Shereene IdrissBoard Certified Derm, Founder and Chief Nerd

YouTube Channel

30 Jan 2026 · 1 min

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0:56

Short informal dermatology clip explaining the difference between milia (singular common cysts) and syringomas (multiple tiny, benign sweat-gland overgrowths often under the eyelids). The speaker notes syringomas commonly appear around puberty, are benign and primarily cosmetic, and discusses treatment options—snipping or staged electrodessication to reduce scarring—while warning treatments may not be permanent.

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All right, so a lot of you guys often ask me about milia, which by the way I have. Oh, that's not me. I happen to have one right here which I've had for years that comes and goes as I've burnt it before. But it's just one. When you start to develop, quote unquote many, it could be a situation called syringomas where you have these tiny little skin colored bumps, usually a little bit whiter and fair skin a little bit darker and darker skin that can appear under your neath your eyelids. Completely benign. It's an overgrowth of your sweat glands there nothing to worry about. They tend to pop up in puberty. Obviously cosmetically they can be concerning. You can do several things. A, you can snip them, which I find to be a little bit harsh. I prefer to burn them with electrodesicator and have patients come back and do it lightly over time to minimize any risk of scarring. Is that going to guarantee they're going to go away forever? Probably not. But it's definitely going to help with the appearance of your under eyes and help you take control over your little pups.