Why does nobody talk about how long it takes to properly clear a stubborn milia?

I had a client with a cluster of deep milia on her cheekbone that took me 45 minutes of careful, precise work with a lancet and comedone extractor to clear completely without scarring, which made me realize I need to charge more for these tricky extractions, so what's your go-to technique for stubborn milia that won't budge?

3 comments

3 Comments

fiona_lane1mo ago

Honestly I read somewhere that a tiny nick with a lancet first is non-negotiable for the really deep ones. Trying to press them out intact just doesn't work and hurts like hell. That initial cut makes all the difference for a clean removal.

ericb661mo ago

Yeah @fiona_lane, that makes total sense. It's like how you gotta break the seal on something before you can really get it out clean.

smith.ray1mo ago

Interesting point @fiona_lane, but I've had the opposite experience with those deep ones. My trick is to soften the area with a warm compress for a few minutes first, which loosens everything up way better than a cut. The nick method always left me with more scarring and bleeding than just letting it come out naturally after that.