Question of the Week: I have little white spots under my eyes and cheeks, how do I get rid of them? Are they acne?
They are those annoying little white spots that appear around your eyes and face and don’t seem to disappear after applying makeup (unless you apply a filter to your photo). Sometimes they are mistaken for pimples, but in fact, they are very different and extremely common.
These little spots are actually called milia and we are going to get into how to get rid of them and how to prevent them from coming back.
Most milia cases are simply a buildup of dead skin cells that for some reason eventually become mini cysts. As unpleasant as it sounds, they are common among people with Rosacea and people that use makeup and skin products that can clog the pores. The bad news: attempting to pop them is highly risky since they can grow deeper into the skin and cause an even bigger milia cyst to pop up in its place. The good news: sometimes doing nothing can make them disappear on their own, but it may take a while.
So how can you make them go away permanently and prevent them from happening again?
Very simply, the buildup of keratin on the skin’s surface has caused these to appear, and sun damage and inflammatory skin conditions is what makes them considerably worse due to already having abnormal dead skin turnover. Some easy changes to your skincare regime will prevent them from occurring in the first place and make the ones you have essentially dissolve and disappear.
- Use a toner daily after cleansing containing a gentle alpha hydroxy acid like glycolic acid or a beta hydroxy acid like salicylic acid. These are best used at night.
- Add a retinol cream to your routine, preferably an eye serum or light gel containing retinol, and apply to the undereye area. Anything with retinol keeps the skin smooth and bump free.
- Try switching to a tinted moisturizer or BB cream instead of the heavy foundation. Ensure your face powder does not contain silica that can bury into the skin and stick to mineral instead. Avoid any powder with the ingredient of talc.
- Get a microdermabrasion treatment done about every 6-8 weeks or try an at-home product once a week, the difference in skin texture after even a few treatments is dramatic.
Essentially causing the skin to turnover rapidly will prevent these pesky little cysts from forming in the first place. Just after a few weeks of change to your skincare regime, you will be on the path to having smoother, younger-looking, healthy flaw free skin.