Milia Around Eyes: What the White Bumps Are, Causes and Safe Removal
Start with our pillar guide: What Is the Skin Barrier? The Science of Hydration, Ceramides and Occlusives, or browse all Skincare Fundamentals articles.
Milia around eyes are tiny, firm white bumps, each a small cyst of keratin (a tough skin protein) trapped just under the surface. They can follow skin damage, medications or laser resurfacing. No randomized trial tests any treatment. The removal evidence is case reports, so leave extraction near the eye to a dermatologist. Evidence: Early / preliminary.
This guide is part of our Skincare Fundamentals coverage. For how heavy occlusive textures behave on skin, see our guide to the skin barrier, ceramides and occlusives.
Key takeaways
- A StatPearls reference chapter defines milia as "benign and transient subepidermal keratin cysts." It splits them into primary and secondary types, and lists skin conditions, medications and skin trauma as causes of the secondary type (Gallardo Avila and Mendez, 2023).
- A 2008 review in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology notes there are "few studies on the origin of milia" (Berk and Bayliss, 2008).
- In a 100-patient laser aftercare study, milia occurred in 11.8% of a group that also used a petrolatum ointment for 24 hours, vs 1.5% of a group that did not. Randomization was not stated (Duplechain et al., 2014).
- A 2014 case report found that a fractional CO2 laser cleared eyelid milia en plaque well after 2 treatments, with "just few recurrent milia" at 1 year (Tenna et al., 2014).
- In a 2025 case report, eyelid milia were the only eye sign of systemic sarcoidosis (Clabeaux et al., 2025).
What are milia around eyes?
Milia around eyes are benign keratin-filled cysts. They look like firm white dots on the eyelids, under the eyes or on the upper cheeks. They're harmless in themselves, but some patterns call for a medical check.
The StatPearls chapter describes milia as "small, firm, white papules" (raised bumps), most common on the face (Gallardo Avila and Mendez, 2023). It classifies them in 2 groups:
- Primary milia. Most are congenital, meaning present at birth, and they appear on sites including the eyelids and cheeks. A small share are linked to rare inherited skin disorders in children and adults.
- Secondary milia. These appear with underlying skin disease, medications or skin trauma.
A 2013 case report gives their size as "1- to 4-mm, white keratinous cysts" (Fett and Nevas, 2013). The StatPearls authors declare no relevant financial relationships. The Fett report's funding is not reported in its abstract.
Our sources don't say how common milia around the eyes are in adults, or what share are primary vs secondary. A 2008 review that proposed an updated classification admits there are "few studies on the origin of milia" (Berk and Bayliss, 2008). Its funding is not reported in the abstract. Evidence: Limited (reviews and a reference chapter).
Why do I keep getting milia around eyes?
Recurring milia often have a trigger, but in many cases the cause is unknown. The triggers with published support are skin injury, skin disease, medications and laser resurfacing.
Laser resurfacing. A 2000 review of laser resurfacing complications lists milia among the problems "reported by multiple authors." Others on the list include pigment changes, scarring and acne-like breakouts (Sullivan and Dailey, 2000). The review combined the authors' own experience with published reports, gave no patient count in the abstract, and received non-US government support. It says specific interventions plus time allow most of these complications to resolve.
Medication. A 2026 case report describes a 17-year-old male who started oral isotretinoin, a prescription acne drug, at 30 mg daily (AlQaydi and AlMarzouqi, 2026). After 2 months, about 20 tiny white bumps appeared on his upper cheeks, mainly below the lower eyelids. He had no prior skin trauma, cosmetic product use or procedures. The authors call the link "a possible drug-induced effect" and say the mechanism is "not well understood." They declared no financial support. One case can't show that the drug causes milia, and you should never stop or change a medication without your prescriber.
No clear cause. Eruptive milia can "arise spontaneously or secondary to a number of processes" (Fett and Nevas, 2013). Sun damage is often blamed online and in clinic blogs, but no study in our sources links sun exposure to milia around the eyes. Evidence: Limited (reviews and case reports).
Do eye creams cause milia under eye skin?
We don't know. No study has tested everyday eye creams, so the "rich cream" theory remains a plausible idea, not a proven cause. The only related data come from people healing after laser resurfacing.
A recurring question in skincare communities is whether thick eye creams or ointments cause milia under the eyes. The closest evidence is a 2014 clinical study of 100 patients who had CO2 laser resurfacing (Duplechain et al., 2014):
- Group A (n=34) had a single deep fractional laser treatment. They applied Aquaphor, a petrolatum ointment, for 24 hours, then a topical oxygen emulsion every 6 hours for 6 days.
