Can acne cause complications?

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was professionally consulted by Specialist Doctor I Tran Van Sang - Dermatologist - Department of Medical Examination & Internal Medicine - Vinmec Danang International General Hospital.
Milia is a folk name used to refer to tiny nodules about the size of a grain of rice and raised on the surface of the skin. Milia is often confused with acne, so many people have applied the wrong treatment method, leading to the inability to treat it completely.

1. What is a milia?

Milia (scientific name is Syringomas) is a term used to refer to small and benign tumors, usually floating on the upper cheek or under the eyelids. Sometimes, they can also float on the abdomen, chest area, and genitals. Residual milia is also known as excess skin that emerges from the surface of the skin and is connected to the skin by a small stalk. This type of acne is painless, completely benign, and does not grow like malignant tumors.
Milia mainly develops in adulthood, between the ages of 25 and 30, and occurs equally in men and women. Syringomas usually appear as small, hard, swollen nodules that range in size from 1mm to 3mm. Milia usually grow in small groups and can be yellow, brown, pale pink...
Syringoma groups tend to grow symmetrically, meaning they appear the same on both sides of the body at the same time. location.

2. What is the cause of milia?

The cause of milia has not been determined until now, however, many theories suggest that this type of acne is formed by friction between skin surfaces and has a precursor from blood vessels, collagen. ... but with a skin covering the outside.

2.1. Direct cause

The direct cause of the development of Syringomas is a disruption of the collagen system in the body, causing excess flesh to emerge on the skin.
Collagen is defined as the network of substances that pull under the epidermis, keeping the function of creating the shape of the skin. When there is an excessive proliferation of Collagen and along with an imbalance in sweat gland activity, lumps of flesh under the skin will form.
This explains why in areas with sensitive skin and weak muscles, acne is easier to form and develop.

2.2. Indirect causes

Indirect causes of Syringomas are often related to the daily lifestyle. A person who eats poorly, abuses stimulants, sleeps too late... will increase the likelihood of skin acne forming, especially in the eye area.

3. Does milia cause complications?

In most cases, milia are benign tumors that are completely harmless and cause no symptoms. However, there are a very small number of people who experience pain and itching when having a milia, especially when sweating. At this time, you should see a dermatologist for more specific tests and examinations.
Milia often do not go away on their own, but over time can spread to the surrounding skin, affecting aesthetics. This is the most annoying complication from milia and also why it's so important to treat milia, even if they don't negatively affect your health.

4. The latest methods of treating acne today

After learning about the causes of milia as well as having the answer to the question "Does milia cause complications?", the treatment of milia is the next important issue to consider. Currently, there are two main methods to treat milia. Specifically:

4.1. Drug treatment

Some topical and oral medications help to destroy and remove excess skin, and stimulate new skin regeneration.
When it comes to milia, the first solution is often medication because this method is less likely to cause complications such as scarring, tissue damage or infection.
Doctors usually recommend two main drugs to treat milia:
Topical or oral retinoids. Topical atropine. In addition, some safe exfoliants can also help remove the top layer of dead skin as a simple solution to reduce the appearance of cellulite. Benign exfoliants often include:
Glycolic Acid. Pyruvic Acid. Mandelic Acid. Lactic Acid. Salicylic Acid... Usually, it takes at least a few months of use for these products to be effective. Exfoliating too often has the potential to cause dryness, tissue damage, or even scarring.

4.2. Invasive treatment

If you want to get rid of milia quickly for cosmetic reasons, especially when they appear too dense on the eye and neck area, you can use some invasive treatment solutions such as:
Tighten surgical sutures in the area of ​​the nodule to cut off the blood flow there, thereby removing them. This method has a slow effect and will cause minor damage. Burning milia with high-energy lamps: this method can be painful and affect the surrounding skin. In addition, the possibility of recurrence of milia after treatment is very high. Surgery: usually requires local anesthesia for the patient. This excision can often leave scars and the likelihood of recurrence is also relatively high. Laser treatment: this is a new and popular technology applied in many beauty salons today, but the laser has a very high temperature, so it will cause damage to the surrounding tissue. After treatment, some white spots will form, especially sensitive skin.

Acne is a benign tumor that usually grows in clusters and causes almost no serious health complications. However, they can be unsightly and make you feel self-conscious and guilty. Therefore, topical or invasive skin acne treatment is also an essential need of anyone who has this problem.
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