Tiny Bumps Near the Eye

Calcium deposit near eye?

Sept 2005

I have a small white raised bump on the side of my nose up by my eye. I thought is was a white head, tried to pop it, nothing happened. I've had it for about a month now and someone told me it could be a calcium deposit. What is a calcium deposit? Does anyone know what I can do to get rid of it and prevent others from showing up? Julie

It is probably a milia. You can poke it with a sterilized pin and squeeze the contents out (keratin, not calcium). It won't come back. They can't be prevented but are super easy to get rid of. If you don't feel comfortable treating it yourself, your primary care doctor can do it. Of course, the usual disclaimer applies - without seeing it I can't know what it is, but milia are very common, especially on the face around the eyes, and appear just as you describe - tiny white bumps that look a bit like pimples, but without the inflammation. They are not dangerous. Check out http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001367.htm, a google search will find you several other web sites also. I couldn't find one with a picture. Happy puncturing!
doc mama