Milia Removal

At Premier Laser & Skin Clinic, we use advanced electrolysis to treat suitable milia individually at our Liverpool Street Clinic.

Assessment Before Treatment

Your practitioner will examine the bumps, review your medical history and explain whether removal is appropriate. They will discuss the treatment, possible side effects, expected healing and the number of appointments you may need.

Bumps close to the eye or on the eyelid require particular care. Treatment suitability depends on their exact position and the practitioner’s assessment.

How Advanced Electrolysis Works

A fine sterile probe delivers carefully controlled electrical energy to the individual milium. The technique uses localised heat to treat the small cyst.

You may feel a brief sensation of heat or stinging. Your practitioner will explain what to expect and discuss comfort before starting.

What Happens Afterwards?

The treated area needs time to heal. Temporary redness, slight swelling or a small crust may develop. Allow any crust to come away naturally.

Some milia may need a further appointment, particularly if they are larger or there are several to treat. Removing existing milia does not prevent new ones from forming in future.

What Causes Milia?

Milia form when keratin, a protein found in the skin, becomes trapped beneath the surface and forms a tiny cyst.

Some develop without an obvious trigger. These are known as primary milia. Others, called secondary milia, can appear as the skin heals after a burn, blistering condition, injury or certain resurfacing procedures.

Certain topical medicines, including prolonged use of steroid creams, can sometimes be associated with milia. Tell your practitioner about any medication you use, but do not stop prescribed treatment without medical advice.

Milia can occur at different ages and are not simply a sign of ageing skin.

What Do Milia Look Like?

Milia usually appear as:

• Small white, cream or yellowish bumps, often around 1–2 mm across.
• Firm, rounded bumps just beneath the skin’s surface.
• Individual spots or small clusters.
• Bumps around the eyes, cheeks, nose or forehead.

They are usually painless and sit within otherwise normal-looking skin. Unlike inflamed acne, they do not typically develop into red, pus-filled spots.

Other skin conditions can look similar. A bump that becomes painful, bleeds, changes noticeably or affects the eyelid margin should be medically assessed before cosmetic removal.

Aftercare Following Milia Removal

Follow the individual aftercare instructions provided by your practitioner.

• Keep the area clean: cleanse and dry it gently as advised, and wash your hands before touching treated skin.
• Leave healing skin alone: do not squeeze, scratch or remove any small crusts.
• Use only recommended products: avoid scrubs, exfoliating acids and retinoids on the treated area until advised to restart them.
• Protect your skin from sunlight: avoid tanning and use broad-spectrum SPF 50 once the skin has healed sufficiently for application.
• Check when to resume your routine: follow advice about makeup, swimming, exercise, saunas and steam rooms.

Healing time varies with the number, size and location of the treated milia.