Skinrepublic

Dear Dr. Jen,

CEBU, Philippines - I have a lot of white heads under my eyes.  At first I thought they would eventually go away by themselves like the few on my cheeks but they have been around for years.  What cream can I apply to make them disappear?  Please help me out here.

Janet

Dear Janet,

It sounds like you might have some milia.  These are creamy white dots, commonly called "milk spots". They can be confused with warts or pimples.  Milia are actually small benign cysts containing keratin.  Rubbing your eye area frequently or using a much too oily eye cream can contribute to milia formation.

Your PDS dermatologist can easily remove them by making small incisions, usually with a hagedorn needle under a cream anesthesia (EMLA) and express them out gently.  Please don't try to remove them yourself as you might go deeper than is needed and cause scars. These are very superficial lesions and removal should not lead to any scarring.  Healing is also very fast.

Dear Dr. Jen,

My feet are very dry.  No matter what foot cream I apply, they still crack.  Foot spas haven't helped either. Is there a way to make my soles smooth?

Kris

Dear Kris,

Cracked heels respond easily to application of a thick cream, petroleum jelly, or glycerin oil at night time.  However, if you have tried all of these remedies with no improvement, you can try having your feet checked by your PDS dermatologist.  Large fissures are more tricky to treat and need application of "glue" to keep the fissure together and let it heal.  Also, bacterial infection can compound the problem and may necessitate topical or oral antibiotics.

Tineapedis or a fungal infection on the feet can also present as cracked soles.  No amount of moisturizer or foot spa can cure it.  With the right antifungal for a period of 2-4 weeks, treatment can be successful. It might be time to have your feet checked.  Good luck!

If you have any questions or concerns please text 0922 845 5556or call (032) 232 5929 or email [email protected].

Dr Tan is a diplomate of Philippine Dermatological Society (PDS). She is affiliated with Perpetual Succour Hospital.  For other information on PDS, check http://www.pds.org.ph/