As an esthetician, you are accustomed to helping your clients achieve their dream look while improving their skin health. Along the way, you are sure to encounter and overcome a number of skin conditions hand-in-hand with your customers.
It’s rewarding work, especially when you see the transformation take place in their confidence and self-assurance as their skin improves.
Milia are often mistaken for whiteheads and can negatively affect your client’s perception of their appearance and their health. Thankfully, these small, hard, white bumps are not something to be overly concerned about, but you should understand them, their causes, and the potential treatment methods in order to best help your clients.
Key Takeaways
Milia may look like whiteheads, but they are something else entirely. Understanding what they are, what causes them, how to treat them, and how to educate your clients about them is key to your success as an esthetician.
What are Milia and What Should Estheticians Know About Them?
Before diving into the specifics of what causes milia and how to treat it, it’s important to understand what milia is and how it differs from other skin conditions like acne.
Simply put, milia (sometimes called milk spots) are cysts that form just beneath the surface of the skin. They can appear as small bumps that are white or yellowish in color. They are most often found on the face but can appear in other areas.
There are two main types of milia: primary and secondary. Primary milia occur without a clear cause, while secondary milia are a result of an obvious cause (burns, skin trauma, certain skin products, and so on).
How is Milia Different from Acne?
The whiteheads that form as a result of acne can be confused for milia (and vice versa). However, they are completely different, and knowing the difference between them is essential as an esthetician.
Acne forms in pores; milia does not. Acne often comes with inflammation and redness; milia does not. The treatment methods for acne and milia differ, as well, with acne typically needing treatment.
What Causes Milia?
Milia are cysts that form under the surface of the skin, and these cysts typically result from the body’s natural process of shedding dead skin cells. When those dead cells don’t fall away from the body, new skin can trap them beneath the surface. Eventually, the body turns those cells into cysts.
Because of this very normal bodily process, the exact causes of milia can vary significantly. However, some of the most common causes of milia include:
- Keratin build up beneath the surface of the skin.
- Excessive sun exposure that damages the skin.
- An injury that damages the skin (blisters, burns, rashes).
- Improper use of certain skincare products (including those with comedogenic ingredients).
- Genetic and age-related factors.
- A response of the autoimmune system.
How to Identify Milia
Because milia are easily confused for acne, people often turn to estheticians for help identifying them. This is where your expertise can start to shine and the process of helping your clients can begin.
You will want to perform a professional skin analysis where you can interact with your client, see the areas of their skin that they are concerned about, and discern whether what they are experiencing is milia or not.
Thankfully, tests are rarely necessary. Milia can be identified visually–typically on the cheeks, chin, and nose (though they also occur on the body). They do not cause discomfort or irritation.
If you are uncertain, try to rule out other skin conditions that may be similar to milia. Acne and sebaceous hyperplasia are common culprits to consider.
Treatment Options for Milia
Milia are not harmful, so they do not require treatment. In fact, they tend to resolve themselves given enough time.
However, some people dislike how they look and may want to take steps to remove them. In situations like these, there are some effective methods you can employ as an esthetician to treat milia.
- Manual and chemical exfoliation can be used to remove milia.
- Retinol and certain exfoliating acids (like AHAs and BHAs) can be used.
- Extractions can be performed by a professional when local regulations permit them.
If the methods above do not work or are not feasible for removing deep, widespread, or stubborn milia, you can refer your client to a dermatologist for more involved treatment options.
How to Prevent Milia
Prevention is often the best form of medicine, and this principle applies to milia. There are steps you can take to avoid developing milia in the first place, and educating your clients about these steps can help them reach their skin health goals.
- Use non-comedogenic skincare products.
- Gently exfoliate.
- Avoid sun damage with healthy sunscreen use.
- Avoid “picking at” milia.
While milia can negatively impact your client’s self-esteem and quality of life, you can help them regain their confidence and health. With the right knowledge and experience, as well as an educational approach, you can transform your client’s skin health and outlook for the better.
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