How to Get Rid of Milia Under Eyes Without Scarring the Thinnest Skin on Your Face

I'm Dr. Hyunji Kim, director and lead physician at Delphic Clinic in Gangnam, one minute from Sinnonhyeon Station. I trained at Korea University Medical Center and I am a member of the Korean Academy of Aesthetic Surgery & Laser Medicine and the Korean Society for Laser Dermatology & Hair. Most of my day is lifting, laser and anti-ageing care, and small spot work around the eyes, including showing patients how to get rid of milia under eyes safely, is part of it.

Patients ask me how to get rid of milia under eyes almost every week, and many have already tried a needle or a fingernail in the bathroom mirror. The skin below the eye is the thinnest on the face, so this is where home attempts cause the most lasting marks. Here is what I tell them: why squeezing does not work, how removal in a clinic is done, and how to look after the area afterwards.

What actually happens when you squeeze under-eye milia

A milium has no open pore at the top. It is a small pearl of keratin trapped under a thin roof of skin, which is why it does not budge. The detailed reason milia and closed comedones behave so differently is in my post on milia vs closed comedones; here I want to focus on what pressing does to under-eye skin.

• Redness and swelling that last longer than the bump would have bothered you.
• Tiny broken capillaries from pinching thin, delicate skin.
• A raw spot that darkens as it heals, which is more noticeable than the white dot was.
• Infection if a non-sterile needle or nail breaks the surface.

Exfoliating scrubs and strong acids rubbed into the eye area do not help much either. They irritate the skin around the eye long before they thin the roof over a milium.

Is it milia at all? Under-eye bumps I rule out first

Several small bumps gather around the eyes, and they are not all treated the same way. Before I remove anything, I name each one.

How I remove milia under the eyes in the clinic

1. 1

   Count and confirm

   Under good light and magnification I check each bump and agree with you which ones we are treating.

2. 2

   Clean the area

   The skin is disinfected. Most patients find the procedure tolerable; we discuss comfort options on the day.

3. 3

   Open and lift

   Depending on size and position, a very small sterile opening is made or a precise laser is used, and the keratin is lifted out without pressing on the surrounding skin.

4. 4

   Finish and protect

   The spots are cleaned and you leave with written aftercare. Each spot takes a few minutes.

Milia removal sits on the same per-spot price line as other small spot removals, so you can plan the cost before you arrive.

Under the eye, the goal is not just an empty milium. It is skin that looks untouched a week later.— Dr. Hyunji Kim, Delphic Clinic

Your first week of under-eye aftercare

The openings are tiny, so aftercare is short, but the eye area is easy to rub without noticing. The washing principles are the same as for any small spot removal, which I explain in my post on how to shower and wash around a fresh removal site.

• Wash gently with water and a mild cleanser, then pat dry. Do not rub.
• Skip eye makeup over the treated spots until they have closed. I give you the timing on the day.
• Do not pick at the tiny crusts. Let them fall off on their own.
• Use sunglasses and sunscreen around, not on, the fresh spots to reduce darkening.
• Message us if a spot becomes hot, swollen or painful rather than calmer each day.

Habits that bring milia back under the eyes

A removed milium does not usually return in the same spot, but new ones can form nearby. In my experience the same few habits come up again and again in patients who get repeat crops.

• Rich, heavy eye creams applied thickly every night.
• Years of sun on the eye area without sunglasses.
• Rubbing the eyes or using rough makeup removal pads.
• Skipping gentle exfoliation of the face while still avoiding the delicate lid itself.

When I would not remove under-eye milia on your visit

• The eye area is inflamed, sunburnt or has an active infection.
• The bumps are syringomas or yellowish plaques rather than milia.
• You have an eye procedure or eyelash treatment within the next few days.
• The milia are so many and so fine that it is wiser to treat in two sittings.

If you would rather stop squeezing and have it done properly, book a free one-to-one consultation. I will check each bump, tell you which are milia and which are not, and quote per spot before we begin. English and Chinese interpreters are on site, international patients pay the same price as Korean patients, and we are one minute from Exit 3 of Sinnonhyeon Station.