Milia are usually small, around 1 to 2 millimeters in diameter. Some can grow larger. Milia won't pop and can take a long time to go away. Milia can show up anywhere, but they are most common on the face.
Hard bumps on your face that won't pop can be caused by many things. White bumps called milia are the most common cause, but hard bumps can also be from closed pores, cysts, keratoses, skin cancer, and more. These white bumps can appear on your face under your eyes, on your cheek, forehead, chin, or nose.
Milia are tiny, hard white bumps that appear on your skin. Anyone can get them on any part of the body, but they most often happen on infants' faces. They are harmless and painless and usually disappear on their own after a few weeks.
Blind pimples can be painful and annoying. But several treatments, including warm compresses and topical creams, can shrink a blind pimple. Never try to “pop” a blind pimple. Squeezing it can make the pimple worse or cause permanent scarring.
There are a few reasons a pimple might not be going away. It's normal for some types of acne—especially deep, large pimples—to take some time to clear up. You might also have persistent pimples if you're not taking care of your skin, taking certain medications, or have certain health conditions.
Unlike a pimple, milia don't have an opening on the skin's surface so they can't be squeezed or popped.
The simplest way to remove milia is through de-roofing. The dermatologist cuts a tiny opening in the top of the cyst with a lancet and pushes out the keratin plug using a tool called a comedone extractor. You'll feel a mild prick, nothing more.
Nodular acne is a severe type of acne. It causes hard lumps or knots (nodules) to develop deep under your skin. The nodules start below the surface and appear on the skin as red bumps. These bumps usually don't have a whitehead or blackhead at the center.
Basically, what happens if you don't pop a whitehead is that it goes away on its own, usually in 3 to 7 days.
Don't poke too early. Wait until your pimple has a firm white head. That means the pus is close to the surface and ready to be drained.
To actually remove milia, you need to have them extracted from your skin. “This means when a dermatologist physically creates an opening with a needle or a scalpel blade,” says Dr. Zeichner. “Never do this yourself. Trying to remove milia the wrong way can lead to infections or scars.”
You shouldn't try to squeeze or scrape off milia on your own, as you might do with a pimple. This can scar your skin or cause an infection.
“Most commonly, they occur due to dead skin building up and getting trapped in the pores near the surface of the skin. If the build-up doesn't get expelled naturally, it can become a small cyst.” This type is formally called primary milia.
The needle method will remove milia that are white, round and protruding from the skin. This method of milia removal is not suitable to remove the flatter type of milia often found with hyperkeratosis characteristics; however, the Plasma method provides excellent results.
Milia form under a thin layer of skin and not in a pore. That means there is no opening in the skin to squeeze the plug out. Never try to pop or otherwise extract milia yourself. It won't work, and it can cause infection, serious skin damage, and even permanent scarring.
Your milia could resolve in a matter of weeks all on their own. If they don't, a clinical assessment and professional treatment may provide just the help you need.
"A blind pimple is an inflamed cyst that forms deep beneath the skin, never making an appearance on the surface of the skin like a blackhead or a whitehead (hence the name)," explains board-certified dermatologist Corey L.
Types of pimple
Pustules may last for a few weeks, but if they last longer than 6–8 weeks and do not respond to treatment, it might be a good idea to see a doctor or dermatologist.
Unlike regular pimples that often heal within a few days, acne nodules may last for weeks or months. They tend not to develop a white head and may remain as hard knots under the skin. Nodular acne can be painful, and its appearance may affect a person's self-esteem.