What should you know about inflamed milk duct?

Milk spots is another name for milia. They are firm, white or skin-coloured bumps formed when keratin, a protein found in the outer skin, becomes trapped beneath the surface. They commonly appear around the eyelids, cheeks, nose or forehead and may feel different from a soft, inflamed spot.

Milia are not milk ducts and are not the same as breast-related duct inflammation. A bump can also be a whitehead or another type of skin lesion, so its location, texture and duration help a clinician identify it. Do not assume that every white bump has the same cause.

Wash gently with a mild cleanser and avoid squeezing, scraping or piercing the bump. Home extraction can introduce bacteria, cause bleeding, or leave a mark, especially near the eyes. Use non-comedogenic skin products if heavy creams seem to coincide with new bumps, and protect exposed skin from sunlight while it settles.

If the bumps persist, multiply, become irritated, or bother you cosmetically, a dermatologist can confirm the diagnosis and discuss options. Depending on the finding, treatment may include professional removal, a prescribed topical retinoid, or a procedure such as curettage and cautery. Treatments around the eyelids need particular care.

Arrange a medical assessment if the area is painful, hot, rapidly enlarging, persistently red, draining pus, or associated with fever. Seek prompt care for a breast-area lump with warmth, marked swelling, nipple discharge, or feeling unwell, because those features need a different assessment from facial milia.

A clinician should also examine a bump that bleeds without being injured, changes noticeably, affects vision, or does not improve after reasonable skin care. Bring a list of new cosmetics, medicines and recent skin procedures, as these details can help distinguish milia from other conditions.

Ask: Does this look like milia, a whitehead, or another lesion? Is removal appropriate for its location? Would a topical retinoid be suitable for my skin and medical history? What warning changes should prompt an earlier review?