This post may get a bit graphic with some of the pictures, you’ve been warned.
Every now and then I get what I think is milia. (From wikipedia: “A milium (plural milia), also called a milk spot or an oil seed, is a keratin-filled cyst that can appear just under the epidermis..[snip]”.)
I hate these little bastards, and they always show up in really inconvenient spots around my eyelids. I’ve never been officially diagnosed and most of the causes of milia are stuff that I don’t even use (like heavy eyecreams, etc.)!
I usually dig the milia out myself in sheer frustration (yep, with a needle or tweezers). I’m not really afraid of facial scarring, so if I get the opportunity to poke and prod at something on my face that’s bothering me, I usually do it. However, this one little milium has been stuck on my lower eyelid for about two years now and no matter how much I stab at it, it just won’t go away!
The milium isn’t super obvious unless you’re looking for it, but I find myself really ticked off (and slightly repulsed) by the little bump and I’m ALWAYS poking at it all day with my fingers.
Eesh. Isn’t that a beauty? This was after I’d taken my makeup off for the day.
So after years of poking at this sucker, I’d only made it get bigger and it was looking more and more grotesque by the day. In last month’s Ipsy bag, I received a sample size of the Dr. Brandt Microdermabrasion Skin Exfoliant and decided, as a last ditch effort, to try this out on my eyelid.
Of course, with the milium being so stinking close to my eyeball, I had to be exceptionally careful with this stuff. For a week straight, once a day I put a small amount on the end of a cotton bud and rubbed it back and forth over the offending spot. Once I was done rubbing, I rinsed it off and left it alone. It dried out the spot quite a bit and I really didn’t notice a change throughout that week.
After the week was up, I stopped using the exfoliant out of frustration and booked myself in for a dermatologist appointment to get it lanced out of my face in three weeks time (something that I was really, really nervous about). However, over the next few days, weird stuff started to happen. The milium got slightly smaller and then started to almost crystallize. The very top surface of my skin got very hard right above the bump, almost as if I had a piece of dry skin stuck there.
Then suddenly, today at work, I was rubbing my eye (and once again poking at the milk spot) when all of a sudden I felt it pop out of my skin.
Weirdest. Feeling. Ever.
I also couldn’t believe it! FINALLY! This stupid little irritating milium was out of my face! I ran to the bathroom at work just to double check, and sure enough, there was no longer any bump under my skin! All that was left was a small little exit hole (see picture below) where the little ball of whatever-the-heck-it-was used to be.
I am unbelievably happy. This thing has been bothering me for years! I was so pleased that the exfoliant seems to have done its job and that my skin was now back to lying flush against my eyelid.
So if you’ve got milia, I would seriously recommend trying this exfoliant. Be careful if you’re using this close to your eyes, but it’s so soooo worth it!
So Dr. Brandt has changed their products around a lot since this post went up (it’s now 2017), but give these scrubs a try by their brand:
Ok now I need to try this!
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Although the comments are gone now, I had a lot of feedback from people saying that this worked for them as well. It was a solution I’d been unable to find on the internet prior to giving it a shot so I was REALLY happy to give people an option! 🙂
Hello from 2019! I tried this and it totally worked! I got rid of a gross milia above my eye near my eyebrow using this method. Thank you!!
That makes me so happy to hear! I’m glad it worked out for you!
Wow, that’s amazing! I have one on my lower lash line close to the inner corner of my eye… and over the past 3 years, I’ve poked & prodded at it too (only making it bigger at times).
I keep playing with another idea I might try.
I have a diabetic cat who takes insulin every 12 hours. With that, along with his insulin, I’m continuously buying boxes of needles/syringes from the vet.
About a week ago, I started playing with the idea of using a fresh syringe & trying to poke into it and trying to extract any contents up into the syringe.
I’ve poked at it before with a sewing needle & tweezers but with no luck.
I have a pretty steady hand (I’m the only one who administers my cats insulin because I’m so precise and persnickety about it being done properly… 🙄) therefore I trust my aim.
Any thoughts?
My biggest fear isn’t “missing” and stabbing my eyeball or anything. My fear is more about the possibility of agitating it and it ends up growing into some huge monstrosity that grows until it takes over my entire face!
😳 Yes, I know I’m being a bit of a drama Queen right now! 🙄
Mine seems to be the same size yours was in your pic.
Was what came out of yours when you popped it more of a liquid? Or was there a small hard thing inside? I can’t tell… and I never could get a sewing needle to really break the skin for some reason. Despite my efforts, I could only seem to scrape & scratch at it.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I would NOT use a needle. I would use some type of scrub instead. Needles are scary and you always run the risk of a mistake happening. I have run into the issue where poking it with a needle will cause it to grow – so definitely do not do that please! I never felt mine come out – it just popped out and disappeared one day.
