You notice them in the morning light: small, smooth bumps under your eyes or across your cheeks. They look like whiteheads, but they don’t fade with cleansers or creams. You can’t squeeze them. They simply sit there—quiet, firm, and unmoved by time or product.

These are milia (pronounced mill-EE-uh), and if you’ve ever felt frustrated by them, you’re not alone. They’re incredibly common—especially as we age—and though harmless, they can make us feel self-conscious about skin that has carried us through decades of laughter, tears, and life.

The good news? Milia aren’t a flaw. They’re a sign of skin doing its best with the tools it has. And with gentle, informed care, we can honor them without fear.

What Milia Really Are
Milia are tiny cysts—no bigger than a grain of sand—formed when keratin (a protein naturally found in skin, hair, and nails) gets trapped beneath the surface.

Think of it like this:
Healthy skin sheds dead cells daily. But sometimes—due to sun exposure, aging, or delicate skin—those cells get “stuck.” Over time, they harden into smooth, white beads just under the surface.

Key truths to hold gently:
✓ Milia are not acne. They have no pus, aren’t inflamed, and won’t respond to acne treatments.
✓ They’re not contagious or dangerous.
✓ They don’t itch, hurt, or spread on their own.
✓ They’re most common around the eyes and cheeks—where skin is thinnest and most tender.