Milia are tiny cysts that occur for unknown reasons in infants. Milia are tiny (about an 1/8 to 1/4 inch in diameter) cysts. Milia are smooth, white cysts often found on the face. This image displays milia, the small, white bumps at the center of the forehead. Though they are white in color, milia are filled with skin scale (keratin), not pus.
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Milia  A parent's guide for infants and babies

Picture of Milia: Milia are tiny cysts that occur for unknown reasons in infants. Divider line
Milia are tiny cysts that occur for unknown reasons in infants.
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Treatments Your Provider May Prescribe
If the doctor diagnoses primary milia in an infant, no treatment is necessary, as the condition will resolve on its own within a few weeks.

However, persistent and stubborn milia may occasionally be treated with the following:
  • Topical retinoid cream such as tretinoin, tazarotene, or adapalene
  • Removal with a sterile lancet or scalpel followed by use of a special tool (a comedone extractor)
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Last Modified: 22 Dec 2008
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