Expert Advice: Safe Milia Removal in your Salon
Clinic owner and skincare specialist, Rasa Levinaite, explains how milia removal can be a great add-on treatment to facials.
A common complaint on skins of all ages, milia can appear on any area of the face. Due to the nature of these little white spots, it's important that skin therapists can treat and remove them professionally using a quick and painless technique to avoid damage to the skin.
What are these strange little white bumps often seen on the completion; are they different to spots?
Milia are definitely not the same as spots and need a completely different approach. Also known as whiteheads, they're hard pearl-like bumps under the skin. They sit below the skin surface. This is why you can't classically extract them out of the skin.
What causes them?
Milia occur due to the skin's keratin (skin protein) building up and getting trapped near the surface of the skin. The build-up doesn't get expelled naturally. Over time, the protein becomes hard and this is what gives its hard bump appearance. You can also develop them if a product is too heavy and it can cause natural build up in the skin, so they are preventable.
A sterilised needle is used to slightly open the skin over the milia and then it can be extracted out of the skin. It's a pretty painless procedure with minimum downtime afterwards. In most cases all milia can be treated in around half an hour treatment time.
Should clients ever attempt to remove milia themselves?
They could try but they wouldn't really get anywhere and might actually damage the skin. All milia have a look about them that they will pop out of the skin, when in reality, there is skin growing over them and they won't budge. This is where a professional needs to step in and remove them in the correct manner.
How can clients avoid milia in future?
Talk to your clients about their skincare routine. It could be the use of the wrong product or lack of product that are causing the milia to develop.
Ensure their cleansing routine is correct and carried out morning and night. You want to be sure all excess make-up, dirt and oil has been removed from the skin.
Encourage clients to incorporate an exfoliate into their routine two to three times a week. We love Éminence Organic Skincare's Clear Skin Willow Bark Exfoliating Peel; it's packed with different types of AHAs that will break down any build up that is happening in the skin.
Studies have also shown vitamin D and omegas can also help prevent milia from forming.
Rasa Levinaite is Director of
The Wicklow Street Clinic, a consistently 5-starred, award-winning clinic in Dublin.
