Milia removal left a hole: what should you know?

Milia are tiny keratin-filled cysts, often seen as firm white or pearly bumps. When a clinician opens and removes one, the skin can look indented, raw, or slightly hollow for a short period. The appearance does not by itself show that a scar will form. Healing depends on the depth of the opening, the site, your skin type, and whether the area becomes irritated or infected.

Do not confuse a healing opening with a new white bump. A changing, painful, spreading, or unusual lesion may need a fresh assessment rather than another attempt at removal.

Follow the clinician’s dressing and cleansing instructions. In general, keep the area clean, avoid picking the crust, and use only products recommended for the treated skin. Pause scrubs, acids, retinoids, and fragranced cosmetics on the spot unless your clinician says otherwise. Protect healed skin from sunlight, because inflammation can leave a darker mark, particularly in deeper skin tones.

A clinician may use a small procedure such as curettage and cautery for selected milia; the right method depends on the location and lesion. Read about [Curettage And Cautery](/treatments/surgical-dermatology/curettage-and-cautery/) and [Milia](/conditions/milia/) for context.

Contact the treating clinic if redness expands, pain increases, warmth or swelling develops, pus appears, bleeding does not settle with gentle pressure, or the area affects your vision. Seek prompt assessment for fever, rapidly worsening swelling, or a lesion close to the eye that becomes difficult to open. Arrange review if the depression remains concerning after the skin has healed or if the diagnosis was never confirmed.

Ask whether the opening is expected for the technique used, how long to keep it covered, which products to avoid, and when scar or pigment treatment should be considered. You can also ask whether the bump was definitely [Milia](/conditions/milia/) rather than another type of [Skin Bumps](/symptoms/skin-bumps/).