with blending your almonds into the powder
- Then, mix it with oatmeal and water
- Apply this paste to your skin
- 15 minutes later, take water to cleanse your skin
You can repeat this method a few times on a daily basis to get the best result.
Potato
An incredible alternative to tomato is potato, which seems to exist in any kitchen or market around you. It is one of the best tips on how to get rid of milia since it contains much starch. If you have had no idea of its benefits, it is necessary to know that potato provides a lot of nutrients to nourish our skin.
Thus, with potatoes, you are not only treating milia but also improving your skin condition significantly.
How to apply:
- Get the fresh juice by blending a potato
- Then, dip a cotton ball into the juice and apply it to your skin
- Let it stay dry naturally
- Repeat a few times per day
Yogurt
In addition to being an excellent source of probiotics, yogurt can make it one of the most significant tips on how to get rid of milia. Thanks to its lactic acid, your skin can find it easier to remove dead cells and heal quickly.
Moreover, yogurt provides moisture for our skin to stay healthy all the time. For long, people have taken advantage of it to nurture their skin.
How to apply:
- Mix yogurt (3 tablespoons), oatmeal (2 tablespoons), olive oil, and fresh lemon juice (1 tablespoon for each)
- Apply the paste to your skin
- After 5-10 minutes, use cold water to rinse it off
- Then, pat your skin dry
- Apply the remedy a few times per day if you want to accelerate the treatment
Cloves
Cloves are useful to dissolve the keratin. Thus, it is one of the essential tips on how to get rid of milia you need to know. Nevertheless, this remedy is not suitable for those who have milia near their eyes.
How to apply:
- Blend water and some cloves
- Rub the paste to your skin
- Wait until it is naturally dry
- Take water to cleanse your skin
Milk
Another critical tip on how to get rid of milia is milk. Since ancient times, people have been aware of the benefits of milk on our skin. It helps to eliminate impurities and cleanse our skin pores. Moreover, milk has excellent effects on the release of oils on our skin.
How to apply:
- Mix milk (2 tablespoons), salt, and lemon juice (1 tablespoon for each)
- Apply the mixture to your skin
- After 15 minutes, get water to cleanse your skin
You can apply milk to address milia several times per day.
Tea Bags
Tea bags which you usually throw away after drinking can become one of the most significant tips on how to get rid of milia. Its astringent qualities help to soothe your skin quickly.
How to apply:
- After dipping the tea bag into the water, take it out and remove its contents
- Then, apply the contents to your skin
- After several minutes, use water to cleanse the skin
- Apply it twice per week
With the help of the optima substances in your kitchen, you can treat your ailments easily. Try to mix some tips on how to get rid of milia to get better results.
What to Avoid
Learning how to get rid of milia also means that you have to know what NOT to do. Otherwise, all of your efforts will turn into nothing.
- Poke, touch, or remove milia
Like any skin problem, milia require specific treatments. You never should touch them with your bare hands which contain many bacteria and dirt without your recognition. As a consequence, you might make it worse.
For babies who are just below 6 months old, it is better to do nothing. You should not respond to their bumps on your own. It is necessary for calling a pediatrician for help.
- Alcohol, spicy foods, and caffeine
These foods have adverse effects on the skin, even when you do not suffer from milia. Therefore, during the time you have the milia treatment, you need to stay away from all of them as much as you can.
- Vitamin D supplements
Even though vitamin D is beneficial for our health in normal situations, people with milia should not consume it.
When to See A Doctor
As mentioned above, milia can disappear even when you do nothing. Nevertheless, in many circumstances, it is essential for your intervention. If you have applied several tips on how to get rid of milia but seen no improvements, it is high time for you to seek medical attention.
You had better start with talking to your dermatologist. He or she might ask you some questions about the frequency and severity of the problem. You can prepare this information before the appointment to make everything quick.
Then, the dermatologist is likely to give you some possible treatments, such as:
Chemical peel
A chemical peel can be recommended to help you get rid of milia quickly. You have to work closely with your dermatologist to figure out how aggressive the peel should be. Do not worry! You will not feel pain because it does not hurt.