- Group B (n=66) had deep fractional plus fully ablative resurfacing. They applied only the oxygen emulsion, every 6 hours for 7 days.
Show data table
| Group | Milia rate (%) |
|---|---|
| Group A: petrolatum 24 h, then oxygen emulsion (n=34) | 11.8% |
| Group B: oxygen emulsion only (n=66) | 1.5% |
| All patients | 5.1% |
The authors concluded that removing petrolatum products from aftercare reduced complications. This study can't settle the eye cream question, for 4 reasons:
- Randomization is not stated.
- The groups also had different laser treatments.
- The abstract gives no p-value.
- Freshly lasered skin differs from intact skin under an eye cream.
The abstract lists no funding, and any ties to the emulsion's manufacturer are not reported. A lighter texture near the lash line is reasonable clinic convention, but it hasn't been tested. Evidence: Limited (one post-laser study, randomization not stated).
Is it milia on eyelid skin or something else?
Isolated white dots on the eyelid are often milia. Some patterns are different conditions and need a doctor to diagnose them. Don't diagnose yourself from photos.
| Feature | Milia en plaque | Multiple eruptive milia |
|---|---|---|
| What it looks like | Numerous tiny milia within a red (erythematous) patch | Crops of milia that appear suddenly |
| Where reported | Eyelid (1 case); nose of a child (1 case); most often behind the ear | Face, head, neck, chest and upper trunk |
| Treatment note | No consensus on the best treatment | Described as difficult to treat |
| Sources | Tenna 2014, Nambudiri 2014 | Fett 2013, Langley 1997 |
Bottom line: Both are rare. A red patch or a sudden crop of bumps is a reason to see a dermatologist rather than treat at home.
Milia en plaque is "numerous tiny milia within an erythematous area," and treatment options are limited (Tenna et al., 2014). Multiple eruptive milia appeared abruptly on the face of a 40-year-old man in one report (Fett and Nevas, 2013). In another, it appeared on the face and chest of a 71-year-old man (Langley et al., 1997), whose authors also proposed a classification. Neither abstract reports funding.
Sarcoidosis is a body-wide inflammatory disease that often affects the lungs, lymph nodes and skin. In a 2025 case report, eyelid milia were the sole eye finding of systemic sarcoidosis (Clabeaux et al., 2025). The authors say isolated eyelid milia had not been reported in this disease before, and they declared no competing interests. This is one case, not a reason for alarm, but it shows why unusual eyelid bumps deserve an exam.
Other lumps also occur around the eye. A laser review lists syringomas, xanthelasma and seborrheic keratoses as common benign growths there (Yates et al., 2015). Our sources don't explain how to tell them apart, which is a job for a dermatologist or eye doctor. As clinic convention, see one if bumps appear suddenly, in large numbers, in a red patch, or alongside other symptoms. Evidence: Early / preliminary (case reports).
Can retinoids or acids clear milia around eyes?
There is no under-eye or eyelid evidence for retinoids, and none at all for exfoliating acids in our sources. The only retinoid result is 1 child's nose.
A 2014 case report describes milia en plaque on the nose of a 7-year-old boy that cleared with topical tretinoin, a prescription retinoid (Nambudiri et al., 2014). The abstract doesn't report treatment duration, strength or funding. It notes only 9 pediatric cases of milia en plaque had been reported. Results from a child's nose may not carry over to adult eyelid skin.
There's also a twist. In the case above, an oral retinoid, isotretinoin, was possibly linked to new milia below the eyelids (AlQaydi and AlMarzouqi, 2026). Oral and topical retinoids work differently, but the 2 reports show how little we know.
We found no study testing glycolic, lactic or salicylic acid for milia. Using retinoids close to the eye is a prescriber decision (see what we found on tretinoin under eyes). For the general basics, see how often you can use retinol and what tretinoin trials show. Evidence: Early / preliminary (1 case report, not on the eye area).
How do dermatologists remove milia around eyes?
Clinicians can remove milia by manual extraction or, for harder variants, by laser. Each method has only single-case support near the eye.
Manual extraction. In the isotretinoin case, about 20 milia below the lower eyelids were "managed with simple manual extraction," with complete resolution and no recurrence (AlQaydi and AlMarzouqi, 2026). In that case, the patient's isotretinoin was continued, which was a decision for the treating doctor.
Fractional CO2 laser. A 2014 case of eyelid milia en plaque was treated with a new fractional CO2 laser (Tenna et al., 2014). Results after 2 sessions were good, with no scarring or color changes, and "just few recurrent milia" remained at 1 year. Funding is not reported in the abstract.
