Your body naturally gets rid of dead skin cells by shedding them to make room for new cells to grow and take their place. When your old skin cells don’t fall off of your body, new skin grows on top of them and traps them underneath. Your dead skin cells harden and turn into cysts.

Additional causes of milia include:

Damage to your skin from an injury or sun exposure.
Long-term use of steroid creams or ointments.
A symptom of a genetic condition.
An autoimmune response.

Milia affects the skin on your body. They’re often located on your face. The most common places to find milia on your body include:

On your eyelid or under your eyes.
Cheeks.
Forehead.
Nose.
Arms or legs.
Genitals such as your penis.
Inside of your mouth.
Chest.

Milia don’t