How to Remove Milia at Home: Step by Step

Reviewed by OcuraLife Skin Experts · Updated June 2026

A cluster of milia under the eye
A cluster of milia. Tiny, firm, pearly-white bumps of trapped keratin.

Step-by-Step Guide

How to remove milia at home

Milia are tiny, firm, pearly-white bumps of keratin trapped just under the skin, most common around the eyes. With the Ocura Plasma Pen you lightly open the surface so the trapped plug releases, then the skin heals smooth. Here is exactly how to do it, safely.

The Ocura Plasma Pen
This guide uses the Ocura Plasma Pen.

The Right Settings

Tip and power for milia

MILIA
Tip FinePower 2 to 4Sessions 1Heals 3 to 7 days

One very light arc to open the cap of each white bump. Do not gouge. Use the lowest setting that works. The tiny plug releases and the bump flattens.

Milia sit on delicate skin. Smooth on your kit's Numbing Cream first, keep well clear of the eye itself, and let it set before you begin.

Your Treatment

Step by step

1

Patch test first. Lowest power, fine tip, inside of your forearm. Wait 48 hours before treating near the face.

2

Confirm it is milia. Tiny, firm, pearly-white, with no opening. If the bump is soft, red, or has a dark center, it is not milia. Leave it.

3

Cleanse and dry. Wash with a gentle cleanser and pat fully dry. The skin must be oil-free.

4

Numb, then re-dry. Apply numbing cream away from the eye, wait twenty minutes, wipe it off, and confirm the skin is dry.

5

Set up the pen. Fine tip, the lowest power that sparks. Hold it 1 to 2 mm above the skin at 90 degrees.

6

Lightly open the cap. One gentle tap to the top of each bump. You are opening the surface, not digging. The plug releases.

7

Stop at a tiny crust. A pinpoint dry spot is all you need. Do not press, dig, or re-treat the same bump in one session.

8

Aftercare. Apply the included aftercare cream and a healing patch, then follow the timeline below.

What success looks like. A pinpoint dry spot where the white bump was. No bleeding, no gouge. Milia need the lightest touch of any spot. When in doubt, use less.

Take extra care near the eyes

Never treat a milium on the eyelid rim or waterline at home, and keep the lowest power near the eye. Do not squeeze or needle milia yourself, which can scar and spread them.

The Ocura Plasma Pen Ultimate Bundle with numbing cream, aftercare and SPF
Everything you need in one box. The Ultimate Bundle: pen, numbing cream, aftercare and SPF.

Aftercare

What to expect while it heals

Day 0
Right after.A pinpoint crust forms. Mild redness is normal. Apply aftercare cream and a patch.
Day 1 to 3
The crust sets.Keep the area clean and dry. No heavy creams over it yet.
Day 3 to 7
It falls off on its own.Smooth skin underneath where the bump was. Do not pick. Keep applying aftercare cream.
Week 2 to 6
Skin settles.Apply SPF over the area every day, even indoors near windows. Switch back to lighter, non-greasy creams to help prevent new milia.

Before You Start

When to see a doctor instead

It is on the lid rim Milia on the eyelid margin or waterline should be removed by a professional, not at home.
You are not sure If you cannot tell whether it is milia, a whitehead, or sebaceous hyperplasia, leave it or get it checked. The plasma pen does not diagnose skin conditions.
Do not use the pen if You are pregnant or breastfeeding, have a pacemaker or implant, are prone to keloid scarring, or have taken isotretinoin in the last 6 months.

Clear them at home, at the source

The OcuraLife Plasma Pen clears the trapped keratin at the surface. A tiny scab forms, falls off on its own, and the skin renews. Adjustable settings, single-use tips, 90-day money-back guarantee.

See the Plasma Pen

Back to all Step-by-Step Guides · New to the device? Read the full Plasma Pen guide · More on milia.