I ALSO felt I suffered from milia. But not just one, I had many little cysts strewn across my face. I had given up on exfoliating and resigned myself to the prospect of seeing a dermatologist. Until I got that Dr. Brandt sample from Ipsy…
I’ve been using it twice a week for about two weeks and notice a SIGNIFICANT reduction in my milia! It’s a freaking miracle!
Too bad the product is a whopping $78.
But it works.
That’s awesome Katie! I’m so glad to hear that your problem is clearing up! They’re horrible little things aren’t they? I know, the price tag on the Dr. Brandt stuff is kind of painful. But to get rid of that problem? I’d pay just about anything!
You can look at the list of ingredients that are in this particular exfoliant and try to find a less expensive one. To me it makes sense that an exfoliant helps clear up Millia. Sloughing off the dead skin encourages new skin cells. Besides going to the dermo I’m trying to learn how to clear them up from my lower lash line. Like IN BETWEEN my lashes. I definitely cant’t put any kind of exfoliant directlly on my lower water line! My entire eye would flake off if I put a dot of the exfoliant on my eye area! That’s amazing how it worked! I don’t think anyone else can see them but I can and they’ve been there for a few years!
I have one in my lower lashes as well!
this stuff is currently $21 at costco!!!!
I had mine in a similar spot near my eye.
Had it for a couple of years and then one day it just disappeared by itself! Not sure if its because i recently changed my usual Eyedrops to Optrex eye drops (for dry eyes).
But if i happen to get Milia again though, i’ll definitely use that cream you suggested.
I have had them occasionally dissolve (can’t think of a better term really) into the skin after a while, but jeez are they ever annoying! Milia tends to be caused by too much moisture and oils, so I’m not sure why a more moisturizing eye drop would help…. HOWEVER, who the heck cares, it’s gone! Best wishes not getting them again! I’ve not had them since I made this post, but I feel like it’ll happen eventually…
Were can I get it?
Sephora! http://go.magik.ly/ml/4oh5/
Hi. Thanks for the article. I’ve got these spots on my left temple (probably because I lean on my left hand right there). I’ve had them for three years now and I’ve never known what they were until now. Didn’t want to spend the money on a dermatologist. Had one above my eye and it hurt like hell but after about ten different tries I finally dug it out.
Anyway, when you put that cream on your skin and rubbed it with the Qtip did you rinse it off or leave it on? I’m going to give it a try. Thanks a lot 🙂
Hi Lydia! They’re horrible things aren’t they? After rubbing it with teh q-tip, I then rinsed it off. I’ll update my article to reflect that! Thanks for pointing it out. 🙂 Let me know if it works for you! Most people seem to have had really great luck with it!
Or like me. It can be cancer!
Hi Chelle, I have a few of these little buggers under my eyes and right under my eyes and been putting up with them for a few years now, my dermatologist said she can burn them off but she said they would scab and could scar. I don’t like the idea of that at all. I’ve been using all different creams but nothing helps. I had some tell me to pop them but they are hard to the touch. Do you think this product could fix these?They are not soft they are hard to the touch. I’m 47 and have really bad crows feet too can you recommend a product I have tried so many different creams and nothing works?
Hi Christine! I’m not sure if I would get them burned out… I’ve heard of lancing them out by a dermatologist, which makes more sense but could potentially leave a very tiny scar.
Back to the microdermabrasion though… this was the only thing that worked for me. I had poked and prodded and tried to squeeze it out of my skin myself but it was just too resilient. There’s nothing to “pop” anyway – you need to break, or wear down, the skin enough to expose the milium and then it’ll pop out. The Dr. Brandt Microdermabrasion scrub was the only thing that worked for me since it exfoliated the area around my eyelid and softened the area up. I know it’s a stupidly expensive product, but that’s what I tried and that’s what worked.
Good luck!
That very appearance, as well as the time frame (lengthy presence) prompted me to seek medical advice. Mine turned out to be skin cancer (basal cell carcinoma), and because I had let it go for so long (approximately 3 years), my MOHS procedure (the surgery used to address most basal cell carcinomas) required three rounds of cutting. I would HIGHLY encourage anyone who has a “pimple” or spot that does not spontaneously heal within a reasonable amount of time to be checked by a dermatologist, especially if you have ever suffered a significant sunburn in the past.
My skin cancer looked EXACTLY like this, and even began to flake at some point, which looked like the skin the above photos after the assumed milia “fell out.” Not criticizing the choice to self treat, but I did want to offer my experience, fwiw, since less surgical removal is necessary if caught earlier (basal cell, btw, is highly curable, though one is likely to have another basal cell spot at some point).
