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Demodex folliculorum and Demodex brevis live in hair follicles and sebaceous glands and usually do no harm. Many of us have these tiny skin parasites.
Mites are small creatures visually similar to insects but with four pairs of legs instead of three. Many mites are parasites of animals and plants: Demodex folliculorum and Demodex brevis are parasites of humans. These two microscopic mite species live on the face, tucked into the hair follicles. They are referred to as demodex mites, follicle mites, or face mites.
Where do face mites live?
A hair follicle is a long narrow tube leading down from the skin surface to the root of the hair. Branching off the side of the hair follicle quite near the surface is a sebaceous gland that continually produces sebum, a fatty secretion to moisturize and protect the skin. While hair follicles and sebaceous glands occur virtually all over the body, follicle mites seem to have a predilection for the follicles and glands of the face. Early research indicted that they are most numerous around the nose and eyes, but some recent studies have found the highest numbers on the cheeks and forehead.
Follicle mites are long and thin—the better to fit inside a long thin hair follicle—with their four pairs of legs right up at the head end and the rest of their tubular body dragging behind. Demodex brevis mites live in the sebaceous glands while D. folliculorum mites occupy the hair follicles—both species feed on sebaceous secretions and dead skin cells, both reproduce in the follicle or gland, and both occasionally leave the follicle and travel across the skin to a new follicle.
Who has face mites?
Demodex mites are very common in humans. The older you are, the more likely you are to have a few mites living in your follicles, with some sources stating that virtually all senior citizens have them. Follicle mites are passed directly person to person through skin contact or on shared towels and other fabrics.
Because they are microscopic, you generally don’t know that you have follicle mites. To confirm that they are present, you would need to gently scrape oily skin secretions off the surface of the skin or attempt to express some sebum from the hair follicles on the face. The material could then be examined under a microscope; however, if no mites are seen, they might simply be too few and too deeply lodged in the hair follicles to be detected in this manner. For most of us, however, the presence or absence of follicle mites on our faces is of little consequence.
Do face mites cause skin problems?
For years, follicle mites were thought to be commensals—parasites that lived on us without doing any harm. Certainly, the majority of people who have them never know that they are there and suffer no adverse effects from them. Demodex folliculorum, however, can multiply to surprising numbers within one hair follicle—ten per follicle is not unheard of—and a large number of D. folliculorum mites seems to go along with skin problems, though this is by no means a reliable rule.
Over the years, considerable evidence has accumulated that Demodex folliculorum may at least play a role in certain skin conditions, particularly papulopustular rosacea. Patients with immunity problems, such as AIDS patients, appear to be particularly susceptible. Symptomatic infestation with demodex mites is called demodicidosis or demodex folliculitis.
While the role of demodex in disease is still unclear, treatment for skin problems in cases where there are many mites present now often includes a topical antiparasitic cream. Treatment successes where the mites were targeted provide further indirect evidence that face mites cause skin problems, at least in some instances.
Read about other skin parasites of humans:
Scabies mite - Sarcoptes scabiei
Chigoe flea - Tunga penetrans
Chiggers - Parasitic Mites
Dermatobia hominis - Warble Fly
Sources:
“Demodex Mites in Acne Rosacea.” Rooihu, T, and A. L. Kariniemi. J Cutan Pathol. 1998; 25(10):550-2.
Foundations of Parasitology 6th Ed. Roberts, Larry S. and John Janovy Jr. Boston: McGraw Hill, 2000.
Furtive Fauna: A Field Guide to the Creatures Who Live on Us. Knutson, Roger M. New York: Penguin Books, 1992.
“The Significance of Demodex folliculorum Density in Rosacea.” Erbaci, Z. and O. Ozgöztai. Int J Dermatol. 1998; 37(6):421-5.
The copyright of the article Demodex Spp. – Face Mites in Skin Disease is owned by Rosemary Drisdelle. Permission to republish Demodex Spp. – Face Mites in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
Comments
Sep 18, 2008 6:33 PM
Guest
:
I struggled with a significant case of demodex over the past six years, but
I went into a research mode early on and kept at it until I figured it out.
I have written a book, now available on Amazon.com called "Your Doctor
'Mite' Not Know." It reveals a great deal that I have not read or
heard anywhere else and it exposes the fact that the mites are affecting
the body a whole lot more than we ever dreamed. I am a layperson but I am a
researcher at heart and after six years of steady investigation and more
than 100 hours over a microscope, I have uncovered some amazing facts. I am
sure that the book is going to help fellow sufferers a great deal.
Nov 16, 2008 12:26 PM
Guest
:
This is for Guest's post, from Guest2. I have just left Amazon, and from
taking a look at your book, which I intend to purchase after I am done
here.
