WHAT IS THE DEMODEX MITE?
Demodex mites are eight-legged, 0.3-0.4 mm long, sausage- shaped arachnids that live in the pores of our facial skin. They are particularly fond of the hair follicles of eyebrows and eyelashes, and the oily pores most common on the nose, forehead, and cheeks
Their bodies are covered with scales for anchoring themselves in hair follicles, and the mites have pin-like mouthparts for eating skin cells and oils which accumulate in hair follicles.
Their bodies are covered with scales for anchoring themselves in hair follicles, and the mites have pin-like mouthparts for eating skin cells and oils which accumulate in hair follicles.
The mites are transferred between hosts through contact with hair, eyelashes, and eyebrows, as well as general facial contact.
As you age, the percent chance that you have demodex mites living on your eyelashes also increases
% of people
A THIRD OF YOUNG ADULTS
HALF OF ADULTS
2/3 OF ELDERLY PEOPLE
MAIN CAUSES OF DEMODEX MITES
People with oily skin may find themselves more vulnerable to eyelash mites, as mites like to feed on the sebaceous glands.OILY SKIN
Women who wear mascara on their eyelashes or a lot of eye make up tend to have a higher prevalence of Demodex mites. Additionally, sleeping with makeup on your face can also make you more vulnerable to an infestation.MAKE UP
Keeping your eye area clean is the best way to reduce Demodex mites, but regular personal hygiene products alone do not kill these mites.HYGENE
WHAT SKIN ISSUES DO THESE MITES CAUSE?
75
MILLION
Keeping your eye area clean is the best way to reduce demodex mites, but regular personal hygiene products alone do not kill these mitesBLEPHARITIS
People with Rosacea often have 15 to 18 times more demodex mites infecting their eyelashes, eyelids, and face than othersROSACEA
The good news is that with the right ingredients, these creepy bugs are relatively easy to kill.
WIPE YOUR EYES DAILY
Make sure you’re using a wipe that contains tea tree oil, the ONLY all-natural killer of Demodex mites.
MAKE SURE YOUR CONTAMINATED MAKE-UP DOESN'T TOUCH YOUR EYES
Throw out and replace your eye make-up if you’re suffering from a Demodex mite infestation.
ANTIBIOTICS FOR VERY SEVERE INFESTATION
Using over-the-counter antibiotic ointments can help prevent and treat Demodex infestations, but talk with your doctor first.
CAN MITES TRANSFER
BETWEEN PEOPLE AT NIGHT?
YES
Yes, at night mites usually comes out of the hair follicles and move at a speed… Mites transfer between people in close proximity though skin and hair contact.
HOW OFTEN SHOULD
YOU CLEAN YOUR EYELIDS?
DAILY
Healthy adults have around one to two mites per square centimeter of facial skin. People with skin or eye conditions may have 10 times more. Daily cleansing is necessary to prevent the mites from reproducing by laying eggs in your pores.
BUTT OR NO BUTT?
Demodex mites do not have anuses and therefore cannot get rid of feces “Their abdomen just gets bigger and bigger and when they die and decompose they release their feces all at once in the pore,” studies show. When the mites are numerous, the material is enough to trigger an immune reaction,inflammation and tissue damage.
WHAT PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS DO DEMODEX MITES CAUSE?
The main symptoms of Demodex infestation are itching, burning, crawling foreign body sensation, blurry vision, crusting and redness of the eye lid margin.
Some people’s vision may be compromised. These mites may affect the tear film of the eyes, causing your vision to blur. However, once the infestation is cleared up, your vision will then return to normal.DECREASED VISION
According to an analysis of 48 separate studies, people with rosacea are eight times more likely to have a mite infestation. Skin mites have been connected to creating inflammatory skin diseases. It is believed that rosacea is not caused by the mites themselves, but rather the bacteria in the feces that they carry.ROSACEA
Because the mites have an aversion to light, they feed and conduct most of their mating at night and crawl back into the hair follicles in the morning.EARLY MORNING ITCHINESS
People may experience their eyelashes falling out if there are many mites residing in a single eyelash follicle.FALLING EYELASHES
Severe cases of Demodex mites may lead to eye infection.EYE INFECTION
People with an infestation of mites may experience Demodex blepharitis: reddened crusty, itchy,scratchy burning eyelids, and thickening of the skin of their lids.EYELID INFLAMMATION
A 2012 meta-analysis found that people who suffer from acne vulgaris have almost 3x the likelihood of Demodex mite infestation. These people produce three times the average amount of skin oil, creating a sebaceous feast for these mites.ACNE
DOCTOR
RECOMMENDED
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
CHECK YOUR PARTNER
These mite’s bodies make it easy for them to travel from one person to the next via hair follicles through casual contact. Make sure everyone in your household has been checked to thoroughly eradicate the problem. This includes your pets, as they are vulnerable to these mites too.
BUY NEW PILLOWS AND BED SHEETS
These pesky little mites can be Hiding in your linens, so replace any contaminated sheets and pillow cases to effectively end the infestation. If you skip this step, it is possible to suffer from a re-infestation.