Oh wow, thank you for sharing Thar! That’s really, really scary. I would never assume something like that was cancer, especially since I’d already removed a few before on my face.
I’m so glad you posted to share you story because it will help keeps others (and myself!) more aware of this potential problem in the future. I’m so glad you’re okay now!
Thank you, and I appreciate you allowing me to share my experience here.
Did you go to the eye doctor or dermatologist to check out the bumps?
This is great info. I asked my dermatologist about mine and she told me to ask my eye doctor, which I thought was odd. Not super impressed with my dermatologist. Thanks for your info!
Omg this is something I need to get my hands on! I have them on my cheeks and they come and go but I can’t figure out how to control them & they are THE FREAKING WORST for a makeup lover.
Definitely hitting up the doctor after that cancer comment, yikes, that’s scary so better safe than sorry but I really want to track this product down to try!
It’s pricey, but you can get it at Sephora! http://go.magik.ly/ml/4oh5/
I’m not sure if this is what I have, but it kind of looks like it (though it’s not on my lash line, but on my socket near the bridge of my nose). I might pick up a sample if they have it in stores and try this out!
Oh you can have milia anywhere! I just happen to get most of mine around my lash lines.
Please see your dermatologist instead
I had a basal cell in that exact area . It’s a common spot for basal cell according to the physician that excised it -mine looked liked the photo in this article EXaCTLY , but it involved underground fingers and extended beneath skin surface , into eyelid and down edge of nose . I would check with physician rather than trying this treatment !
Wow that’s terrifying! Thanks so much for sharing your experience Deb!
I previously tried out a new eye cream and after a couple of days it gave me milia seeds along my lash line! I was very upset and tried using micellar water makeup removal (brand: bioderma) to clean my eye twice a day to keep it dry and oil-free. It did make some of the small milia seeds go away but the bigger ones did not budge even after a few days.
I was extremely frustrated and found your post. It was a life-saver! i begun using an exfoliator (brand: bio essence) and followed your instructions to rub the milia seeds multiple times with a q-tip. on the 3rd day the milia seed started bleeding a bit as I was rubbing it and as i rubbed further the white “pus” came out! the bump was gone and it only took 1-2 days to heal the small “open wound”.
I have to mention to exercise caution when using the exfoliator near your lash line as it can really dry out the area. Do expect some skin to come off as well if you’re rubbing really hard like me haha. Also, as my milia seeds were newly formed and have yet to harden, I’m not certain if it’ll work on hardened milia seeds.
I hope my post will help someone else like yours did for mine. Thank you sooo much for your post, it was an absolute life-saver. Cheers!
Hmmm are you sure it’s milia? The fact that it was still pus makes me wonder. I’ve popped a few things on my face before that weren’t hardened yet, but I can’t be sure what the heck they were. (Clearly, I’m no expert.)
I’m so glad my post turned out to be helpful for you! I’d never heard of anyone else doing this and honestly it was the only thing that worked. And yeah, it definitely does dry out your lash line, but I think that’s what makes the skin thin and then lets the thing pop out of your skin. Gross, but hey, it’s efficient and seems to do the trick! Thanks so much for sharing your experience with me!
I’m so happy I found this page! I’ve had a milia on the inside of my lower eyelid for months and have poked and picked at it with no success. It has been driving me nuts and it had gotten so big and noticible. I’ve even been to my dermatologist who said it was too close to my eye for her to remove and that I should go to my eye doctor who also said it was too close to my eye for him to remove so I needed to see an eyelid specialist…
I was about to book the appointment when I found this. I purchased a sample size of the Dr. Brandt microdermabrasion on Amazon for only $3!
I did the same as recommended above plus added a little Ever sublime (a retinol treatment) every night for 4 nights. Well last night as I was applying it with the cotton swab the little milia just popped out! There is literally no sign of it now!
Lorrin! Thank you so much for sharing! I’m so glad to hear that this trick worked out for you! Very interesting that the professionals even thought it was too close to your eye for them to poke it out. That doesn’t make me feel very good that the professionals are unwilling to help you our… like they should be able to do this!
However, I’m so glad to hear that scrub and your retinol treatment worked together to get rid of the stupid thing. I don’t even know what inspired me to start doing this, but more and more people keep coming here to tell me it’s worked for them and for that I am SO dang happy!
Hey Chelle!
I am looking at the two links you sent to products on Sephora – wondering if the Age-Defying Exfoliator is going to work just as well as the PoreDermbrasion to get the milia out? I’m in my early 30s, so keeping the ravages of time at bay is more of a priority than shrinking the appearance of my pores – it would be nice to be able to use the product for more than milia killing! I ask because you had listed both links in a post update, but then link only to the PoreDermabrasion in the subsequent responses to comments.
