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Milia, also known as milk spots, can be incredibly annoying to deal with, whether you or your child has them. They appear as little white bumps under or around the eyes and they typically develop when skin flakes become trapped under the surface of the skin or a protein called 'keratin' builds up and becomes trapped. 40 to 50% of newborn babies develop milia within a month of being born, but it can occur at any time for anyone of any age. It usually resolves itself without treatment, but if you're looking to speed up the process, there are a few things you can do that may help the healing process and prevent more milia in the future. 1. Cleanse the area Medical News Today Wash your face/the area containing milia with a gentle, paraben-free soap every day. After washing, be sure to pat your skin dry instead of letting it air dry. This will help your skin from chafing or drying out. Definitely, do NOT pick them like they're a pimple or try to pop them them yourself. 2. Try facial steaming Orogold Deep Peeling You can steam open your pores without buying some sort of steaming product. Simply sit in your bathroom for about 5 to 8 minutes and run your shower on a hot setting. This will naturally open your pores. After the allotted time, turn the shower off and wait a few minutes. Pat your face dry and rinse with lukewarm water before stepping out of the steamed room. 3. Gently exfoliate CushySpa / Flickr You can exfoliate with really anything these days, but the best ones are the products that contain alicylic acid, citric acid, or glycolic acid. They typically keep the keratin protein from overproducing. Try it out once a week and see if it helps your milia at all! Read onto the NEXT page for more milia removal tricks... 4. Try a Manuka honey mask YouTube Research has shown that Manuka honey masks were effective in fighting against bacteria that causes acne. While milia isn't usually caused by bacteria, it can certainly help with the appearance of your skin. All you need is 3 or 4 tbsp. of Manuka honey with about 1 tbsp. of cinnamon, microwave the mixture for 30 seconds, and then apply a thin layer of it to your face and wait up to 10 minutes before rinsing. 5. Use a facial peel The Beauty Studio Be careful with this one, as using a facial peel that is too strong for your skin can cause more milia. It's best to consider facial peels that contain salicylic acid or glycolic acid. If you don't already use facial peels and have milia, it might be best to skip this option as your skin might not react well to the ingredients. For those who often use facial peels, this could be a great option for you to try, as you know how your skin will react. 6. Use a retinoid cream Dr. Justine Kluk Retinoid creams contain vitamin A, which is vital to the health of your skin. Once your face is scrubbed clean and dry, apply a retinoid cream. If you're going to be out in the sun for a long period of time, be sure to wear sunscreen, as retinoid creams can increase the damage caused by exposure to the sun. 7. Use a light facial sunscreen Alison*Elle The right kind of sunscreen, especially the kind that is designed for the face, can help in reducing milia bumps. Be sure that the light sunscreen is at least 30 SPF, and if you're extremely fair-skinned, 100 SPF may be more suitable, depending on how often you're in the sun! As previously mentioned, milia bumps typically resolve on their own and these tips are simply to help speed up the healing process. If you continue to have outbreaks of milia or it's not going away, it's best to consult a dermatologist. Healthline Be sure to SHARE these milia tips and tricks with your friends and family!