Demodex is eight-legged mites, which are associated with the sebaceous or oil glands of many mammals. They live in hair follicles.
These two species live in humans Demodex brevis which lives in the oil gland on the face and Demodex folliculorum which lives in hair follicles on our faces, especially on eyebrows and eyelashes.
If they live on all humans, the question is - are these mites parasites or harmless organisms? And according to our daily habits such as daily skin-care routine, make-up application, and face washing can assist or block this mite survive?
Demodex mites are too small organisms. D. brevis is less than a quarter millimetre and D. folliculorum is about a third of a millimetre long. They also have many bacteria in their bodies. A number of treatments are directly used to detect these. And skin biopsy is the best method till now including a small amount of cyanoacrylate on an experimental slide.
Mites are identified by cylindrical dandruff around infected hairs in residence due to their living habits. It can be squeezed out of follicles with the help of a zit extractor. Mites feed on sebaceous oil and skin cells, they don't have an anus so they vomit their food. They mate and lay eggs in the follicle. The lifespan of mites is 15 days; they die and decompose in follicles.
These mites can cause an allergic reaction in some people and these might explain the number of clinical effects.
Unfortunately, this might can cause a number of skin problems -
- Pimples and Acne on the skin
- Rashes on skin
- Meibomian gland dysfunction - oil gland blockage on the eyelid, it can lead to cysts
- Formation of pterygium, fleshy growth on the eye
- Dry eyes
Can you get rid of it?
There are a number of treatments or compounds out there that reduce mite numbers, but these are a natural part of our skin flora so it may be best to not eliminate them entirely.
Sharing makeup brushes, tweezers, eyeliners, mascara and face towels is not a good decision, these are good habits to avoid these mites to transfer on your face. Washing your face and cleaning it regularly may reduce the number of mites on your face. But mites can survive washing as well.
If you suffer any infection on eyelids or nearby areas avoid using makeup and consult your doctor as soon as possible. Washing your face to control mite numbers on the face is the best way to avoid these reactions.
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