Milium vs Epidermoid Cyst

How to tell the difference — key features compared side by side.

Feature
Milium
Epidermoid Cyst
Category
Benign
Benign
Key feature
Tiny white bumps on the face filled with keratin. Extremely common in newborns and adults. Harmless.
Slow-growing, round, skin-colored lump filled with keratin. Benign but can become painfully infected.
Risk factors
Newborn period (primary milia); Heavy skincare products (occlusives, rich eye creams); Sun damage (secondary milia)
Young to middle-aged adults (most common age group); Male sex (slightly more common); Acne history
Action needed
Only if milia are cosmetically bothersome
A cyst that becomes red, painful, swollen, or warm (infection)

Milium

Milia are tiny (1-2mm), dome-shaped, white or yellowish bumps that appear just beneath the skin surface. They are small cysts filled with keratin (the protein that makes up the outer layer of skin) trapped under a thin layer of epidermis.

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Epidermoid Cyst

Epidermoid cysts are the most common type of skin cyst. They are slow-growing, round, firm, mobile nodules located in the dermis or subcutaneous tissue, filled with keratin (not sebum, despite the common misnomer "sebaceous cyst").

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Does yours look more like milium?

Quick self-check

Does this look like milium? Answer 2 questions.

Are they tiny (1-2mm) white or yellowish bumps, mainly on the face?

Are they hard and cannot be squeezed out like a pimple?

Still not sure?

Our full ABCDE checker evaluates 5 clinical criteria dermatologists use.

Full ABCDE check →