A 2015 review covers laser removal of benign growths around the eye, milia included. It adds that "proper eye protection is, of course, essential when using lasers near the eye" (Yates et al., 2015). The abstract gives no milia outcome data or funding information. Laser resurfacing can also cause milia (Sullivan and Dailey, 2000), so discuss that trade-off with your clinician.
| AlQaydi and AlMarzouqi, Cureus, 2026 | 1 | Milia after 2 months of isotretinoin | Manual extraction | About 20 milia below lower eyelids; complete resolution, no recurrence |
| Tenna et al., Dermatol Ther, 2014 | 1 | 1-year follow-up | Fractional CO2 laser, 2 sessions | Good results on eyelid milia en plaque; few recurrent milia at 1 year |
| Nambudiri et al., Pediatrics, 2014 | 1 | Duration not reported | Topical tretinoin | Milia en plaque of the nose treated successfully |
| Duplechain et al., J Cosmet Laser Ther, 2014 | 100 (34 vs 66) | 6-7 days of aftercare | Petrolatum 24 h + oxygen emulsion vs oxygen emulsion alone | Milia 11.8% vs 1.5%; 5.1% overall |
| Clabeaux et al., BMJ Case Rep, 2025 | 1 | Not reported | Not applicable | Eyelid milia were the sole eye finding of systemic sarcoidosis |
AlQaydi and AlMarzouqi, Cureus, 2026
Result: About 20 milia below lower eyelids; complete resolution, no recurrence
Case report, 17-year-old male on 30 mg/day oral isotretinoin. No financial support declared. Evidence: Early / preliminary.
Tenna et al., Dermatol Ther, 2014
Result: Good results on eyelid milia en plaque; few recurrent milia at 1 year
Case report. No scarring or color change. Funding not reported in abstract. Evidence: Early / preliminary.
Nambudiri et al., Pediatrics, 2014
Result: Milia en plaque of the nose treated successfully
Case report, 7-year-old boy; not the eye area. Funding not reported in abstract. Evidence: Early / preliminary.
Duplechain et al., J Cosmet Laser Ther, 2014
Result: Milia 11.8% vs 1.5%; 5.1% overall
Clinical study after CO2 resurfacing; randomization not stated; groups had different lasers; funding and company ties not reported. Evidence: Limited.
Clabeaux et al., BMJ Case Rep, 2025
Result: Eyelid milia were the sole eye finding of systemic sarcoidosis
Case report. No competing interests declared. Evidence: Early / preliminary.
No randomized trial or systematic review tests any milia treatment. Every treatment result above comes from a single case.
We don't give cost figures, because our sources contain none. Evidence: Early / preliminary (single case reports).
Why shouldn't you pick milia near your eyes?
Because the skin is thin and the eye is millimeters away, removal there belongs with a clinician. No study has measured how often at-home attempts go wrong.
Some people describe using a needle or lancet at home. We won't give instructions. A laser review notes that the eyelids have "thin skin," and stresses eye protection even for trained operators using controlled devices (Yates et al., 2015). The successful extraction in our sources was done by clinicians (AlQaydi and AlMarzouqi, 2026).
Squeezing doesn't work well either, as clinic convention holds. A milium is a cyst under the surface, not an open pore, so pressure alone usually doesn't release it. Evidence: expert opinion (no study of at-home extraction).
How can you lower the odds of milia coming back?
No study tests any prevention routine for milia around the eyes. What follows is a mix of 1 limited post-laser signal and clinic convention.
- After a laser procedure, follow your clinician's aftercare plan. If you're worried about milia, ask whether heavy petrolatum ointments are part of it, given the 11.8% vs 1.5% difference above (Duplechain et al., 2014). Don't change a prescribed plan on your own.
- Lighter textures near the lash line. This is clinic convention, untested in everyday users.
- Sun protection. This is general clinic advice, and no study in our sources ties it to fewer milia.
- Gentle, barrier-friendly care. Skin trauma is a listed cause of secondary milia (Gallardo Avila and Mendez, 2023). See our skin barrier repair guide if your eye area is irritated.
If milia keep returning in crops, or appear with other symptoms, a dermatologist can look for an underlying cause (Clabeaux et al., 2025). Evidence: Limited / expert opinion.
Are milia the same as under-eye hollows?
No. Milia are raised white cysts on the skin surface, while hollows are a loss of volume beneath the eye. For tear troughs and volume loss, see our guide to under-eye hollows.
Where the evidence stops
- No randomized trials or systematic reviews test any treatment (retinoid, acid, extraction or laser) for milia around the eyes.
- No study of everyday eye creams. The only related data are post-laser, with randomization not stated.
- No under-eye or eyelid retinoid data. The single tretinoin case involved a child's nose.