Besides, after peeling, you might have irritation or redness on your skin, but it only lasts for several days. It is necessary to follow some specific instructions after the peel to keep your skin safe and healthy.
Extractions
This method means that your doctor gets a special tool to make your skin unclogged. No pain is recorded during this period. However, you may feel some pressure.
Another treatment is laser ablation. It has the same effects as extractions. But in this case, doctors will use a laser beam. After this treatment, you have to follow what your doctor recommends strictly.
Supplements
If you are reluctant to experience any kind of extraction or peeling, you can consider some supplements recommended by professional experts. They are essential nutrients which your body needs to enhance various systems.
- Niacin
Niacin, or you might know it as vitamin B3, plays an essential role in many systems of our body. One of its significant roles is to maintain healthy skin. Therefore, if you get more niacin, you can defeat milia quickly.
The suggestion is to start with a small dose every day. Do not overuse this supplement because over 1500 mg per day can lead to liver complications.
Besides, pure niacin supplements are the best option because they have fewer additives and toxins.
- Biotin
The next vitamin you need is biotin, or vitamin H. Typically, you get it from your diet. However, when your body needs a large amount to maintain some systems, the supplement is an excellent idea.
You should start asking your doctor for advice before trying anything. Biotin has positive impacts on our skin health, so you can get rid of milia quickly. Nevertheless, you should not have too high expectations because there has been no research to confirm its efficiency.
- CoQ10
Even though no research proves the association between milia and CoQ10, it is not harmful to use it. So, you can hope that CoQ10 would work for your case. It helps to eliminate oils from your body and therefore, block the pores as well as remove dead skin cells.
Natural sources of CoQ10 are fish and meat if you do not like the supplement.
How to Prevent Milia
In some lucky cases, milia can go away on their own and you do not have to worry about how to get rid of milia anymore. However, you might lose your attention and then, milia come back and attack you severely.
It is true that there is nothing to guarantee you never encounter it again. So, why don’t you learn how to prevent milia, instead of wasting too much time and money on its treatment?
Skin care
- Limit sun exposure
One of the most harmful factors that make you suffer from milia is the sun. When you have a sunburn, it can speed up the spread of your problem or extend the period of your suffering. Therefore, one of the keys to the milia-free skin is to stay away from the sun.
How can you do that?
The suggestion is to stay away from the direct sunlight. When you have to go out, you need a hat which helps to shade the face.
Besides, an oil-free sunblock is a perfect option to take care of your face when you go out. Remember to choose the sunblock carefully. Keep all oily and heavy products far away because they only worsen your condition.
- Stay away from heavy skin products
Some people choose to use makeup as a cover to hide their problem which is milia. Nevertheless, it is only a temporary method and even worse, it keeps milia longer on your skin. Your face gets more dirt, which makes it super challenging to get rid of milia.
- Take good care of your skin every day
Skincare should be an indispensable part of your daily routine. It is hard to say when milia come, but you can minimize the risk.
It is also an excellent idea to exfoliate your skin gently, which helps to remove irritants. However, it is unnecessary to exfoliate on a daily basis. Otherwise, your skin can be irritated. The best frequency is about once per week.
Diet
The skin should have enough nutrients from the inside as well. In other words, your diet should provide a variety of nutrients to keep the skin healthy.
One of the best choices is green tea which is a contributor to unblocking pores. Also, it helps to remove toxins and milia. You should consume green tea twice per day so that you witness the same improvement as other tips on how to get rid of milia.
Besides, water plays a vital role in eliminating toxins, so make sure that you supply enough water on a daily basis.
Fruits and vegetables are always the ultimate food to cure your skin, so you can increase the consumption. On the other hand, junk food should disappear from your diet.
Conclusion
In general, milia are not a complicated problem. You only need to know some simple tips on how to get rid of milia and you will succeed in addressing it. It is more essential to understand how to prevent it so that you can protect yourself and your family from this problem.
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