I did the "take a peek inside" thing and I can
tell you I was so greatful to read the part about the Dr.'s not knowing. I
have been wondering if this wasn't some big secret or cover-up, or maybe
the health society doesn't want the public to know for fear of the doors
being broken down at the clinics. However, even if this would be true, it
is no reason to treat a patient as if they are "flakey" in the
mind, or put off one's appointment for 2-3 weeks when this patient is
certain something is crawling on their skin! One almost has to beg for
help.
It's "sob (cry) city" when a person thinks
they may have to live the rest of their life with parasites because
everyone, including the medical profession society, thinks they are looney
in the head.
To make things worse, if you have ever had
depression and been treated for it, you may as well totally forget about
getting any serious attention from a Dr. I think depression in a medical
chart must be considered as a blessing to some Dr.'s. If they can't figure
something out, they can always fall back on the handy, dandy past diagnosis
of depression and blame it on that. Looks as if cigarettes have got some
competition.
Nov 19, 2008 12:36 PM
Guest
:
I have dust particles constantly flying from my hair and face. could this
be a mite problem?
Dec 12, 2008 3:12 PM
Guest
:
Why are their no "treatment plans" to this. I have found tons of
info & believe this is what causes my excema flare ups. I have seen a
few doctors & noone knows what to do for me..... Any help appreciated
Dec 23, 2008 7:40 AM
Guest
:
I accompanied my wife to a hair solution centre today for a checkup. She's
experiencing hair loss after our first child. I took part in the checkup
(as it was free) and to my surprise, they found a few demodex mites on
me!
I don't have any hair loss problem but this new found 'surprise'
has got me worrying. The web seems to have a lot of info on these mites but
nothing much on treatment.
The centre does provide treatment but it's
very costly.
Any advice appreciated
Dec 23, 2008 7:41 AM
Guest
:
I accompanied my wife to a hair solution centre today for a checkup. She's
experiencing hair loss after our first child. I took part in the checkup
(as it was free) and to my surprise, they found a few demodex mites on
me!
I don't have any hair loss problem but this new found 'surprise'
has got me worrying. The web seems to have a lot of info on these mites but
nothing much on treatment.
The centre does provide treatment but it's
very costly.
Any advice appreciated
Jan 27, 2009 10:57 AM
Guest
:
I have found that antibiotics are helpless when it comes to cure demodex.
However, Ovante has provided great book to read on other available
treatments. Look it up, it is available on internet or check in on their
web site - http://skinimprovements.com - it can be down loaded there to.
Mar 15, 2009 3:30 PM
Guest
:
some of the mites live on my eyebrow and I see them with my microscope!
and ohh it's so creepy.
May 26, 2009 12:48 PM
Guest
:
I had demodex mites - first in eyes, then in scalp, then all over my body
including ears and nose. I went through 4 full body treatments of
permethrin 5%, tried any number of things you can imagine to get rid of
these mites - had them for about 6 months and was contemplating the big
do-myself-in scenario because I just couldn't live with it any more. While
researching I came upon an article on a product called PERMAGUARD Foodgrade
Diatomaceous Earth. The article stated that this product killed mites,
ticks, fleas, bedbugs, etc. I had nothing to lose, so tried it. Before
dusting my bed, my carpet, my pajamas, my pets, my head and body, I was NOT
sleeping as I felt they were eating me up. After applying it, I was
sleeping after 2 nights...all night long. After 4 months of consistent
dusting, I feel they are all gone, but I will continue to dust my bed,
pillow, dog with it for another 2 months. For my eyes, I saturated cotton
balls w/1/4 peroxide, 3/4 water, and a pinch of 20 Mule Team Borax in an 8
oz. bottle, then put a sweatband around my head to hold the cotton balls in
place. This tore them up and I believe after about 3 months of that, they
are all gone. I thank God everynight for guiding me to the site about DE.
If you are scared of the dust (I am not, as there is very little
crystallization in this product), you can wet it as a thin paste and apply
- dries in about 3-5 minutes. Yes, you look weird and thank God nobody
ever knocked on my door after 8:00 at night, but it was worth it all.
May 27, 2009 5:36 AM
Rosemary Drisdelle :
Diatomaceous earth is made from the remains of plankton (diatoms) which, in
life, have a hard outer shell composed of silica. No matter how finely
ground, diatomaceous earth will still contain silica and it is therefore
potentially hazardous to health when inhaled. There are serious safety
concerns with long term inhalation of diatomaceous earth. It is thought to
be a possible cause of lung damage, silicosis, and may be a carcinogen.
Though immediate effects may not be noticed, the damage done by chronic
exposure may show up later.
10 Comments
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