Homeopathic Remedies: What they are and how they work
by Ask a Healer
Allergic to Mold?
Noninvasive Beauty Treatments
A few years after I started going into perimenopause, I started noticing these hard white bumps on my face. At first, I thought it was menopausal acne but these pimples did not go away and they could not be excised like a regular whitehead. If I tried to do what no dermatologist would suggest and remove them myself, nothing happened. I would have had to break the skin with a sterilized needle to get the little hard white bumps out so I left them alone.
What are Milia?
Somewhere along the way, I learned that these little pimple-like bumps are called milia. They are caused by dead skin cells that get trapped under the skin. Babies have milia. I've seen those little white bumps on the faces of babies. However, I didn't know adults could develop milia too.
I didn't find any reference online to milia being associated with being perimenopausal or menopausal so it may be a coincidence that I started notcing the peculiar white bumps after I went into perimenopause. I did see reference to sun damage being a contributor to milia development but I haven't had near the sun that a lot of folks get, due to being so light-skinned and also to being conscious of sun damage in my adult years. However, I did like to lay out at the beach when younger so maybe it just caught up with me.
Milia Removal: If you have milia, I can tell you what won't work for removal. Pinching or squeezing the way you might do with a blackhead or whitehead will only end up causing redness and irritation. I used a sterilized needle to prick the skin above milia for removal once or twice but could tell my skin wasn't too happy with that approach either! A dermatologist might suggest an exfoliating cream but most the references I checked simply suggest patience. Most milia eventually resolve. However, I'm thrilled to say that the milia on my face are resolving since I started taking Pure Sulfur Crystals. I knew that sulfur was great for the skin and hair but actually started taking it for overall health, not even thinking about it possibly helping the milia. Then, about a week and a half after taking it, I noticed that a milia that had been on my nose for years came through the surface and sloughed off. Also, several other milia are gone after another week on the sulfur.
Health Disclaimer: Please see your dermatologist if you have milia rather than try to remove them yourself. They are not the same as blackheads or whiteheads and the potential to damage your skin during removal is greater.