Thanks!
Clare
Hi Clare!
The problem is that they’ve changed the names of their products and these were the closest I could find were the two ones I linked at Sephora. (This post is from a few years back.) I’ve added both because they’re exfoliators – I’d probably stick with the one that’s in the black tube!
I had something very similar to the bump on the lower eye line in your story.Except mine was a bit bigger. When I touched it, it felt quite hard, like a little stone or something. I washed my hands very clean, and looking in the mirror, I got a sterilized pin and poked a hole in the middle of the bump. I then used my clean fingers to squeeze whatever was in the bump out. It popped out quite easily along with a little blood and then I washed my face. It left the area slightly inflamed but by the next day you couldn’t even tell anything had been there.
Wow you’re brave! I tried sooo hard to stab myself with a needle but I could never bring myself to pierce the flesh and it was so close to my eye that I was super nervous about doing it too. So glad you managed to get it out!
Omg I have one One time it went away but came back and when I touch it it really hurts like someone is poking me with a needle I don’t want it forever!
Oh ouch! I never found mine hurt me!
Hey chelle, I have something similar as you just that instead of it being close to the outer corner of the eye (like yours)mine is in the middle of my lash line. It’s making me really self conscious and I was feeling it the other day and even tried to pop it but nothing. It doesn’t feel hard the outside as most people say a milia feels like. Do you think if I use the exfoliant it will work with my situation. I’ve consider to pop it with a sterile sewing needle but I just can’t do it. And a dermatologist is too expensive I’m not sure how much they would charge to have it extracted but my guess is a lot of money. I hope to try it and crossing my fingers it goes away quickly.
Oh no! Is it on your waterline? I would’ve be inclined to put anything like an abrasive scrub on that area! I know what you mean about not being able to pop it – it’s too difficult/scary in that area. I’d call around to dermatologists to figure out how much it costs, maybe it’s more reasonable than we think! (I have no experience in saying how much it would cost sadly.)
Hi, how can I treat the exit hole? Mine’s very noticable. It’s embarassing!
Hi Yaya! Mine just healed within a few days… I didn’t do anything special to it!
Hi, I just wanted to get more info from someone else who has used this. So this product removed the milia but now you have a scar?
Nope, no lasting scar!
Hi I was just wondering which one to use the microdermabrasion in the black tube or pore dermabrasion in the blue tube. I also have a Milia in the same extant spot you did.
I used the one in the black tube!
Hello! I have this on my cheek and wondering if it would leave a scar or a hole(looking pores) 🙂 i would like to try it.. glad i found ur page ♥️
I had no scarring!
Hello Chelle!
I am so glad this thread is still active. I have milia on my lower right eye line that I’ve been trying to rub for days but it’s left my eye inflamed. I see it but when I try to get it out, it disappears. Should I wait until it’s hard? My dermatologist said milia never go away on their own but I can’t afford running to her every time I have milia. =(
Hmmm I don’t think mine ever got inflammed – maybe you’re rubbing too hard? I did it rather gently (but I also don’t have sensitive skin). If you’ve been rubbing it for a week, I’d just stop and see if the area crystallizes/goes hard.
Thank you so much. Will do just that.
After 2 weeks of taking a low dose vitamin D daily supplement I had 3 milia on my lash lines. As much as I would like the benefits of the vitamin, it’s not worth the milia side effect for me, so i stopped taking vitamin D. So far so good.
Oh shoot! Glad you solved the problem though!
I have had a white line under my eye for a long time and would love to get rid off it so much I was wondering what product would work best and if I could get it in a small bottle cheaper
I’m sorry, I have no idea. This is the only product I used and have experience with.
I have a milia just on the inside of my eyelid. Would it be too dangerous to pop myself with a pin?
On the INSIDE of your eye?? I would definitely NOT recommend doing that. Go to a dermatologist. You can’t really pop it anyway – it’s not like an air bubble – there is something hard under the surface.
Hello! This is a bit late but I had exactly the same issue as you with my milia. It was situated near the inner corner of my left eye somewhere along the bottom. A pretty tricky spot. I came across this page wondering if holes in milia are normal and yes they are. I managed to produce the same result as you did with a honey lemon sugar scrub I made at home. It’s pretty much gone now. I kept my mixture in an old lip scrub tin and applied daily with the end of a cotton bud leaving it on for 30 minutes before washing off. I noticed results in a week and when the top of the milia rubbed off to reveal a hard ball inside I just scratched it off and continued using the mixture until it was completely gone! I hope this is helpful to whoever is struggling with tricky milium but don’t have the extra funds to pick up the Dr. Brandt exfoliator. However if you do, I’m sure it’s a great product and I would definitely follow Chelle’s advice. Thanks for the great post Chelle! 🙂
This is so helpful, Emily! Thank you so much for sharing your tip! If mine ever come back, I’ll definitely give your method a shot!
