How can I get rid of the white bumps under my skin?

I have small white bumps around my eyes. They look like little grains under the skin and are really noticeable. I’ve tried to squeeze them but without success. How can I get rid of them?


Daniela’s Beauty Advice:

Those little bumps are called Millia. The are a common enough disorder in the form of small white or creamy bumps under the skin, particular around the eyes, upper cheek and forehead. They can range in size, but are mostly small and feel hard when they are fully formed, just like a trapped grain of sand under the skin.

The white bumps are made up of sebum (oil) and dead skin cells and are trapped under the skin. Unlike open commedones (blackheads), millia have no pore to escape.

Reasons for the occurrence of those white bumps under the skin are still speculative. Some say it has something to do with the diet, others with the moisturisers. Scar tissue or sun-damage may also be the cause.

Millia in it’s early stages may be massaged away where it gets reabsorbed through the lymph circulation.
Once the bump has hardened, the millia has fully established and it can be removed.

Care must be taken when removing millia. It is recommended to only let a professional remove millia, due to possible scarring and infection.

The therapist would cleanse and soften the skin prior to extraction. Then the millia bump has to be pierced with a sterile needle on one side. Once the skin is broken, gentle pressure is applied to remove the debris. An antiseptic lotion should be applied after to avoid infection until the skin is healed.

In some cases, the white bumps are too close to sensitive areas, like the eyes, where it may be not possible to extract.

To prevent the white bumps occurring in the first place and to aid elimination, I advice to stimulate the circulation with a unit like the Clarisonic Skin Care Brush. Good blood circulation helps in removal of debris and waste materials through the lymph system as well as in the supply of nutrients and oxygen to the skin.