- No study of exfoliating acids, sun exposure or prevention routines for milia.
- No prevalence data for adult milia around the eyes, and the origin of milia is little studied.
- No study of at-home extraction or its risks.
- No skin-of-color data and no cost data in our sources.
FAQ
What are the little white bumps under my eyes?
They are often milia, which a StatPearls reference chapter describes as benign, transient keratin cysts that sit just under the skin's outer layer and show up most often on the face. Other conditions can look similar, so a dermatologist should check any new or unusual bumps.
Does eye cream cause milia?
No study has tested whether everyday eye creams cause milia. The closest data come from a 100-patient laser aftercare study, where milia rates were 11.8% in a group that also used a petrolatum ointment for 24 hours and 1.5% in a group that did not. The groups also had different laser treatments, and randomization was not stated.
Can retinol or tretinoin get rid of milia?
Only case-level evidence exists. In one report, topical tretinoin cleared milia en plaque on a 7-year-old boy's nose, and no study has tested retinoids on milia under the eyes or on the eyelids.
Is it safe to pop milia around my eyes at home?
It is not advised, because the eyelid skin is thin and the eye is close, although no study has measured the risks of at-home extraction. In one case report, a clinician's manual extraction cleared about 20 milia below the lower eyelids completely, without recurrence.
Can laser remove milia on the eyelids?
In one case of eyelid milia en plaque, a fractional CO2 laser gave good results after 2 treatments, with no scarring and only a few recurrent milia at 1 year. A review of laser treatment near the eye states that proper eye protection is essential.
Can laser treatments cause milia?
Yes. A review of laser resurfacing complications lists milia among the problems reported by multiple authors, and says most such complications resolve with specific treatment and time.
Can medication cause milia?
A StatPearls chapter lists medications as one cause of secondary milia, and a 2026 case report described about 20 milia below the lower eyelids after 2 months of oral isotretinoin. Never stop or change a medication on your own; raise any new bumps with your prescriber.
When should I see a doctor about eyelid bumps?
See a dermatologist or eye doctor if bumps appear suddenly, in large numbers, in a red patch, or alongside other symptoms. In one 2025 case report, eyelid milia were the only eye sign of systemic sarcoidosis, a body-wide inflammatory disease.
References
- Gallardo Avila PP, Mendez MD. Milia. StatPearls (StatPearls Publishing). 2023. Reference chapter (not a trial); authors declare no relevant financial relationships. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32809316/
- Fett N, Nevas J. Multiple eruptive milia. Cutis. 2013. Case report, n=1; funding not reported in abstract. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23763079/
- Berk DR, Bayliss SJ. Milia: a review and classification. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2008. Review and classification; funding not reported in abstract. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18819726/
- Sullivan SA, Dailey RA. Complications of laser resurfacing and their management. Ophthalmic Plast Reconstr Surg. 2000. Review plus authors' experience, n not reported; non-US government support. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11106185/
- AlQaydi F, AlMarzouqi E. Isotretinoin-Associated Eruptive Milia: A Rare Adverse Effect. Cureus. 2026. Case report, n=1; no financial support declared. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41777945/
- Duplechain JK, et al. Novel post-treatment care after ablative and fractional CO2 laser resurfacing. J Cosmet Laser Ther. 2014. Clinical study, n=100 (34 vs 66), 6-7 days of aftercare; randomization not stated; funding and company ties not reported. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24131071/
- Tenna S, et al. Eyelid milia en plaque: a treatment challenge with a new CO2 fractional laser. Dermatol Ther. 2014. Case report, n=1, 1-year follow-up; funding not reported in abstract. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24703259/
- Nambudiri VE, et al. Milia en plaque of the nose: report of a case and successful treatment with topical tretinoin. Pediatrics. 2014. Case report, n=1 (child); duration and funding not reported in abstract. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24709934/
- Langley RG, et al. Multiple eruptive milia: report of a case, review of the literature, and a classification. J Am Acad Dermatol. 1997. Case report and review, n=1; funding not reported in abstract. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9270547/
- Clabeaux C, et al. Isolated eyelid milia presenting as systemic sarcoidosis. BMJ Case Rep. 2025. Case report, n=1; no competing interests declared. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40180341/
- Yates B, et al. Laser treatment of periocular skin conditions. Clin Dermatol. 2015. Review; no milia outcome data in abstract; funding not reported in abstract. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25704939/
Disclosure: This article is for general information only. It is not medical advice. Peptide Skincare has no affiliate links in this article and received no payment from any manufacturer mentioned. Never pick, squeeze or lance milia near the eye; new or unusual eyelid bumps should be checked by a dermatologist or eye doctor.