Wrinkles

What’s the difference between milia and comedones?

Appearance: Hard closed comedones, called milia, have very obvious whiteheads. 1 Unlike pustules, milia are not red or painful. They are especially common in the eye area. Development: Hard closed comedones develop just as their soft counterparts, however, the impaction has hardened and is similar to a grain of sand.25-Aug-2020

Is milia a closed comedone?

Milia are often confused with closed comedones as they look alike. On physical appearance though the milia are often a harder round lump, and the close comedone may be a little softer and not as hard and round.

What do comedones look like?

They look like small white or flesh-colored dots. All types of comedones feel bumpy to the touch. According to DermNet New Zealand, comedonal acne is most common on your chin and forehead.

How do closed comedones look like?

Closed comedones look like little bumps across the skin's surface. They're not red and inflamed like your typical pimple, and they don't hurt. A closed comedo develops when a plug of skin cells and oil becomes trapped within the hair follicle, the tunnel-like structure that hair grows from.

How can you tell the difference between milia and whiteheads?

Milia are small, white bumps that appear on the skin. They're caused by keratin that's trapped underneath the surface of the skin. Unlike whiteheads, which contain pus, milia aren't a sign of clogged pores.

Why do I have comedones?

What causes comedones? Comedones arise when cells lining the sebaceous duct proliferate (cornification), and there is increased sebum production. A comedo is formed by the debris blocking the sebaceous duct and hair follicle. It is now known that comedones also involve inflammation (see causes of acne).

Do comedones go away on their own?

Sometimes closed comedones will go away on their own, but that can take weeks or months. If you want to get rid of yours sooner rather than later, check out these treatment options that range from over-the-counter products to professional services and everything in between.

Should comedones be extracted?

Comedone extraction should only be conducted by a trusted professional. If comedone extraction is not done correctly there is a risk of pushing blockages deeper into the skin as well as a risk of skin damage and scarring.