White Bumps Under the Eyes
You notice a tiny white bump under your eye. You try a new eye cream. Nothing happens. You exfoliate. Still there. So, it must be milia… right?
Not necessarily.
While milia are one of the most common causes of white bumps around the eyes, they are not the only possibility. Those little spots could also be xanthelasma (cholesterol deposits) or sebaceous hyperplasia (enlarged oil glands). The tricky part? All three can look surprisingly similar at first glance.
Milia: The Classic White Bump
Milia are tiny, firm white cysts that form when keratin becomes trapped beneath the skin. They often look like little white pearls and are most common around the eyes and cheeks.
The good news? Milia are harmless and can often be removed with a Pore facial. If you’ve ever had a stubborn white bump that felt hard and refused to pop, milia may have been the culprit.
Xanthelasma: When Cholesterol Shows Up on Your Skin
Unlike milia, xanthelasma isn’t made of trapped keratin. These soft, yellowish patches are deposits of cholesterol that develop beneath the skin, usually near the inner corners of the eyes.
They tend to be flatter and more spread out than milia and can sometimes be linked to elevated cholesterol levels. While harmless, many people choose to have them removed by a dermatologist for cosmetic reasons.
Sebaceous Hyperplasia: Enlarged Oil Glands
Another common imposter is sebaceous hyperplasia, a harmless condition caused by an overgrowth of cells within the skin’s oil glands. As these glands enlarge, they create small white, cream-colored, or yellowish bumps.
These bumps can look a lot like milia, but they are actually enlarged oil glands rather than tiny cysts. In some cases, they may have a tiny dip in the center, although this isn’t always easy to spot.
So How Can You Tell the Difference?
That’s the problem, you often can’t. Milia, xanthelasma, and sebaceous hyperplasia can all appear as small white or yellowish bumps around the eyes. What looks like a simple case of milia could actually be something completely different.
The Bottom Line
Not every white bump around the eyes is milia. Some are trapped keratin, some are cholesterol deposits, and some are enlarged oil glands. Since the treatments are different for each condition, getting the correct diagnosis is the first step toward clearer, smoother-looking skin.
When in doubt, let a skincare professional take a closer look. Your “milia” may have a different story to tell.
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Peace, Love, and Great Skin!
Dérmica MedEsthetics
(780) 885 7108
dermica.ca
Tags: milia