Hi Emily! Could you please share how you made your scrub? I have one that is right on my waterline and won’t go away. I’d love to try an all natural method before turning to the dermatologist. Thank you!
Hi!! I have smth growing on my lash line that look exactly likes yours! Not sure if its millia or pimple! How do you use the product? You just take a tiny amount and rub for how long? Once a day?
I think all of the instructions are in the post, but yes, once a day and rubbed if for about a minute.
Holy crap thank you so much! This totally worked on an annoying millium I had right under my water line! It was there for probably 7 or 8 months!! I didn’t use Dr Brandt but I used the philosophy exfoliant for about 2 days and then on the 3rd day was able to squeeze it out. It was painless! I had a dermatologist appt to remove this but looks like I won’t need it!!
You’re welcome! And I’m so glad to hear another product worked out for you too! I’ve got another one forming below my lower lash line and I wasn’t looking forward to picking up the expensive product I used originally. So thank YOU for the tip!
I had one of these buggers in almost the same spot. It had been there for 6 or 7 months. Last week I started applying AHA (Alpha Hydroxy Acid) to it with a q-tip. Only did 3 or 4 days and stopped. Today, the spot felt a bit sore and it looked a bit red and a little bigger. I took a blackhead extractor and pressed around the bump. Much to my surprise a little hard ball came out – looks very much like a grain of sand. I have a small hole where this ejected from but it looks like it will clear up in no time. AHA acts as an exfoliate so I believe this did help.
Amazing! So glad to hear that worked for you and so quickly too!
I have them on my eye lid and below my eyebrow so when I put eye shadow on it so noticing also under my eye which shows when I wear makeup which should I try
Oh no! That’s so frustrating! I like the one that has the smaller/firmest granules. I’d suggest getting a sample from Sephora and using that if you can!
I’ve had these popping up on both eyes in the lash line. I hate them! Going to give this a try. You didn’t have any eye irritation from using the exfoliant so close to your eye?
I had no irritation which surprised the heck out of me! I don’t have especially sensitive skin though.
I just want to say THANK YOU. I had a milia in my lashline for 5 years!!! I thought oh it will go away with time.. OH Boy was i wrong.. It did not.. I just kept picking at it and it kept growing bigger. It actually reflected and threw off my eyeshadow when i used over it, so it looked absolutely disgusting for me. In my country its nearly impossible to get this scrub, but i found it on an auction. I scrubbed with this exact cream for 4 days- with 1 day rests between scrubs- and after that i started picking at the milia. It became red and puffy and it hurt. But i was persistent and kept picking at it for days. It had a tiny scar on its head and got a scab eventually. I picked the scab off and it came out with a crystallized milia. IT IS GONE!! You don’t know how amazing your article is. Thank you!
I am so happy to hear this, Baboca! What a relief for that annoying thing to be gone eh? Thank you so much for coming back to tell me this worked for you. Yay!
I ordered the microdermabrasion cream you mentioned above as I also had a milium on my lower eyelash line for over a year now. I used it 3 times over the course of a week as you suggested and it just fell out!!! This is amazing. Thank you so much for this!!
Nina!!! I am so happy to hear that! When I did this on myself years ago I thought it was not going to work, but it was a last ditch effort so why not. Getting to hear that it’s worked for you makes me so, SO happy! YAY!
I have a question is the anti ageing one and this one you have pictured above the same ?because I cant find the skin exfoliant
Unfortunately Dr. Brandt discontinued the exact exfoliant I mentioned in this post, however I’ve linked the other two that are the closest products that they have and others having indicated that they perform the exact same way as the one I used.
I hope to be of help in this conversation, having suffered milia twice in my life. About 20 years ago I started to use Alpha Hydrox gel (brand name later changed to Alpha Care), only the gel because I had very oily skin all my life. That gel was a miracle in my life. It just cleared up everything, made a couple of milia go away, smoothed out old scars, just evened out my skin care life. I put it on thinly after showering, right before makeup. Then, four years ago I started working at home, and stopped a lot of my routines, hardly ever used makeup, hardly ever used Alpha Care. After three years of slacking, I got a couple of milia under each eye. This being so many years distant from those first milia eons ago, I googled and looked at YouTube, and I decided to try tea tree oil. Bad decision, bad. The tea tree gave me dermatitis so bad, I couldn’t use anything anymore except for a lotion I found that contained msm. After nearly a year to heal from that, the little milia were still there, taunting me. I gradually started using the Alpha Care again, with trepidation, and at first it caused the dermatitis to flare, so I left it aside. Finally, completely healed from the tea tree burn, my skin barrier once again healthy, I started Alpha Care again after every shower, and lo and behold, those little milia started to behave just as Chelle described, “… got slightly smaller and then started to almost crystallize. The very top surface of my skin got very hard right above the bump, almost as if I had a piece of dry skin stuck there.” Just like that, I scraped them off with a fingernail. There was no bleeding, no oozing. They were just gone. I think for me the trick was having the alpha hydroxy acid flake off that tight skin cover over the milia, at which point they just wanted to come out.
