These mites live in everyone: Dermatologist explains why we shouldn't fear Demodex
Why Demodex shouldn't be feared (photo: Freepik)
Demodex is a phenomenon that people often encounter, characterized by a certain type of rash on the face that requires professional treatment. However, not everyone knows what is associated with it, says dermatologist Nataliya Ilchuk's commenting on the health blog.
The doctor also explains what demodex is connected with and what mites live in each of us.
What is Demodex?
Demodex is a mite that lives in each of us. For example, we are accustomed to and quite often include in our routine caring for the microflora of the intestines. We take probiotics after antibiotics, and yogurts, in other words, we populate this microflora with good bacteria, lactobacilli.
"With the skin, we have the same story. But not everyone understands that we should also transfer this care to the skin. Not everyone understands that the skin has its own ecosystem - it is called the skin microbiome. It also consists of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and the same mites - some are good, some are conditionally pathogenic," says the dermatologist.
These mites are in balance on the skin, but there are many different microorganisms, and their ratio is different for everyone. According to the expert, in terms of individuality, this can be likened to a fingerprint, which is unique to each person.
The same can be said about the microbiome - it is unique to each individual. However, Demodex mites are present in everyone.
Demodex mites live in the body of everyone (photo: Freepik)
What does Demodex mite do, and why you shouldn't be afraid of it?
According to the dermatologist, Demodex mites simply live in the body of everyone. Their sole purpose is to feed on sebum. When acne or other inflammatory conditions arise, such as rosacea or perioral dermatitis, for example, against the background of increased sebum secretion, their numbers may increase.
However, it is essential to understand that during treatment, we are not killing Demodex. When sebum secretion decreases, the number of Demodex mites also decreases.
Moreover, the dermatologist emphasized that it is impossible and unnecessary to cure Demodex since it is part of the skin's microbiome, and it should be there.
Earlier, we discussed the dermatologist's explanation of the dangers of melanoma.
This material is for informational purposes only and should not be used for medical diagnosis or self-treatment. Our goal is to provide readers with accurate information about symptoms, causes, and methods of detecting diseases. RBС-Ukraine is not responsible for any diagnoses that readers may make based on materials from the resource. We do not recommend self-treatment and advise consulting a doctor in case of any health concerns.
