Did You Know: Your Face is a Habitat for Tiny Insects
By Abeer Iftikhar
Demodex, also known as ‘Face Mites’ live in the human hair follicles, mainly on the face. Demodex mites are usually very tiny, about 0.15 to 0.4 millimeters in size, and have two main species: Demodex folliculorum and Demodex brevis.
Demodex folliculorum is usually found in smaller follicles, such as your eyelashes, and eats on skin cells. Demodex brevis is found near the oil glands in hair follicles and feeds on sebum — an oily substance that hydrates the skin’s surface.
Demodex was discovered in 1841 by two scientists, but only properly discovered by Gustav Simon a year later, who called them a ‘worm-like object’. Another year later, Richard Owen had the honor of naming them “Demodex”, joined from the Greek words demo and dex, which means ‘boring worm’. Other variations may be found in dogs, but D. folliculorum and D. brevis exist exclusively for us (how sweet).
Before you start scrubbing your face hoping to get rid of these tiny invaders, believe it or not, they’re nice! They even help your skin by removing dead skin cells, which reduces the risk of blocked pores and keeps your skin looking healthy & fresh. Like any other species, Demodex is either male or female, and some studies show that males may exceed females in number by 3 to 5 times. Demodex typically enjoys a sebum-filled environment, so if you have oily skin like me, yay! (I think?)
An interesting study shows that newborns do not have these face mites, and may colonize us as we age, via transmission from adult family members. In fact, you probably have some of your family’s face mites chilling on your skin (they enjoy traveling).
Another not-so-fun fact is that Demodex reproduces…on your face! The females lay their eggs, which hatch about half a day later. Young mites take approximately 6 days to reach adulthood as their average lifespan is only 2 weeks!
Sometimes, these microscopic entities get a little naughty and multiply in number exceedingly. This leads to a condition known as demodicosis.
It may cause itchiness, pustules, redness, and sensitive skin. Demodicosis is usually treated with a cream or gel that has acaricide, a pesticide that kills ticks and mites.
Appreciate the various miracles of your body, including face mites!