WOW! Thanks so much for coming here with all of that information – this is super helpful!
I am really glad I found this post. I have had one close to my inner tear duct for about 9 months and it is annoying me. My other ones have pretty much gone away on their own, but this little sucker is hanging around. I had a consult with an ophthalmologist today and they are going to get clearance from my insurance to move forward and I have booked my appointment(a month out), but I just ordered a little sample of this stuff and I`m hoping I can take care of this little bump on my own and cancel my appointment. Not thrilled about the thought of removal at the office. I`m going to follow your lead and be super careful and do the rubbing once a day with a q-tip and then rinse off and let alone. I really hope this does the trick! Thanks for the article 🙂
The removal happened out of nowhere to be honest! I was just rubbing my eye and noticed the bump wasn’t there, so I checked in the mirror and I was like whoaaaa. I hope this works out for you – a lot of other people seem to have had success with the technique I tried out so I’m hopeful for you! Keep me posted!
Circling back around to this post to say that this worked, although a bit differently than others(mine didn`t “pop out”). I started to use it(VERY CAREFULLY) with the Q-tip once a day and then made sure I wiped any excess off thoroughly to avoid getting any in my eye. I rolled the Q-tip around a bit so I could feel it exfoliating with the grits in the product. About a week after I noticed the milia was a bit crusty, but still around(although smaller). So I did another few days and then just stopped, but it is gone. It sort of shrunk/dried out in its own time. Cancelled my appointment for removal. Will keep this little tube on hand for any future milia. Thank you so much! This saved me time and money.
AMAZING! So glad it worked for you!!!
WOW! This is awesome news. I’ve had mine for a looong while now, it isn’t white on top, but it sits smack in the middle of my lower lash line. Suddenly, I’m seeing teeny tiny ones around both my eyelids… Oh my…’tis high time to find out how to remove these little suckers. I can’t wait to try this. Thanks so very much!!!
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Yikes! I hope you were able to remove them! I’ve got one cropping up right now and I’m not impressed!
Girl! Thank you! I had one of these little buggers on my top lash line for months. Ordinarily, just like you, I have no problem digging them out of my face. Up until now, that is the only way I knew to get rid of them. A girl does what she has to do! But I just could not get at this one with a needle. It was all I could see when I looked in the mirror. I took your suggestion and bought a sample size of this product on EBay for $5.00 with free shipping. I used it with a Q-Tip by gently rubbing it back and forth on that pesky thing for 2 minutes a day then rinsed well and left it alone. I planned on doing it for 7 days. After 5 days that spot became a little sore but I was determined to keep going. On the 6th day it popped right out! Essentially this product has grit of some sort in it. If you can’t dig it out… you must sand it out and it worked like a charm. I can’t THANK YOU enough!!
You’re so welcome! I’m SO glad to hear that this worked out for you! YAY!
I’m not sure if you are still reading responses to your post – but I have to write a HUGE thank you! I’ve had a milia on my eyelid for about 2 years that was quite prominent. Dermatologist didn’t want to touch it. They almost dismiss the issue just because they are not harmful… I hated this milia and felt helpless until I finally found your post. Ironically, I actually use the product you suggested regularly ( just not on the eye area). Upon reading your post, I immediately tried your suggestion. After 3 days, the milia was gone. No scars, no burning, no recovery. Thank you so much.
THAT IS AMAZING! I am so, so glad to hear that! YAY!
I went to a specialist this week and he has offered to “cut” the growth I have on my lower outside lashline. I was so frustrated knowing I would have to meet my deductible and get this done, I decided to google and came across your article. I have ordered a version of Dr. Brandt’s however won’t come until Saturday, so ran to Target and decided I must start trying something and now!!! So have purchased the No. 7 micro dermabrasion creme and have just finished my first round. I am hoping I hope the great results as many on this site!! Keep your fingers crossed! We will see how the No 7 works and switch over Saturday to Dr Brandt’s if I am not cured by then 😁
Update! The No 7 did not work however may have helped. Did receive Dr. Brandts and it took about a week and it was gone!
Amazing! So glad to hear that!
