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Anyone else dealing with Demodex Mites? What helps?
Four years ago, with no history of any skin issues, I developed overnight red, pustules and papules on my eyebrows. Over the four years, I’ve gone to three dermatology groups known to be selected by other healthcare professionals, and have seen a total of seven practitioners. They have said it’s rosacea, seborrheic dermatitis, or actinic keratosis. I’ve been prescribed expensive new topicals, two different antibiotic courses, etc. Each visit I hear, “Well, you can try this.”
I’m an RN, and I know my body. I keep telling each dermatologist that I believe it could be an infestation or overpopulation of demodex; demodex reproduce at night on your skin (they live in hair follicles) and most evenings my eyebrows begin to itch about the time it’s getting dark. With needle-tipped tweezers, I can pull white cyndrically-shaped mucous-type material attached to a hair follicle. None of the practitioners have followed guidance from an article on the NIH website for ensuring there is a skin scraping or other method to obtain a demodex count. None has acknowledged the damaging effects on self image that abound in the literature for rosacea, with which demodex is associated. This post is in no way to disparage dermatologists in general, but I clearly don’t fit the mold of the repetitive frequently seen five minute visits to which they may be accustomed. Has anyone experienced an overpopulation of demodex? How was it diagnosed and treated? Thank you.
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Chances are they are also on your eyelashes. I recommend seeing an opthomologist who specializes in dry-eye because they usually know about Demodex and can prescribe Xdemvy. Even if you don't have any eye issues, chances are they're living in your eyebrows and lash follicles.
I recommend you not use any products on your skin that have oil or anything like shea butter. I just spent hundreds of dollars on the wrong creams before I knew that they feed off our sebaceous oils. I replied to another writer with what I'm now doing, but will add here that I'll be buying sulfur lotions and using more tea tree oil.
From what I've read, the only thing that seems to kill them is 100% alcohol, but I can find only 99%.
Many products on Amazon are to get rid of Demodex and it's really interesting to read the reviews and comments. I've learned a lot from what others have done. I didn't have the usual itching until I started XDEMVY and Salicylic Acid, which means they're dying.
Good luck! Let us know how you're doing!
Hi….
It sounds like you are doing everything possible. I am hoping I am on “the other side” of this problem…. But think they are more under control than eliminated. I am using John Mitchell tea tree oil products…. Shampoo, conditioner, and a leave in conditioner/moisturizer. I needed two rounds of XDEMVY and have been off of it for two weeks using only Avenova to clean my eyelashes twice a day. I am interested in your 2% salicylic acid …. Is that an eye drop solution? As for makeup, I wore no makeup for 6 months and have just started but not daily. I have read in the literature that alcohol does not kill Demodex. I have also started moisturizer on my face but after the tea tree oil has dried. I also purchased 100% tea tree oil and I intend to strengthen my shampoo, body wash and moisturizer though I know that you have to be careful w skin sensitivity. I also used metronidazole and ivermectin on my face, neck, chest and back for about a month while also using all the tea tree oil. Good luck w all your strategies. When I was at the peak of infestation I washed sheets, towels, pillowcases and all clothing after one day of use. I am now washing my sheets every 4-5 days. And I am back to my usual clothing was routine.
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1 ReactionI was looking last night for 100% tea tree oil on Amazon and was turned off by the multiple uses suggested - aromatherapy, use for crafts, household cleaning. What does that mean? Maybe 100% is too strong but I don't want a lot of additives or chemicals either. Are there directions on how much to use ? I concluded that using full strength is not the way to do. There are many products to chose from. What brand do you use.
I am using a sulfer face wash at least once a day. My eyes are very itchy and my eyelashes are so thin and barely visible . I just bought OCuSoft's Demodex Cleanser but have not used it yet.
It’s Paul Mitchell ( not John) products I have been using. Unfortunately they and many other products just list tea tree oil as an ingredient. I have read to be sure it is mixed w other oil as it can be very irritating. I have seen 50% as max on your skin. I was just thinking of putting a couple of drops in the products I have. I have also noted recently that my skin is dry and can get itchy. But Incan differentiate it from the creepy crawly Demodex sensations. I’d like to use more moisturizers but I am afraid that the Demodex might thrive in that environment….are your eyes itchy from Demodex or might you be developing an allergy to your eye products? And are you using the 2% salicylic acid on your eyes or skin?
