Whiteheads

Q: What are the small white dots that grow underneath your bottom eye lid?

A: Without being able to make a visual inspection, I can only hazard to guess, but it sounds like you have a simple formation of comedones, or whiteheads. These are caused by blockage of the excretion of the sebaceous fluid from the pores.

When it is simply a matter of the fatty/waxy sebum blocking the pores and the pores appear “white”, the blockages are called “whiteheads”. Sometimes, however, it is not only sebum, but also dirt and other environmental contaminants, causing the blocked pores to appear darkened, and then the blockages are referred to as “blackheads”.

Daily (or twice daily) cleansing using a face wash and astringent containing salicylic acid should be sufficient to open the pores and keep them clear and the skin looking fresh and healthy. In some stubborn cases, you may want to use a hot, damp cloth laid over the face to “steam open” the pores and soften the waxy/fatty blockage, which will better allow the cleanser and astringents to work on the skin.

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See also:

Disorders of the skin

Keeping the skin healthy