No, milia isn’t the newest celebrity guest on “Dancing With the Stars.” Sometimes called milk spots, milia are the tiny white bumps most of us have probably noticed on our skin at some point. While they may look similar to whiteheads, they aren’t the same, so before you take to squeezing and popping, here’s what you need to know. WHAT’S UP WITH MILIA? DIGGING INTO THIS COMMON SKIN ISSUE
WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT THEM?
WHAT ARE THEY?
First, avoid the temptation to squeeze or pop the little bumps. This will only damage your skin further and won’t remove the milia. Milia will often go away on their own, but a few things can help speed up that process or even prevent them. Because milia are caused by trapped dead skin cells, gentle exfoliation can treat them and prevent them from cropping up in the first place. Make sure you take off makeup before bed and cleanse your skin properly to help reduce buildup on your face. Also, opt for lightweight moisturizers rather than heavy creams, especially around the eyes. You can also turn to a skincare professional to safely remove the bumps. As dermatologist Dr. Anjali Mahto points out, milia are often the result of sun damage, so another tip to prevent them is to avoid overexposure to the sun. Wear protective layers and hats, and make sunscreen a part of your daily routine, even in winter.
Milia are cysts made up of entrapped keratin, a type of protein that makes up skin, hair, and nails. When dead skin cells get trapped beneath the skin, they appear as small white or yellowish bumps. They often show up around the eyes, nose, and cheeks but can appear on other areas of the body as well.
WHAT CAUSES THEM?
While many different things can contribute to the formation of milia, one of the main sources is skin damage. Sun damage, in particular, is a big contributor to milia formation. Heavy creams or harsh products used around the eye area may cause milia on the eyelids specifically.
DR. MIKE’S READING RX
HAPPY READ ACROSS AMERICA DAY
I’m constantly reading, so it’s hard to pick just one book to recommend for Read Across America Day on March 2. My goal this year is to get through 40 books — close to one a week. Usually, I have six or seven books on my nightstand that I’m working my way through. That way, I always have something going that matches my mood and what I’m going through. One of the books that had a big impact on my life was one I read as a freshman at Notre Dame. It was “Nicomachean Ethics” by Aristotle, and it was an intensely intelligent book that opened my eyes to the importance of developing good habits and character. In the book, Aristotle asks some big and important questions, like what is virtue? What does it mean to develop virtues? Reading “Nicomachean Ethics” laid the foundation for me to start thinking about living my life to the fullest and developing a habit of doing the right thing.
These days, when I’m focused on overcoming a parenting challenge, I turn to some of my favorite books written right here in Nashville: “Intentional Parenting: Autopilot Is for Planes” and “Wild Things: The Art of Raising Boys.” Reading those books helped remind me that my kids aren’t crazy; they’re just normal boys. I haven’t read it yet, but I know “Raising Worry- Free Girls: Helping Your Daughter Feel Braver, Stronger, and Smarter in an Anxious World,” by the same authors, will help with parenting my daughter, too, when she gets older. When it’s a business challenge I am thinking about, I love Gary Kellor’s book, “The One Thing.” In that book, Kellor talks about how essential focused goals are and the importance of stripping away everything that distracts from reaching them. Regardless of what challenge you’re working on in your life, chances are somebody has written a book about it. What will you be reading this year on Read Across America Day?
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