Milia (milium)
Overview
- Definition: 1–2 mm whitish-yellow, firm epidermal keratin cysts — essentially a miniature epidermal cyst.
- Primary milia: no preceding damage, predilection periorbital and cheeks. As milia neonatorum in about 40–50 % of newborns and self-limiting.
- Secondary milia: within healed blisters/scars — a hallmark of epidermolysis bullosa acquisita and porphyria cutanea tarda; also after dermabrasion, burns and under topical corticosteroids.
- Distinction: syringoma (soft, skin-coloured, lower lid), xanthelasma (yellow plaques), sebaceous hyperplasia (central dell) — milia are firm and white, without a central dell.
Differential diagnoses
- Acne comedonica
- Epidermoid cyst
- Eccrine hidrocystoma
- Syringoma
- Trichoepithelioma
- Sebaceous hyperplasia
Practise Milia (milium) in the app
Flashcards with spaced repetition, exam questions and spot-the-diagnosis on this topic – in DermaFuchs, free of charge.
In the DermaFuchs app: 1 flashcards · 5 clinical images
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More diseases of the skin appendages
- Acne fulminans
- Hidradenitis suppurativa (acne inversa)
- Acne vulgaris
- Alopecia areata
- Androgenetic alopecia
- Folliculitis (infectious)
- Lichen planopilaris
- Perioral dermatitis
Note: This page is intended for medical education and does not replace diagnosis or treatment decisions in individual cases. Treatment and follow-up content is available in the app.