Demodex mites live inside almost every human's hair follicles. The mites usually don't cause any problems, but if they multiply too much, they can cause demodicosis. If you have itchy, bumpy or red skin on your face, talk to your healthcare provider or dermatologist.
At high concentrations, tea tree oil is a potent killer of Demodex mites. The problem is that solutions of 100% tea oil, or other high concentrations, are very irritating to the eye. So one approach is to thoroughly wipe the eyelashes and eyebrows with a diluted solution of tea tree oil, from 5% to 50%.
The hair loss usually begins on the face, especially around the eyes. When there are only a few patches of hair loss, the condition is referred to as localized demodectic mange. If the disease spreads to many areas of the skin, the condition is referred to as generalized demodectic mange.
Demodex is contracted and spread by either direct contact or dust containing eggs.
But demodex are actually quite harmless. They don't bite. You don't feel them crawling or laying eggs (though they do both, which, again, is unpleasant to think about). Face mites can, however, become a problem when they overpopulate and begin to accumulate in high density, causing red, itchy, bumpy skin.
Face mites are microscopic organisms living in your facial hair follicles. They feed on dead skin and oil. They typically cause no symptoms unless they overgrow (demodicosis). This causes tiny white bumps and dry, itchy, scaly, irritated skin with acne-like sores.
Demodex can only live in the human hair follicle and, when kept under control, causes no problems.
Itching, mainly at night: Itching is the most common symptom. The itch can be so intense that it keeps a person awake at night. Rash: Many people get the scabies rash. This rash causes little bumps that often form a line.
Symptoms include red or dry eyes, swollen eyelids, sticky lashes, itching, burning or stinging, grittiness in the eyes and crustiness around the outer edge of the eyelid. An infestation of mites can also cause dry and itchy skin, and it can even damage the oil glands at the edges of the eyelids and the lashes.
Demodex Mite Treatment
The most commonly used treatment for demodicosis is a medication you apply to your skin called metronidazole. Other treatments include: Permethrin. Benzyl benzoate.
Of all the treatment options investigated, tea tree oil has been shown to be the most promising option for killing Demodex mites (Liu 2010).
The mite, Demodex follicularum, spends its entire lifetime living in our skin follicles. In the daytime they feed on our oily skin secretions, at night they leave the pore to find mates, and find new follicles in which to have sex and lay their eggs.
Demodectic mange can resolve on its own in mild cases. It usually takes 1-2 months for mild, localized infections to resolve spontaneously.
Direct contact or eggs present in dust as well as contact with infected towels, blankets, or sponges are the possible routes of Demodex spp. infection described in the literature [13, 14]. The use of facial creams or eyeliners has been considered as a potential route of Demodex spp.
Possible Impact of Demodex Diagnosis
Formication, a sensation resembling that of insects crawling on or under the skin, is a specific form of the general set of abnormal skin sensations known as paresthesias (prickling, tingling sensation of “pins and needles”) and tactile hallucinations.
Did you know that your face is home to microscopic creatures that come out to play at night? The creatures are called Demodex mites and live on the face of all mammals. These mites are very small - measuring about 0.15 to 0.4 millimetres in length.
The best option when trying to get rid of dust mites on your skin is to jump in the shower and thoroughly clean yourself with hot water and soap. The heat and soap should kill off any dust mites still on your body.
6.2. 2 Demodex mites. Two species of mites infest human skin: (1) Demodex folliculorum and (2) Demodex brevis. These colonize the hair follicles of the eyelash, forehead, nose, cheeks, outer ears, chest, buttocks, and pubic areas (reviewed by Wesolowska et al., 2014).
Since face mites live inside your pores, you can't wash them off. But for a majority of people, they're harmless.
Demodex Mites. The Demodex life cycle has 4 stages: (1) egg (fusiform or lemon shaped), (2) larva (3 pairs of legs), (3) nymph (4 pairs of legs), and (4) adult (4 pairs of legs and breastplates)2 (FIGURES 1 and 2).
Demodex infestation was significantly associated with blepharitis, and several signs are valuable clinical clues. Signs that are suggestive of Demodex infestation are any kind of debris on the eyelashes, including cylindrical dandruff, scaly debris, or waxy debris; eyelid erythema; and eyelid telangiectasia.
Demodex mite densities can be measured in different ways and the presence of >5 mites per cm2 is required for a diagnosis of demodicosis. Two methods are commonly used to determine Demodex mite densities–a standardized skin surface biopsy (SSSB) and direct microscopic examination (DME).