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1 ReactionI have been suffering too for the last 3 years. After seeing a round of Dermatologist’s I was prescribed Dermol cream. Wow what a game changer. I have been on it for 3 days and everything is dying. It restores your skin back to when you were in your 20’s! My skin has never looked so good and no more itching! I have spent thousands, tried everything & this is the only thing that has properly worked. You can get it online, 500ml for £10 so affordable. Good luck. X
Dermol cream. Had same issue. Took 3 years to get something that works. You can get it online. X
Hi , thanks for replying. I just saw yesterday that the 50% is what one should use . I want to try and find exactly that , don't want to have to measuer or mix. I spend so much time already on this problem. I know by now from reading the mites can't be totally eliminated. Depressing. Yes, my eyes are very itchy. They are active at night , so now I understand what's going on in bed at night, rubbing my itchy eyes. I haven't tried salicylic acid . I know that's common in acne treatment products; didn't know you could use that around your eyes. Something is happening with my skin since I began the sodium sulfactamide sulfer wash two weeks ago, maybe it's the "die off". Today, will look for tea tree oil locally before I order from Amazon. I've had blepharitis for years and never knew the connection to these mites. My opthalmologist never suggested anything other than warm compresses and keeping eyelids clean. . I really glad I found this Mayo Clinic discussion group. It's been so helpful. I check the daily digest daily .
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1 ReactionI've learned that if I leave this site to research something I lose everything I've just written.
: > (
CMCG, You are inspiring and hopefully I'll be in better shape soon and won't have to do two XDEMVY. So expensive! But I hear they're trying to get it to $100 in 2025 (I paid $997!) and they may have it covered by Medicare (I'm 74).
The 2% salicylic acid is an exfoliator that you leave on overnight that removes the sebum 'stuff' on your skin that the DX thrive on. It's really amazing and I just learned about it last week. If you don't exfoliate, go easy in the beginning. I've used an exfoliator for years but not one that got rid of sebum. After researching it I bought it from Sephora, which carries Paula's Choice products (something else new I've learned about in the past two weeks).
For alcohol killing the DX, I read in an NIH report: "In vitro killing effect...
We first surveyed the effect of a number of agents listed in table 1 1 on D folliculorum, and noted that 50% baby shampoo, 100% mineral oil, 75% alcohol, 10% povidone-iodine, or 4% pilocarpine could not kill Demodex in 150 minutes. In contrast, 100% alcohol killed them in 3.9 (SD 1.2) minutes." (I had noted this and another study earlier today but it was lost and fortunately this was still on my clipboard. I'd give you the URL but I fear I'll lose everything I've written again.)
Despite what I pasted in above, the tea tree oil (TTO) seems to be the best and killed the DX at just 3.7 minutes and it's more tolerable than 100% alcohol (which I can't find - just 99%). Two days ago I put 100% TTO throughout my scalp and neck and waited ten minutes before washing my hair. I don't know if it did any good, but I feel that anything I do is better than nothing, especially after getting lots of facial creams that only made the problem worse. I've been using AI to find out which products have oils or shea butter in them so I can avoid them or throw them out. It saves a lot of time! I name multiple products specifically, saying I have a Dermodex problem, and it gives me the ingredients and warns me off the ones with oil.
I wash my sheets every 5 days but change the pillow cases every morning and wash them in hot water with a 'sanitary' dry. It's time consuming but worth it.
I bought my 100% tea tree oil on Amazon and it's important for alju to read the reviews. To avoid irrelevant ones I click on the number of reviews on the product page and then scroll up to where there's a box to fill in what I'm searching for. If you put in 'Demodex' it'll take you to the people who mentioned it in their review. Hundreds!! Or use other key words since there are too many people who don't know about DX but have dry eye, mites, rosacea, etc.
I'm stunned by the YouTube videos that have dermatologists touting cures for rosacea that don't even mention DX, but am happy I found doctors who really do discuss it.
I'm sorry this is so long, but I'm like the others who have been dismissed by doctors who aren't properly educated (one thought I was crazy), and am eager to share what I've learned.
I'm in Philadelphia and fortunately one of the country's leading doctors on dry eye is here - Dr. Massaro. She's great and is part of Scheie Eye Institute which is part of HUP (Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania). She's the first one who told me about those damned mites! I think others know but don't want to alarm their patients. That's not good.
I'm happy to have found this support group. Good luck with your progress!
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1 ReactionWe all have demodex mites in our sebaceous glands.
It may not be possible to eliminate all of them.
In most situations they are harmless commensal
residents on our skin. They rarely cause a rash
Simple everyday rosacea topicals usually diminish
any overgrowth. Selenium shampoo can help inour scalp are.
You can use normal skin care items and save money.
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1 ReactionThank you for all your information. You are very thorough and well informed. I didn't know about entering the subject on review to search specifics . Will look for that. I always read the Amazon reviews . Very time consuming but valuable. I am encouraged today that I am finally headed in the right direction on this worrying problem. No thanks to the dermatologists I've seen. Neither ever mentioned the word "mites" to me. How could they not realize that's whats been going on. I found Tea Tree Therapy oil yesterday at Sprouts just have to call the 800 number with a question. Thanks again for your helpful comments.