Hi! Where I can order this product thru online? I badly needed it please help me.
Links are provided at the bottom of the post right before the comments start.
This worked!!!!! I’ve been dealing w one for about 6 months and it was getting bigger. I had to find this product on eBay but it was u used. Anyway it only took 3 days! You’re a lifesaver
YAY! That makes me so happy to hear!
Omg I have had this milia on my waterline for like over a month now, I just tried this trick with origins modern friction microdermabrasion and it worked! I think it was ready to pop but I did this twice and voila! You’re right it does feel weird but so relieving:) ty for sharing !
That’s awesome! So glad it worked for you!!
This article literally saved my sanity 😭💜 THANK YOU FOR SHARING THIS! I’m so glad it’s still up and I found it! I wasn’t able to find the Dr. Brandt one that you suggested anywhere, but I did see another person mentioned they tried the Origins dermabrasion – so I went with that AND IT WORKED!!!!! I even took before and after pictures and omg I’m just so grateful I found this post! I’ve had that stupid thing on my lower eye lid for 3 YEARS and it just made me feel so gross and ugly like I had perpetual eye boogers or something 🥴🤮 But now it’s gone!!! I’ve got smaller ones on both eyes that I’m planning on tackling next 😂 THANK YOU to you, and to the other person who mentioned the Origins brand!!!
That’s wonderful! I’m so glad you were able to get rid of it!
I came across this blog about a month ago because of one milia on my eyelid. I was going to buy a sample of the Dr Brandt cream on ebay. But then I looked at the ingredients and realized it contains salicylic acid. So does the facewash I use daily (Mario Badescu acne treatment). So I rubbed a small dot of the facewash on my milia with a qtip for 2 minutes every day, for about a week. (I had already been picking at it, so it was already sore and inflamed.) After about a week, it was less noticeable and therefore acceptable to me, so I decided to stop rubbing with my facewash and leave it alone. About 1-2 weeks later, I scraped at it with my fingernail (because I’m a picker) and VOILA the tiny sand-grain popped out onto my finger. My milia is gone.
I believe salicylic acid is the answer, not necessarily a specific brand of cream or facewash. Check the products you already have at home, and try one that has salicylic acid before buying more products. Hope it works for others like it did for me!
That’s fantastic! I’m so glad to hear that worked out for you!
Hi, I had two appear on my eye. One close to the crease and one on the upper lid close to the crease as well. I read through some articles and found yours. I started trying this about 7 days ago and it worked! My husband had to help me because they were so close to the crease and I have soi preferred to have his help. I’ve is gone and the other one seems to shrinking and should be gone soon. Thank for sharing your story, sounds like a lot of people were helped by you sharing. 😁
Sorry for the grammar and auto correct errors. Lol
Ok, so, neither my dermatologist nor my cosmetic dermatologist would touch mine because it was directly on my waterline. But I’m happy I went and confirmed it was just milia. And it was large and very noticeable.
I found a sample size of this exact product for like $5, and it was way more than enough.
I VERY carefully this method, kind of using one finger to bring the eyelid away from my eye, and immediately washed it off with a clean q-tip to keep out of my eye. I could tell because it never stung that it never got in my eye. I skipped a day or two if it got pink and sensitive. It took a couple MONTHS but finally worked, no scar.
Lessons: check with doctor, don’t pay stupid money, listen to your body, and DON’T GIVE UP haha.
Hello!
I am so relieved to find this article. Everywhere I looked, everyone is saying that milia can only be removed by a dermatologist. =( Does anyone here have milia on their eye bags? And is milia always hard? I have two on my left eye bag and I feel a bump when I rub them but they don’t feel hard yet. I wonder if it’s because the skin under the eyes are thicker? Should I try Microdermabrasion age defying exfoliator first or the Pore Perfecting Exfoliator? Thank you so much!
I found this because I had to Google to see what the heck was going on with my eyelid. Two small white bumps at the base of my upper eyelashes in the corner of my eye, but under them in the rim close to my eye. Unfortunately I can’t use this method without getting goop in my eye. I can’t afford to go have it removed and there are two of them side by side. I have scraped and poked and prodded and it’s really scary being quite close to my eyeball but I can’t stand to have bumps on my face anyplace. They’re still there and I’m plauged with them!
This is nothing. Mine is 4 times as big on the same exact spot. Leave it alone. It’s hardly noticeable.
Ew? I mean good for you for loving it and not bothering, but not all of us are in your position.
