Milia removal

What milia are

Milia are tiny cysts of trapped keratin sitting just beneath the surface of the skin. They are most common around the eyes and on the cheeks. They are entirely benign.

They are frequently mistaken for whiteheads, which is why home extraction attempts fail — there is no pore opening to squeeze through. Persistent picking around the eyelid skin risks scarring in an area where scarring shows.

Why they appear

Some milia are primary and simply occur. Others are secondary to skin trauma, heavy occlusive creams, prolonged topical steroid use, or previous laser and resurfacing treatment. Where there is an identifiable cause, addressing it reduces recurrence — which is why the consultation looks at your skincare, not just the bumps.

The procedure

The skin is cleaned and each milium is opened with a fine sterile blade or needle and the keratin core expressed. The process is quick and most people find it very tolerable without anaesthetic, though topical numbing can be used around the eyes.

Several can be treated in one visit. New ones may form over time, particularly if the underlying cause persists.

Risks and limitations

No treatment is without risk, and you are entitled to the full picture before you decide rather than a summary afterwards. These are discussed with you individually at consultation, in the context of your own history.

• Temporary redness and small pinpoint marks for a day or two
• Rarely, a small scar or persistent mark, more likely on eyelid skin
• Recurrence where an underlying cause remains
• Bruising around the eyes

Where you would be seen

Consultations and minor skin surgery take place at CLNQ Manchester on the ground floor of the South Tower at Deansgate Square, and at CLNQ Knutsford on King Street in Cheshire. Patients travel from across Greater Manchester and Cheshire — Altrincham, Hale, Bowdon, Wilmslow, Alderley Edge and Didsbury are all within easy reach of one or other site.

Where a lesion needs a theatre rather than a treatment room, the procedure is arranged at Deansgate Hospital, a CQC-registered private hospital a few minutes away in Manchester city centre. Any specimen requiring histology goes to a UK histopathology laboratory and the result is discussed with you directly.

• CLNQ Manchester — Deansgate Square 11 Owen Street, Manchester M15 4YB Ground floor of the South Tower at Deansgate Square, Manchester city centre.
• CLNQ Knutsford — Cheshire 49-51 King Street, Knutsford WA16 6DX King Street, Knutsford, serving Cheshire and the surrounding area.
• Deansgate Hospital Madison House, 37 Little Peter Street, Manchester M15 4QJ CQC-registered private hospital in Manchester city centre, for procedures needing a theatre.

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