Milia are common, tiny white or yellowish bumps that frequently appear on the face, particularly around the eyes, nose, and cheeks. These small lesions are superficial keratin cysts that form when a natural skin protein becomes trapped just beneath the surface. While common in newborns, they can affect people of any age.
Answering the Core Question: Are Milia Contagious?
Milia are not contagious and cannot be spread from person to person through contact or sharing items. They are classified as mechanical blockages within the skin, not infections. This means they are not caused by bacteria, viruses, or fungi, which are the agents responsible for contagious skin conditions. Because milia are benign cysts filled with trapped protein, there is no infectious agent to transmit. The appearance of multiple lesions simply indicates a localized issue with the skin’s exfoliation process.
Understanding How Milia Form
Milia develop when keratin, a strong protein found in skin, hair, and nails, becomes trapped beneath the skin’s outermost layer. Normally, dead skin cells containing keratin shed naturally, but when this process malfunctions, the material gets encased, forming a small, pearly-white dome. An individual milium forms at the base of a hair follicle or an eccrine sweat duct.
The condition is broadly separated into two main categories: primary and secondary milia. Primary milia occur spontaneously, often without a clear underlying cause, and are extremely common in newborns, affecting up to 50% of infants. In adults, primary milia tend to be more persistent and can appear on the eyelids, cheeks, and forehead.
Secondary milia develop after some form of damage or trauma to the skin, which disrupts the normal shedding process. This can be triggered by skin injuries such as burns, blistering conditions, or chronic sun damage. The long-term use of certain topical medications, such as steroid creams, or cosmetic procedures like laser resurfacing may also lead to secondary milia formation.
Professional Removal and Home Care
Milia are generally harmless. In infants, they often resolve on their own within a few weeks or months without intervention. However, adult lesions can be stubborn and may require treatment for cosmetic reasons. It is advised to avoid picking or aggressively squeezing milia, as this will not successfully extract the material and can lead to scarring, bruising, or infection.
For persistent adult milia, the most effective treatment is manual extraction performed by a dermatologist or aesthetician. This procedure, sometimes called deroofing, involves using a sterile lancet or needle to create a tiny opening in the skin over the cyst. The trapped keratin is then gently removed using a tool called a comedone extractor.
To help prevent new milia from forming, focus on a gentle, consistent skincare routine. Regular, mild exfoliation using products containing ingredients like salicylic acid or glycolic acid can help the skin shed dead cells more effectively. Topical retinoids, which are vitamin A derivatives, can also be beneficial as they promote faster skin cell turnover, helping to dislodge existing cysts and reduce the chance of future blockages.