Holy guacamole this stuff is gold in a bottle! Not only does this work for a tiny milia on the waterline but after only two times it’s nearly erased several other small skin bumps I thought would neverrr go away plus my skin looks seriously 5 years younger. And I’m not new to exfoliation or products… but this is a serious game changer, it feels like my other products are also now soaking in a whole new level. Chelle I cannot thank you enough for this wonderful little article, without which I may have never discovered this awesome stuff to get rid of stupid little milia when nothing else is working. Yay to skin confidence returning! You are Awesome!
Hello from 2023! I randomly found your post while googling a solution for my milia on my lower eyelid, right on the edge of my lashes. I was quoted almost $500 for a removal by ophthalmologist surgeon. Your post inspired me. I bought 8% glycolic acid toner by The Ordinary brand. For 5 days I would dip a cotton bud in it and lightly tap the milia. Today, the crust that formed on top of it peeled and underneath I could see the milia with a tiny opening. I grabbed 2 cotton buds and gently squeezed the milia in between them and a while hard ball came out. No more milia! I am amazed!!! Thank you so much for sharing. This milia of mine has been there for years! I would normally prod these with a sterile needle, but because this was on the eyelid I couldn’t do it, it was painful. Well I didn’t feel anything with the cotton buds. And it took only 5 days.
Hi Raya
Thanks for sharing your experience. I have the same milia on the same spot for the same smount of time as yours😊.
I have just been to an opthalmologist in UK. They will be removing it in coming days. But the risks as the NHS opthalmologist described, have really made me scared. Is it really that scary to remove? If just in case you know. As you have mentioned to be quoted for the surgical removal from an opthalmologist.
I have googled ordinary 8% glycolic acid toner, I’m afraid here in London we only have 7% glycolic acid toner from ordinary. Are these the same, if you know?
So sorry for asking fir do many information and questions but I hope you will understand my situation as I would really like to remove it your way without any risk factors attached to it as explained by my NHS Opthalmologist.
Many thanks in advance 🙏
I had massive break out of milia on my forehead, caused by myself running out of expensive face oil and stupidly using Bio oil. I had never experienced anything like them and thought they were white heads. I ended up going to a beautician and it cost over £130 pound for removal by electrolysis. It left tiny marks all over my brow which has never one. I am older so this may be the reason. However there were some around my lip and I removed them myself and they healed without leaving any marks.
I must say your video was excellent and so unusual to demonstrate so clearly the result. In addition free advice on where to buy the cure. All the best . I will definitely be checking for your advice in the future
I had a milia on my lower lash line left side and it has been there for a year at least, getting bigger the last few months. I had such anxiety about it as it felt awful like grit under my skin. I came across your article and tried sacylic acid mask by the ordinary (couldn’t find dr Brandt anywhere in the country I live). I was so careful not to get any in my eye/waterline and after 1 week it is gone! Thank you so much. It’s amazing to have it gone.
That’s amazing! I’m so glad to hear that you managed to get it out!
Enjoyed your article on milia removal.
Forgive me if I missed it in the many posts but I wanted to ensure that everyone (who reads the comments, at least) realizes that milia are bits of keratin protein which get trapped underneath the skin when our skin’s natural exfoliation process fails to complete.
This can happen with the use of certain products but also just due to the slow down of cellular renewal that occurs as we age.
I’ve also seen dermatologist posts where Differin Gel applied with a cotton swab has also been recommended. Differin is a retinoid gel which used to be prescription-only, but now is available over the counter.
Hope this helps. I’m eager to begin trying out this or other suggestions to see what will work on my own milia.
How do I get a sample to try? I have a lot of milia below both my eyes.
I can beat everyone on milia. Sorry. I am covered in them. Hundreds and hundreds. My legs and arms are the worst. I have a rare blistering disease and after a breakout heals it leaves behind the milia, it’s called secondary milia. I have no idea what is going to happen. I don’t see my dermatologist until November. I can’t put any chemicals on my skin because it can cause another out break of blisters. The blisters are far worse than the milia. The blisters are HUGE, some grew to be the size of half a tennis ball, and are everywhere. Even the bottoms of my feet. And on my the palms of my hands. I can’t even take care of myself. But damn I hate these things. If anyone has had this do you know what can be done? Thanks and don’t put needles near your eyes people. Being blinded isn’t worth it.
omg that sounds awful! I hope it goes well with the dermatologist!
I am so glad I found this article..I had a milia spot right on my eyelid..used a alternative cream from boots. Exfoliating microdermabrasion cream..cost £12… I stuck with the same method for 8 days and on the nine I rubbed my eyelid and trala it popped out…I had this for 5 years and tried a few things but no luck..I used a small amount on the cotton bud and rubbed gently every day at the same time..very close to the eyeball and was tricky but it worked…it did sting a couple of times as the layer of skin was being worn away gently but keep at it. Thanks Chelle
You’re welcome! I’m so glad you managed to get it out!