Connect
← Return to Anyone else dealing with Demodex Mites? What helps?
Discussion
Anyone else dealing with Demodex Mites? What helps?
Skin Health | Last Active: Sep 17 9:54pm | Replies (181)Comment receiving replies
Sherillyn, @lynnecutler & @cmcg This is a very frustrating condition as all of you well know. The medical literature does not recommend a single treatment as there are a variety of mites, and as they colonize they often create secondary infections. Here is a comprehensive article that deals with the variety of conditions. Perhaps most valuable are the discussion of the treatments (including essential oils) and the links back to specific studies.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9961532/
@sherillyn I would like to say that there is such a thing as overtreatment, and this might be such a case. Many of the treatments he is using are alone very harsh, and combining them may leave his skin so fragile as to be a host for further invasion and secondary conditions -
for example the nightly tea tree oil + bentonite are VERY drying, add that to washing with Salicylic Acid & Sulphur Soap and infrared treatment seems a recipe for disaster..
We do not prescribe on Mayo Connect, so I will not give you "recipes" or ratios for essential oils, but I can tell you I rely on a couple of books when trying to figure out a natural remedy, then I test and adjust.
Many good shops/distributors carry guides and books, and you can find them on-line
Two of my favorites are: Essential Oils Pocket Reference (8th Ed) by Life Science and The Healing Power of Essential Oils by Eric Zielinski
One note - If you decide to purchase essential oils, pay attention to both potency and freshness. It is best to buy them from a company that manufactures and stands behind them, and from a source where they sell quickly. Then store in a cool, dark place to preserve potency and always dilute before using.
Be sure to test each (diluted) single oil or combination on a sensitive patch of unaffected skin for at least 24 hours before applying. Two good places to try are on the inner forearm and the back of the knee. This would apply to ANY home remedy you use - you don't want sensitivity or allergy to the treatment to make thing worse!
Have you considered finding a functional medicine doctor or wholistic practitioner near you who can help?
Replies to "Sherillyn, @lynnecutler & @cmcg This is a very frustrating condition as all of you well know...."
Connect
Thank you very much Sue. I appreciate all of your comments and absolutely agree with you in all cases.
Most of the treatments he uses are not at the same time. He has tried all of them but the most success has been with continuous TTO and diatomaceous earth. He also believes that Red Light Therapy (633 nm) and sauna therapy are very beneficial. The other products and the processes he has used are not continuous and not very frequent, such as the hydrafacial.
In terms of the essential oils, I understand the need to purchase for potency and freshness, but I am not able to find a supplier that can attest to the potency and freshness. There are so many brands out there and no standards, that I have found, to ensure I am buying the best oils. Right now we have been using Thursday Plantation Tea Tree Oil, which I have found to be good.
As for a Functional Medicine Doctor or Wholistic Practitioner, we are quite limited because we are in Canada and he lives in a small city.
If things go as planned, he will be seeing a Naturopathic Doctor soon and has recently started a good regimen of probiotics. He is very conscientious and doesn't want to spread it to others, so he's waiting until it gets a little better before going out.
This is very difficult.
I appreciate your comments, good insight. We don't want to overdo treatment as you are right, it could make things worse. It is good to bounce ideas off of someone that understands what he is going through. Thank you.